Today we’d like to introduce you to Lucia Diaz.
Lucia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Lucía (Lu-sea-ah), and I am a wedding and portrait photographer based in Orange County, California.
I started my photography journey to document my backpacking days more than a decade ago, wanting to capture the flavorful food, the welcoming people, and the novel sights I was witnessing while traveling. My goal was to share those visual memories with my parents —who didn’t have the opportunity to explore beyond my hometown, Mexicali BC Mexico. To this day, they get excited to see new photographs and listen to the narrative that accompanies them, whether that may be traveling in Europe or photographing a client’s beach elopement.
A couple of years after graduating from UC Irvine as a computer engineer, I turned turned my photography hobby into a business (2015). Since then, my primary focus has been weddings and UC Irvine grad photo sessions. As a small business owner, I strive to provide each client with a custom experience tailored to their needs. We get to know each other through email communication and at least one phone/video consultation. This knowledge allows me to tell client stories with depth and care, often documenting their lives over the years. On a more personal note, I surround myself with kind, authentic people with a sense of humor and incorporate those values into the service I offer all clients.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being a business owner comes with an array of experiences, the majority of which are positive.
However, it is not a straight path, and the hours are long, especially for people like me who lacked business acumen prior to embarking on my photography journey. If I could give future generations advice, it’d be taking business classes (marketing, sales, bookkeeping, pricing for profitability, etc) in addition to mastering their craft.
Regardless of the situation, I try to keep a positive attitude, take notes, and derive a lesson to improve in the future.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a wedding and portrait photographer servicing Southern California. I strive to provide quality service to *all* customers. My goal is to treat them like family and create a relaxed environment which allows me to photograph them in a more meaningful way.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
As almost everyone, I lost relatives and friends, older and younger. The pandemic was a harsh reminder to appreciate life and friendship.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.luzye.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/luzye_photo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luzye.photography
