Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Zurita.
Hi Jacqueline, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My photo career more so began around the same time I started attending Cypress College in the Fall of 2019. Fresh out of High School I was unsure of what I wanted to do, the only thing I knew for sure was that I loved to take pictures of everyone and everything. To me photography was an outlet, a place where I could express myself without feeling restrictions and rules. I first started taking photography seriously when I started taking my first photo classes at cypress. I started feeling a sense of security due to the photo community that is already established there, the amazing people I’ve met and become friends with have allowed me to open and grow as both a person and an artist. This is very important to me because I was always struggling with wording my emotions, feelings and thoughts. I am able to use photography as an outlet to help free myself and others and also inspire others to free themselves in a way too. When my fourteen year old sister at the time was turning fifteen in 2021, my parents and I were on the hunt for a photo and video service to capture her day. She was the only daughter to have a traditional Quinceañera and we were determined to make it the best it can be. One day we decided to go to a place where I have been going since I was young, almost every sunday, the Anaheim Marketplace. We stumbled upon a photo lab called Alex Productions. At this point in time I did not have that much experience nor knowledge about how it is like to be an event photographer. My dad, after a long chat about package pricing, he then told Alex that I am a photographer looking for a job that is also attending school and would be great for him to hire me as an assistant or second hand photographer. Alex was excited to hear as he was already on the path of looking for an event photographer. My first day on the job consisted of shadowing his work pattern and ethic and how he interacts with the clients, how I should start being more social and speak more Spanish than English as the majority of his clientele were Mexican families. One thing I did not expect was for him to let me start doing events so soon after and also giving me photo editing jobs even knowing I had so little experience, even to the point of having me do videography, as he said, it would help me expand my services and help build my knowledge and the reason why I am where I am today is because he gave me the chance to show him that even though I don’t have much qualifications, I was determined to master the craft and to really capture my vision for what it is. I am currently still working as part of the Alex Production team as well as being a helper and photographer and videographer at HereStudios, as well as being a freelance photo based artist for my small business Jackie Z Photography.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In the beginning it was definitely a challenge. I come from an immigrant family and being the first generation daughter to go to college is definitely a pressure to uphold. I did not chose a traditional career nor path and even up to this day its a daily struggle I overcome everyday. My family has come from nothing and has built a life for ourselves here in the US, and I can say it was not a smooth road. What my parents have always wanted for me was to go to school, be successful and get a career that would financially keep me secure so that I would not go through the same struggles they did. I am the eldest of four siblings, all girls. My main goal for me was to show my sisters that they are allowed to pursue a career in whatever field they chose no matter what other people think or say. Overall going to school and working at the same time definitely added to my struggle but I have not let it dim my dreams of becoming a photographer. I was a very shy person, it would be hard for me to socialize especially with people I did not know. When I first started working with Alex, I was very insecure in my spanish speaking skills, even though that was my first language, I was not prepared for the amount of talking and directing that I needed to do. Being an open book, looking and feeling secure of myself and my work was hard in the beginning and it was not easy to overcome, especially when I had clients that would not talk directly at me, more so my boss since he looked older and more experienced. That was also one of my struggle was being taken seriously as a young adult working at a such high pressure, demanding and fast-paced job.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an event photographer and occasionally switch to videography. I do a wide range of photo jobs such as graduations, birthday parties, studio photoshoots and more. When it comes to turning in work to a client, I tend to lean more towards handing photographic prints and albums. I do however, when it comes to the client change my packages in order to meet their needs and budget. As well as customizing a digital package in case my client wishes more for a digital path. What I believe sets me apart from others is that I have a great appreciation and respect for my culture and the traditions that come with. To me, capturing the essence and experience of my subjects, whether at events, birthday parties, or family portrait sessions is what makes this work so rewarding. It’s all about preserving real moments that people can look back on and feel all over again. I am most proud of my work ethic and my overall growth as a photographer. Not just mastering the technical aspects like composition and workflow, but also developing a creative eye, adapting to different environments, and connecting with people.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I am twenty three years old, I have been attending Cypress College for five years and and am in the process of completing required classes to earn my Photography Associate in Arts Degree this May of 2025. When I am not working on event work, I am working on personal bodies of work. As a Mexican American artist, it is important to me to further explore how toxic family dynamics shape emotional development, leading to the loss of innocence from a young age to lasting mental health struggles as a young adult. Honestly, for me, being in touch with myself and my craft further enhances the urge to rewrite my own story by photographing other people’s events, capturing their joy, their milestones, and their energy allows me to see life from different perspectives and pour that inspiration back into my work.
Pricing:
- Standard Package Photo & Video $1,550.oo
- Premium Photo & Video $1,750.00
- Ultimate Photo & Video $2,150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jackiezphotography35.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/z_photograohy?igsh=MzRLODBiNWFLZA==
- Other: https://quietframe.mypixieset.com/
Image Credits
Self portrait by Meg Hata.
