Meet Deborah Santoro | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deborah Santoro and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deborah, why did you pursue a creative career?
I always wanted to be a photographer. My parents gave me my first camera when I was 8 years old, and I took it everywhere with me. I love looking at old photographs and see how people and places changed over time. After I had my first child, I decided to take my love for photography to the next level. While I was pregnant, I took multiple professional classes to improve my skills. I decided to create my business because I feel that it is important to capture special moments. Memories fade with time. A photograph allows a person to relive a special moment over and over whether it is a newborn, graduation, anniversary or birthday. Photographs allow people to remember how they felt in that moment. Life moves fast. People change and children grow up so quickly. Photographs keep time still.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a portrait photographer. I started my journey as a professional photographer 8 year ago. Starting a small business always has challenges. There were some difficult times, and I have considered quitting on many occasions in the past. However, my love for photography has kept me going. Every day I remind myself why I chose photography as my life. I love meeting people and capturing their special moments. I like to hear their stories and what makes them unique. I have learned that to be successful you need to love what you do. I am so lucky to have transformed my passion into my career, and I don’t take it for granted. I have learned that there is always room for improvement and learning new skills. My goal is for my clients to have a fun, stress-free experience. I work very closely with each person to ensure they have a memorable experience. I understand that planning a portrait session can be stressful, so I guide my clients through the whole process. I am there every step of the way to capture their special moments and create artwork that they can pass down to their children.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite place is Coronado Island. I love the beach. Dog beach is such a wonderful place for our furry friends to enjoy the California life. I am Italian, I was born and raised in Southern Italy, so I like Italian food. When I am in Coronado I always grab a pizza at Buona Forchetta and some gelato across the street at Bottega Italiana. San Diego is a wonderful place. I love taking photographs of my clients at Balboa Park. It has a lot of history and beautiful landscaping. La Jolla is another one of my favorite places. The beaches are beautiful, and there are plenty of parks for the children to play.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have had mentors throughout my career and have learned a lot from other artists. However, my family has been my best supporter. They have motivated me to continue my journey in photography. In the last couple of years, it has been difficult for many small businesses, and every time I considered quitting my family has motivated me and pushed me to move forward and not give up on myself or my dream.

Website: www.heirloommoments.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heirloommoments/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeirloomMomentsPhoto

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