Meet Alejandra Escalante of Alejandra Escalante Photography in Brickell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alejandra Escalante.

Alejandra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am from Mexico and from a cultural perspective, creating family memories and capturing those moments are important and truly valued. My parents instilled these values for me, as my earliest memories are framed on the walls of my childhood home. My father had a Nikon film camera that he used throughout my childhood to capture any and all moments shared between me and my two sisters. I was always curious about my father’s camera and I have a vivid memory of the day he allowed me to hold it. I was amazed that it was so heavy and was intrigued by all of the functions. My interest in photography started that day and I am so grateful that my family taught me the value of capturing important moments on film.

My parents designed and built our family home in Mexico City over 30 years ago. There is a saying in my family: “Susi and Nano’s house never changes.” There was always a feeling of comfort and tradition with every birthday and holiday celebrated there. The time eventually came and changes were needed to update our childhood home. It was recently renovated and it is beyond beautiful. However, it is not the brand-new fixtures, designer paint or oak wood floors that make it feel so beautiful. It is that even after a major renovation, I can still walk up the stairs and see the bookcases lined with my family albums. The one thing my parents didn’t change was the placement of these cherished albums. My mother printed photographs and created a family album every single year. To this day, my two daughters, Ximena and Natalia are taken back to my childhood every time they open one of my mother’s albums. They are growing up in a time where photographs are rarely printed; they are on a cell phone, tablet, displayed in a digital frame, or uploaded on social media pages. The effect is that people quickly scan photos just to make a decision on if they will click a button to “like” or not. These albums represent many things but mainly they are a way to transfer our family values to the next generation in a lasting way.

In 2009, my husband Jorge was accepted into the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. We left Mexico City and headed for Washington D.C. knowing this decision would shape our future and contribute to my husband’s career success. Little did I know that Jorge pursuing his dream would enable me to find my own. Education is highly valued in my family and I hold a degree in International Business from the Private University Iberoamericana in Mexico City. My degree provided many amazing career opportunities, and I had the privilege to work for companies such as UNICEF, Teleton Mexico, and Tycoon Licensing Company. My career path changed course after my father recovered from a very serious surgery. I was printing a photograph I took of my family surrounding my father’s hospital bed, and that picture truly said a thousand words. It was that defining moment when I knew photography would empower me to contribute to the happiness of individuals and families through still imagery. It was a pivotal moment when I decided to risk leaving an already established career path and pursue a creative career in photography. I had the opportunity to attend a Professional Photography Program at Boston University (CDIA) in Washington D.C. and I joined my husband as we pursued our individual dreams together.

Has it been a smooth road?
I started my boutique photography company in 2011 when Instagram was brand new. Fast forward to 2018, the accessibility to clients is positive; however, it has created a high demand for professional photographers which increased competition in both package offerings and pricing. The demand created an opportunity for more people to use photography to create beautiful portraits and timeless art, but at the same time, it has made it challenging to stand out as a trained photographer among so many young aspiring photographers. As with most business owners, I have experienced many learning curves. I started my business and grew a solid client base, but eventually, it was time for our family to move to Miami. I look back on that time and appreciate how it was a formative time as a business owner and photographer. Finding a balance as a business owner, wife, and mom has been a struggle at times; however, staring my own family has taught me the very important lesson to exist at the moment and that is a beautiful thing. After nearly a decade as a professional photographer, I have found my stride, and value my ability to set aside everything and be present while validating my client’s experience with me.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Alejandra Escalante Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
I specialize in boutique photography, which provides an individualized service which is unique to the needs of each client. The boutique model provides me with the opportunity to create timeless images with the intention of the images being passed down from generation to generation. My specialty is lifestyle photography focusing on individuals, families, babies, and events in both America and Mexico. The ability to gain insight into who each client is and customize each session through careful selection of time and location has become my expertise across different cultures. I am honored to express a narrative that surpasses the complexities of culture and simply focuses on telling a client’s story.

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
The proudest moment of my career in a personal sense was documenting my grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration with four generations of our family present. The opportunity to photograph Spanish blogger Carla Goyanes for Hola magazine was my proudest moment in a professional capacity. As an active member of my community, I am also proud of the work I have done with non-profit organizations such as PAVE (Promoting Awareness and Victim Empowerment), SHARE (creating life-changing experience that bridges people from different backgrounds ) and Iluminemos Mexico ( sharing knowledge related to autism) that my creativity can also be used to help those in need.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
It has been acknowledged that family photos on display in a home help boost a Childs sense of identity and creates a space of belonging. Nevertheless the social media world we live in its so rare that people have no physical photographs anymore. I believe this is changing, were are going back to the basics, back to where we can sit down and go through a photo album with our kids.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alejandraescalante.com
• Phone: 305-335-0544
• Email: [email protected]

Image Credit:
Alejandra Escalante

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