Today we’d like to introduce you to Katia Facio.
Hi Katia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My interest in photography sparked back when I was a teenager. Since I was a little girl, I have loved art. I love how the colors, composition, and textures create beautiful art pieces. I firmly believe, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often better than a master of one.” So, I took all the art classes available throughout high school. I dabbled in Drawing, Painting, Clay sculpting, + more. For a very short period, my high school offered clubs. One of them was photography. I don’t even know what happened to that. I remember going to a couple of photography club meetings, and the club meetings just stopped. I was pretty bummed out about that. I was so excited to learn a new form of art.
I have two daughters, Layla and Lexie. As cliché as this sounds, they are one of the reasons why I decided to pursue photography as a career. When I was a teenager, I used my parents’ point-and-shoot camera to capture special moments for my family. Once I got older and became a mother, I bought my own point-and-shoot camera and began capturing my first daughter’s milestones. Along with her milestones, I started capturing special moments for friends and continued capturing family portraits. I would often pick up and put down my camera, though. Being a mom, a daughter, a sister, and someone’s partner kept me quite busy. So, I set photography aside many times.
In 2020, I decided to buy my first entry-level DSLR, and that’s when this journey took flight. At first, I planned to teach myself how to get “good” photos of my children to keep as memories. The more I learned, the more I wanted to keep photographing. Being able to capture my children’s milestones, all while creating art, was so beautiful and fulfilling. I decided to help others capture special moments as well. It all started with just capturing individual portraits of my relatives and friends. Now, I am creating art through styled shoots and creating fun and loving sessions for couples and freezing moments in time while working weddings and quinceañeras. And now, I am here. If I’m being honest, I never would have imagined I’d be where I am today.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This journey has not been easy, but it has been rewarding. There have been several struggles along the way, but I must admit that the most challenging part for me has been believing that my work is worth it; I am my worst critic. I tend to be too hard on myself, so I often doubt my ability as a photographer. Also, before I figured out what exactly worked for me and my family, juggling my 9-5 job + family took a lot of work. As I mentioned, it hasn’t been easy, and I am sure there will be a few more bumps on the road, but I’m here for it all.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a photographer, I have done everything: portraits, couples, family, and events. However, my passion is styled shoots. I love it when a client reaches out to me and asks for something different. Taking the time to style a session uniquely for them is so much fun. I don’t know that this sets me apart from other photographers, but I have been told how comfortable I make my clients feel. I feel uncomfortable in front of the camera myself. I’m camera shy. So, talking my clients through poses and not only talking them through it but also showing them the pose myself helps a lot. So, I will always take the time to show the pose and try different poses to get creative.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory, wow! There are so many, but something I will never forget is all the time I spent with my grandmother. She was my person growing up. I remember waking up on Sunday mornings to old-school Mexican music. Ramon Ayala, in particular. The delicious smell of her making Gorditas de Harina for breakfast. Just thinking about it brings me so much joy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.parakatasoulphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parakatasoulphotography_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Katialfc.photography
