Portrait Highlight: Crespo Family
Masterpiece Portrait
"Our experience during my daughter’s photo session was absolutely perfect. Julizza is a true professional. She brought out the best of my daughter and she shined! Julizza made her feel so comfortable & my daughter’s personality came through in the session. She was gentle and not pushy, my daughter responded so well. Julizza captured some beautiful laughs and smiles as well as some more serious poses.
We absolutely love our portrait. It hangs in the entryway of our home and love the memory that my daughter and I shared during the session.
We look forward to making more memories and returning for a family session soon!
I can not recommend Julizza enough.
Thank you, Julizza!"
~Liz Crespo
I appreciate the opportunity to create art for families to enjoy for generations. I can't imagine a better gift for your child than a timeless painted portrait for their children and grandchildren to one day see. It's funny how many of us know that we need to make memories for our families, but oftentimes forget to celebrate the individuals in our families. Just remembering to capture a child's portrait by themselves can do wonders to their self-esteem.
I could tell from the moment I met her that Liz had an undying love for her daughter, Carolina. She wanted Carolina to enjoy a moment for herself, and create a beautiful memory with her. She knew it was up to her to create something special for Carolina to take with her the rest of her life. When Liz is one day gone, Carolina will look back on this day and portrait with peace and love in her heart for the tender relationship she and her mother always had. Being together throughout the process made it that much more special.
I went to their home to plan their session, on a day that Carolina was home. I not only enjoyed their company and cute little dog, but I noticed that Liz had a beautiful collection of Frida Kahlo art, prints, and books. She was a huge fan, and that helped me understand her style. While planning, we got plenty of pictures of walls that were "contenders" for this art piece. My software is very handy in that it will preview the portrait at practically any size you desire on your own wall (to scale), so there's no guessing if you're buying too big or too small. With this method, you're always buying the appropriate size for the space you want to decorate. We discussed the color palettes they could use, and that gave them a good idea of where to start when searching for clothes.
On the day of the shoot, Liz and Carolina arrived with dresses they had picked out while shopping together. They had already made the moment memorable with some time spent together talking about dresses and enjoying the process. Liz wanted to make the portrait perfect, so we lined up professional hair and makeup at the studio. They snacked on fruits and muffins as well as sipped on some drinks while the look got perfected.
During the shoot, I started out easy. Helping Carolina get comfortable during the shoot is imperative to its success. I wanted her to have a great memory, so I put on some music and helped her relax. She looked absolutely stunning! I kept giving her direction and studied her natural movements. Throughout the shoot, I made sure to make nods toward her personality and capture some images that helped tell the entire story. It was such a wonderful time!
As Carolina got more comfortable, I directed her into some timeless poses that may not seem natural, but give homage to the subject in a beautiful way. The human form is art in itself, and my task is to create portraits that pay tribute to the Master Creator and the human. I loved the images that developed, and so did Liz and Carolina.
Before the shoot was over, I wanted Carolina to show her youth and playfulness. Her positive attitude and beautiful smilie shined as she got to enjoy twirling around in her dress with the fan on full blast. This was so touching for Liz to witness. As a mom myself, I understand wanting to remember the carefree side of my daughter just as much as the poised and perfect side. Liz was over the moon with the results.
A week or so later, Liz and Carolina came in to view their gallery and place an order. Liz was in love from the start. She couldn't stop talking about the whole experience with her daughter and how special it was. She wanted a painting, and we took plenty of time and care in choosing the perfect pose and expression - Frida Kahlo inspired. I had surprised Liz with a flower headband I provided for Carolina to give a nod toward the artist she loved so much. I don't like to believe that art can only exist in the past. It is very much here and now, even when it is inspired by works of the past. It was my pleasure to personalize this look for the Crespo family for their very own daughter.
Once the image was finished, painted, and framed, I had the pleasure of installing it myself in Liz's home. My signature masterpiece portrait will hang in their home for years, and that brings me so much pleasure and fulfillment as an artist. I am happy I was able to create such a memory for Liz and Caro, and I hope to be able to create many more for other families while I still can. This is legacy.
