Today we’d like to introduce you to Leila De la Cruz.
Hi Leila, 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?
Growing up, I always was so in love with nature and God’s creation and knew I wanted to capture it. In elementary school, I asked my parents for a camera and they ended up buying me a toy camera that worked but took really bad quality photos but they told me if I could take care of that toy camera for an entire year then they would buy me a real one and that’s exactly what I did. A year later they bought me my very first “real” camera and it was a Sony without an interchangeable lens but it was exactly what I needed at that moment to capture nature. I always had the camera in my hand and would love taking nature pictures even if was simple of taking pictures of a leaf I thought looked pretty.
It wasn’t until high school that I started taking portraits and they were always just for fun with my friends but I always wanted to do more than that but at the time in high school I could never get the business through high school. Fast forward to when I started college, when I started I actually did not touch my camera really at all my freshman year, it wasn’t until the beginning of my sophomore year when I really started my business of taking grad photos at my college Sam Houston State University. I’ve always loved taking portraits and being able to capture someone’s accomplishment meant a lot to me that they trusted me with that. I eventually started earlier this year taking couple pictures and I absolutely love it because of the emotion that you are able to capture and show is amazing. I love being able to take grad and couple photos while at college.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road mainly because photography will always be a learning process. I will never not be done learning. There has been times where I’m in a creative rut or I don’t have as much business but it only pushes me more to get more creative and think out of the box and promote myself more.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I at the moment specialize in Lifestyle Grad and Couple photos. The majority of the time on campus people know me for my Grad photos or my sports photos that I’ve taken for the sports teams at sam. I feel like I’m most proud of both grad and couple mainly because they are both so fun to capture and meet new people. I believe what sets me apart from other photographers is that I don’t want to just take your photos and never talk again like a serious business sell but to become friends that cheer each other on and are happy for all your accomplishments.
I also want to be able to capture your most true and genuine self whether that be at your grad shoot or with your loved one. I am also a proud supporter/ally of the LGBTQ+ community.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I think one thing I learned is how important it is that we stay together and that time moves very fast and to tell our loved ones that we love them and how precious photography is when that’s all we have of them when they go. I never grew up having taken professional pictures with my family and I wish we had because when they have all gone, that is what I see and look at when I miss them.
Pricing:
- Rose Package $150 for 1 hour, 1-2 locations, 2 outfit changes, 25+ images
- Cherry Package $250 for 2 hours, 2-4 locations, unlimited outfit changes, 45+ images
- Mahogany Package $375 for 2 custom sessions, 1 in the fall and 1 in the spring
Contact Info:
- Email: snapsbyleila@gmail.com
- Website: https://snapsbyleila47.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snapsbyleila/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snapsbyleila
Image Credits:
snapsbyleila
