Life & Work with Ingrid Dietrich of Encino, Los Angeles, CA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ingrid Dietrich

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I came to California in 2002 with the idea of continuing my education. I had studied Business Management abroad. I perfectly remember walking the art-covered LAX terminals–full of happiness and excitement.

My journey in the design field began in 2009 when I started capturing nature through photography. As an avid hiker, I carried my camera everywhere, driven by a passion to document the beauty around me.

In 2010, I submitted some of my photos to National Geographic Magazine, and to my delight, I achieved my first publication.

The following year, I was published again by National Geographic. This success inspired me to pursue photography more seriously, leading me to enroll at OTIS College of Art and Design in 2011.

In 2012, one of my dreams became a reality. I was invited to participate in a nature photography and painting exhibition at LAX Airport, Terminal 1. It was surreal to see my work displayed in a place I had walked through just a few years earlier.

I graduated from OTIS’s photography program in 2013 and I achieved a third publication in National Geographic the same year.

2013 marked a significant milestone in my photography career. I began curating art at a small gallery in San Pedro, California, and was invited to be the Featured Artist at the San Pedro Film Festival (SPIFF).

My involvement in curating grew, and in 2014, at one of the exhibitions I curated I was honored to receive a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from the House of Representatives, US Representative Janice Hahn, District 44.

As I designed my portfolio website, my passion for all things design blossomed, leading me to pursue a career in this field. I studied graphic design at CALARTS, visual design at General Assembly, typography at TypeEd, and entrepreneurship at MIT, among other courses and certifications.

WIX was my website design platform of choice. Because of their user-friendly interface, I was able to teach my clients how to edit and maintain their own website.

My interest in design kept growing, and in 2016, I took part in the TEDx SOLA UX/App Design Hackathon at General Assembly DTLA. That year, my team won the competition.

In 2017, I earned two certifications with Wix.com: Wix Certified Webmaster and Wix Certified Trainer.

I began designing websites and logos for various clients and became a WIX Marketplace Partner so in 2018, I decided to formalize my business, naming it “Ape And Droid Studios.”
Since then, I have been dedicated to designing websites for numerous clients, helping them bring their visions to life.

To add to my joy, I submitted a few images to an online photography contest by NaturePBS in 2021 and was fortunate enough to win two of the five categories. This achievement fills me with immense happiness. You could say I am truly living my dream.

My only hope is that I can continue designing, hiking, and shooting nature.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In 2018, I embraced the joys and challenges of motherhood while managing my business. The Covid-19 pandemic added to the difficulties in 2020, limiting my ability to network and attend in-person meetings. However, things are looking brighter now, and I remain optimistic about the future.
Now, I balance my weekends between work and shooting our family adventures with my daughter Zoe for YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/@chefzoe

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a versatile professional with expertise in website design (WIX platform), user experience design, graphic design, and photography.

I collaborate with artists, photographers, non-profit organizations, and small to medium-sized businesses.

My specialty lies in WIX website design, with a strong emphasis on user experience. Whether designing or redesigning websites, I often engage in complete rebranding projects.

I am known for my competitive rates and quick project turnaround, but what I take the most pride in is my work ethic.

What truly sets me apart from other designers is my commitment to providing exceptional customer service. My clients can easily reach me as I exclusively work with clients within the USA. Simply Google “Wix Expert in Los Angeles,” and you’ll find me in the results.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
As a child, I was extremely active and curious, with a deep fascination for nature and animals.
Birds, especially parrots, were my greatest passion, and I cherished the companionship of my multiple pets.
Alongside my love for wildlife, I was also drawn to architecture, interior design, and psychology.
Starting first grade at just five years old, I graduated as the youngest in my class with a major in math and physics (as I wanted to study architecture–my unfinished dream).

Pricing:

• Website design/redesign starts at $600

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ingriddietrich.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingriddietrich
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apeanddroid
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chefzoe
• Other: https://www.ingriddietrich.com/blog

Image Credits
-LA Exhibition Photo Credit: M.A Bejarano