Meet Gina Orozco | San Diego Portrait Photographer

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

Hi Gina, what do you attribute your success to?
As a photographer, I get to talk to women of all ages and from all walks of life. My business is structured so that I can really connect with all of my clients. One thing that I’ve noticed, is that many women do not always feel beautiful, empowered, or seen. It’s my mission to change that.

One of the questions that I ask, is when was the last time you had a portrait taken that was just for you? The responses run from high school graduation to their wedding day. This means that women are so busy taking care of everyone else that they often put themselves on the back burner. I want women to reconnect with themselves and realize that they are beautiful no matter what age they are or if they don’t look like they did years ago. To accomplish this, I spend time really getting to know my clients. I learn what they like and don’t like about themselves. I learn about how they want to be seen. Then on the day of their shoot, my clients start by getting their hair and makeup professionally done. This allows them to relax and feel taken care of before stepping in front of the camera. During the photoshoot, I pose each client to show off her uniqueness and beauty. When my clients see their pictures for the first time, many are blown away and they often see themselves in a whole new light. This confidence boost is priceless for them and for me, as well. I want every woman to walk out of my studio with a renewed sense of who they are and a feeling that they can conquer the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One thing that sets me apart from other portrait photographers is my desire to really get to know my clients and to not just create photographs but to also create art. I want all my clients to celebrate themselves and showcase their images in their homes so that they can see them everyday and remember how they felt when their images were created. I want them to love themselves a little more each time they look at their images.

I started my photographic journey many years ago by photographing landscapes. I love going to a new place and taking the most beautiful images. I traveling around the country taking pictures while finding joy in sharing with others the beautiful places that I gone. When I decided to open my business, I felt that weddings were going to provide me with that same satisfaction from being able to document a couple’s perfect day. Quickly, I learned that I really loved working directly with smaller groups in a more controlled setting. That is when I fell in love with portraiture. The journey hasn’t been easy. There is so much to learn from lighting to styling to posing. I constantly work to improve my skills through practice and education. I want to be at the top of my game to provide the best products for all of my clients.

The biggest lesson that I’ve learned is that being good at taking photos does not equal being good at business. I’ve had to learn how to create a business that is sustainable and profitable while providing a valuable product to my clients. I’ve also had to learn that comparing myself and my work to others is the thief of joy. It’s a common thing for creatives to constantly doubt themselves and to look at others and feel as though they have it all together. In reality, having a business is journey. It’s not short but long and winding. What works for one person, won’t necessarily work for all and as a business owner you have to figure out what will work for you and what will bring you joy.

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 spot in San Diego are the La Jolla beaches. I’ve spent many hours enjoying the beauty and calmness of the beaches. Because these beaches have interesting cliffs and rock structures, they make for the most amazing pictures.

After the beach, my next favorite spot is Balboa Park, There are so many cool museums to learn about all sorts of things. The Japanese Friendship garden is one of my all time favorite locations in the park. While you could spend days at the park, the next stop is the San Diego Zoo. I grew up going to the zoo and it’s still one of my favorite local spots. Its as large zoo with beautiful enclosures. It’s a way for people to see all sorts of animals and learn more about them.

If you love baseball, you have to go to Petco Park. This ball park one of the best in the league. You have great views of the game and the food at the ball park is so good.

When it comes to food, I think San Diego has the best Mexican food. The smaller family restaurants take such pride in the quality of their food. There are so many smaller restaurants, it’s hard to name just a few and honestly, I could eat Mexican food all the time.

Some of other restaurants that have great food are Union Kitchen and Tap in Encinitas, the Burger Bench in Escondido, and Filippi’s Pizza Grotto in Escondido..

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not be the person that I am today if it were not for the love of my family. My husband shows me every day how much he loves and cares for me by doing things that make my life easier. My four daughters are my number one cheerleaders. They lift me up when I have self doubt and constantly tell me that what I’m doing matters and is worthwhile. My family is my rock and their love and support mean everything.

Website: www.photosbygina.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/photos.by.gina

Facebook: Photos by Gina

Image Credits
Head shot for of myself was Saray Taylor Roman All other images are my own — Gina Orozco @ Photos by Gina