Today we’d like to introduce you to Graciela Valdes.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Graciela. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Being a portrait photographer has been a lifelong dream of mine. I remember pouring over my aunt’s towering National Geographic collection staring into the soulful eyes of the people portrayed in the magazine, fascinated by the intimacy of a portrait. I saw the poignant portraits in Life magazine and the gritty and fiery images in Rolling Stone and they moved me. I fell in love with faces. I fell in love with the depth of a story and the vastness of emotions that could be conveyed without a word.
I loved words too and so I got my Bachelor Degree in English Education from FIU and started teaching high school English. I love literature – a different kind of picture painting – using words instead of film. Shortly thereafter I transitioned into a Paralegal career that would last 20 years. I served clients who had sustained catastrophic injuries or who had lost loved ones in tragic accidents and it was an honor to work with them. All the while, I never stopped photographing people.
On an otherwise unremarkable day at the office, I made the decision to follow my true North and turn my photography passion into a career. I threw myself into photography and business studies and devoured everything I could on the subjects. I also became a member of the Professional Photographers Association where after testing and image review process, I received my credentials as a Certified Professional Photographer, a certification I keep up to date through continuing education.
Not long into my journey, IT happened – the lightning bolt. I was at Barnes and Nobles in the photography section and I picked up the softest, sexiest book I had ever seen. It was the Art of Boudoir Photography by Christa Meola. I knew one could take intimate portraits of women as art like Annie Leibovitz, Diane Arbus and Richard Avedon; but I had no idea you could bring these types of portraits to the everyday woman and make a living from it. I thought of fine art nudes and intimate portraits as artwork and something only starving artists pursued. I was hooked – this was the genre for me. I could literally change how someone saw themselves and quite possibly their life with just my camera and my intuition.
I joined the Association for International Boudoir Photographers and not long after I was awarded as one of the Top Boudoir Photographers for 2015, won several smaller awards, and have been published numerous times in their Philosophie magazine.
Last year, I added men and couple’s photography to my services. Everyone can benefit from a boudoir portrait session. While boudoir in the traditional sense infers a portrait in lingerie or varying stages of undress, the truth is that an intimate portrait can be created in t-shirt and jeans. Because it’s about how you feel more than anything else.
It is my honor to photograph a large and diverse client base – men, women, couples, members of the LGBTQ community – all are welcome.
It is my mission to empower and inspire indefatigable individuals to live their optimal lives beautifully, authentically and in celebration of themselves and others; to provide an elegant and artistic platform for personal growth.
2018 is going to be a year of exponential growth. It will bring fun happy hour events for my private VIP Facebook group, and new and exciting opportunities to collaborate with other businesses and artists. I am fortunate to have my work on display at the local BeWell MedSpa and, soon, at the Amazing Lash Studio in Ft. Lauderdale.
Most exciting is the Brand Ambassador program for 2018. The Applicant will receive mini-boudoir shoots throughout the year and commissions and bonuses for qualified referrals. She will join me at monthly happy hour events and special events, and expos.
I’m looking for a motivated woman 21+ with social media savvy, a good network and who aligns with my mission of serving and empowering women.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’ve been very fortunate to have had nothing but positive and enthusiastic support from those around me from the beginning. Any difficulty I’ve experienced thus far has been as a result of not having a strong business background.
Having a boudoir photography business means not just being an artist, but a businessperson as well. But I’m a lifelong learner and so I have mentors and coaches that help fill in the blanks and instantly my bottom line started to show the results of the hard work. Last year I doubled my revenue from the year before and I’m laser-focused on doing the same this year.
When I was struggling to meet with other small business owners, I decided to join the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and it has made all the difference. Volunteering at the Chamber came naturally to me and I was happy to be the 2017 Chair for one of the Leads Groups – this was the first huge push to my business as a result of my membership in the Chamber. The second big growth spurt in my business came when I was invited onto the Board of the Women’s Council. Chairing the Community Outreach division allows me to develop programs and services in our community to the benefit of our community’s women and children and female entrepreneurs. It has also given me the opportunity meet and serve with some of the most talented, powerhouse women in Ft. Lauderdale. It has been my pleasure to be involved.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Graciela Valdes Fine Art Photography – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am a portraitist – a portrait artist. I’m also a woman, a mother, and a professional. I specialize in Boudoir photography, that is, intimate portraits of men, women and couples, as well as Personal Branding for the professional and Family portraiture to include maternity, newborn, engagements and intimate weddings.
Boudoir Portraits are more about how you feel, rather than how you look. The empowering and transformative power of boudoir photography is unparalleled. I provide a concierge service where excellence is my benchmark. My clients’ experience is paramount and I insist they each feel like they are my only clients. We do a lot of introspective work together, figuring out exactly what they love most about themselves and how they want to feel at the end of their session.
The boudoir sessions are a luxurious and all-inclusive experience. Clients are treated to a champagne welcome, a curated swag bag, professional hair and makeup artistry throughout the session, styling and jewelry on loan and more. There are plenty of gifts along the way, some sparkly and some satiny, but I won’t spoil the surprise!
The Personal Branding work was a natural spin-off from the boudoir in that I’m able to “see” my clients and bring their best selves to light. This type of portrait is dedicated to the entrepreneur – a portrait of a person’s “why”, their mission and purpose. In today’s online world, an entrepreneur has 3 seconds to come across as authoritative, confident and approachable in a manner consistent with their branding. I dive into branding with my client and we figure out what your ideal client would most resonate with and how that can best be conveyed through photography.
We create a portrait of who you are and your essence – speaking directly to your client, connecting with them at a glance.
Aside from the enormous amount of time, support, love and attention I give my clients, I believe my 3-Point Guarantee sets me apart from others. I guarantee that the client will LOVE the images, the products and the experience. If the customer isn’t happy, I’ll make it right.
What I am most proud of is the philanthropic work I am able to accomplish a result of this vocation. I volunteer with several local non-profits, usually by being their photographer but in some cases as a program facilitator or other supportive roles. But mostly I enjoy being able to raise awareness for these organizations. The Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Tomorrow’s Rainbow, the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, The Moises Simpser VACC Camp, PACE Center for Girls Broward and, finally, Prescod Kids, where I serve on the Board – these are all organizations where I am honored with the opportunity to serve.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
South Florida is an amazing place filled with a most beautifully diverse population not to mention the perfect weather (most of the time!). I love that I can raise my kids in a place where inclusiveness and tolerance is commonplace and easily accessible in their experience. If I had to choose what I like least, it’s that despite the above, we still have a long way to go in the fight for equality and fairness, but I don’t think that’s particular to South Florida anyway.
Pricing:
- The Boudoir Experience starts with a $375 investment and the average investment in digital and print products is $2800 and beyond.
- Personal Branding packages range from $475 to just under $1200.
- Family portraiture begins with a $250 investment in the experience and the average investment in digital and print products is approximately $1800.
Contact Info:
- Address: 401 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 130-556, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33301
- Website: www.gracielavaldes.com
- Phone: (954)790-7576
- Email: graciela@gracielavaldes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracielavaldesphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracielavaldesfineartphotography
Image Credit:
Graciela Valdes
Christa Meola
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