Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Saenz.
Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always loved photography. I used to do event photography when my kids were little but as they grew up, our lives got busier and photography got put on the back shelf. When it became time for my youngest to graduate from high school, my husband sat me down and told me that I needed to find something I loved so I wouldn’t be sad. I picked up my camera and started taking pictures all over Galveston. It was important to me that I didn’t join the thousands of others taking pictures of beaches and birds so I focused on bands and parade krewes. Within a few months, I found myself being asked to be the official photographer of the Krewe of Misfits. Side projects blossomed into publications in the newspaper, Visit Galveston, and several local magazines. I was the featured artist at the Proletariat Gallery, and Marmo Plaza. I have been voted in the top three photographers for the Reader’s Choice Awards for the last few years, and I am currently in the running for the Best of Galveston. A few months ago, I became a partner in Kindred Spirits, an art gallery in downtown Galveston. Taking pictures has opened so many doors to amazing opportunities and introduced me to a lot of amazing and wonderful humans.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh the struggles have been real….A week after my daughter graduated from high school, my camera took a spill and broke. It was a tragic death. It seems like every time I get my feet back under me, something else breaks or goes wrong. Running a business shouldn’t be this hard, but it is.
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?
Although most people around Galveston know me as a photographer, I am actually a full time ELA teacher. I spend my days teaching 6th graders how to read, and my nights taking and editing pictures. Our school does not have an art program, so I run an after school club to nurture the arts in our school community. Most of my career, I have been able to run a photography club for my students, but, unfortunately, I have been unable to get funding for cameras down here. Instead, I teach children how to draw, paint, and most importantly, explore creative outlets where it’s okay to make mistakes.
What makes you happy?
The best part about being a photographer is allowing others to see their true selves. I used to play in a punk band and I rarely got to see what I looked like on stage. Of the few pictures that I saw, most pictures were blurry and very low quality. Now I have the opportunity to flip the script. I recently took pictures at a parade and a woman tearfully wrote me about how she had been working on healing her body and mind and that the picture I took of her was a testament of her growth. In her picture, she was absolutely radiant. Many bands and krewes around Galveston use my work as part of their press kits. It’s rare that I can go anywhere in Galveston without seeing one of my pictures on a flyer. I love that my work can make people feel good about themselves and their passions. It makes me so happy to know that what I do makes an enormous impact, not just on a few people, but for an entire community.
Pricing:
- I typically charge a flat rate of $150 an hour for pictures.
- Our recording studio charges $25 per song
- I often barter for goods and services if bands and organizations cannot afford my rates.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.midthepinesphotography.com
- Instagram: @midthepines_photography
- Facebook: @MidthePinesProductions
- Youtube: @MidthePinesProductions
