Meet Denise Farrar | Photographer

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

Hi Denise, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have always been passionate about the arts since I was younger with getting into theater, photography, videography and more. Photography opened up an opportunity for me to combine my passions of automotive and modeling in a more artistic format.

My love for automotive started in childhood and still runs strong to this day. I’ve enjoyed not only taking photographs of vehicles, but building them as well. Meeting other enthusiasts and talking with them about their car’s history while taking photos of their ride makes each photo session special. There’s definitely something to say about the relationship between someone and their car, and it’s a great moment to capture. I do my best to try and include the owner in at least a few photos during each automotive photo session.

After my experience involving self-empowerment photography sessions over the years, I wanted to find a way to help others also feel more comfortable in their own skin. Getting to know and work around someone’s comfort level is important, no matter if it’s a simple car and owner shoot or something intimate like boudoir. Every person is unique and every body deserves to be cherished. I believe everyone should experience a personal photoshoot at least once, it’s such a great confidence booster!

Growing up with Cystic Fibrosis it was always on my mind that my body may not be able to support full-time work all the time, having a more creative career that is more project-based allows me to handle clients in a way that suits best.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What I am the most proud of is how far my life has come with having Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder mostly affecting the lungs and digestive system, and the inspiration behind the name Salty Photos. Up until 2019, there was no treatment that would improve the condition of anyone with Cystic Fibrosis, breathing treatments and IV medications would be necessary to help slow the progression of the disease. When a new medication called Trikafta was released, it provided an entirely new opportunity for life for tens of thousands of patients around the world. Not all patients qualify, however research is still being done to try and develop different versions of the medication for the rarer variants of Cystic Fibrosis. Now that my body feels better than it has the first 25 years of my life, I am now taking advantage of the health and energy that I finally have. I’ve been able to travel across the United States multiple times, going to car shows and photographing clients. My photography style is all about enhancing the features of the subject, whether it be a person or a vehicle. My favorite part of being a photographer is getting to know the people and the stories on how they became to be who they are today. You can feel the pride as they talk through the details and understand what parts of themselves or their vehicle they love the most. I also love hearing the reactions from my clients when they receive their photos, it’s so uplifting to help others feel more confident in themselves physically and mentally. My goal with Salty Photos is to be able to provide a unique personal photography session experience that anybody has the ability to afford, because empowering photoshoots are a necessity, not a luxury.

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?
Personally I try to have a friend over from out of state at least once a year. I always try to ask what kinds of foods they enjoy because you can find pretty much anything in Southern California. Being a car enthusiast, one of the main destinations that are always on the list has to be the Petersen Automotive Museum, I’ve gone at least seven times and the exhibit is always different. I also enjoy taking friends on scenic drives such as Mulholland drive, the Pacific Coast Highway, and Angeles Crest. Depending on where the friend is staying, it’s a must to go to smaller, hole-in-the-wall family restaurants for the best authentic food, whether it be Mexican, Vietnamese, Caribbean, or more. There are also plenty of local breweries, wineries, and distilleries for every taste. Most of my close friends are from out of state, and I always encourage them to come visit during the winter for a break.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A few people come to mind with the development of Salty Photos over the years, with the first being my old boss Jesse Kline at Coastline Motorsport in Woodland Hills. Jesse hired me on as a marketing manager to assist with the company’s online presence and events, it was my first job moving to Southern California. As each client’s vehicle came in for unique personal touches, it was part of my job to highlight those changes made with automotive photography sessions. Photographing hundreds of cars over the years, it helped refined my attention to detail for even the smallest of modifications.

In working with Jesse, I also had the opportunity to meet Dustin Troyan with Motor4Toys and Supercar Sunday. I’ve worked with him photographing multiple events and contributing to DrivenWorld magazine. Motor4Toys is one event I haven’t missed since moving to Southern California in 2016, and we hold a personal toy drive for the event every year. This year will mark Motor4Toys’ 20th anniversary.

I would also like to shout-out some of the photographers I worked with over the years, Francis Chau Photography, FocusRush, Perkins Boudoir, and Boudoir by Aldrete. Having the opportunity to work with these incredible photographers inspired me to not only develop my own unique photography style, but also pursue offering portrait and boudoir photography sessions for clients.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without any of the people mentioned above, so thank you.

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Image Credits
Denise Farrar, Salty Photos