Meet Chele

Hi there...Since you are on this page I assume you are wondering who I am and what I'm about and why you should work with me!

I go by Chele (pronounced like a sea-shell) but my full name is Michele. I'm currently living beautiful Aliso Viejo, California, with my partner-in-crime, two kids, and two kitties, (and possibly a raccoon and a squirrel). We moved here from Austin, Texas to be near our SoCal friends and family.

I was born 100% right-brained in a left-brain family. From painting to dance and music - you name it - I did it. I started this photography passion of mine at the young age of 16 in the days of FILM and STINKY chemicals and darkrooms. Nostalgic, yes, but, aside from Polaroid (which I loooveee) - the film junkies can have this trend all to yourselves *thumbs up* because I fully embrace the digital age! 

As a young grasshopper, my aspirations were to photograph for Nat-Geo and travel the world documenting uncharted lands and pygmy tribes. Naturally, I majored in photojournalism and then *life* happened. To keep this very long complicated story WAY shorter, I ultimately discovered my favorite niche to be working with high school SENIORS and TEENS. So VOILA! I am here TODAY happily trading majestic landscapes and old world villages for urban fashion, and conceptual dress-up portrait shoots which feature talented and unique teens. I could not be happier!

My portrait work is regularly featured and awarded in many of the top trending national and international industry magazines such as:

Senior Style Guide, Modern Teen Style, Senior Luxe magazine, and Shutter Magazine, as well as SD Voyager Magazine featuring San Diego area artists to name a few. I've been awarded as a top 100 senior portrait artist by leading industry educator, Senior Style Guide, 4 years in a row and in 2022 gained ICON status, as well as the honor of 25 Most Influential Teen Photographers of 2020, and 2023 by Modern Teen Style. 

But really what you want to know is this. Why choose me for your Senior Portrait Experience?

In my hands, your experience extends far beyond just receiving a fabulous "yearbook photo". We invest our time into getting to KNOW our teens for their individual strengths and talents. We only accept a handful of seniors each month so that your portrait experience receives our undivided attention. Through the process of learning about you, and what you love to do most, we can then create dream portrait sessions with a variety of looks and themes that truly celebrate your individuality. With highly experienced professionalism, inclusive and authentic portraiture, personalized styling, and body positivity, we foster an environment of self-love where you can truly fall in love with being yourself.

When you hire Me, you'll receive a unique mix of vibrant portraiture, lifestyle, and fashion-editorial style photography that is personalized just for YOU! We provide an exceptional EXPERIENCE where you will have a BLAST doing what it is you LOVE.

This is YOUR STORY, and it deserves to be told through stand out magazine quality imagery that is authentic to YOU and celebrates this fleeting time in your life. Post graduation, you and your parents will have beautiful keepsake memories to look back upon. Most students, after graduation, will likely not have professional portraits made again until they marry and have a family of their own. What an amazing perspective that is!