The Savvy Photographer: Meet {and greet} Carrie Sandoval

Meet {and Greet}...

Carrie Sandoval from San Diego, CA

We are thrilled to have Carrie as a featured photographer!

She has become known as THE newborn baby photographer with clients flying in from all over to have her capture their newborn. She has a gift at photographing these tiny little ones.

Tell us about your style of photography?

Simple, pure, fresh... babies!

How long have been a photographer?

I've been enamored by cameras and photographs my whole life, but never even fancied myself a hobbyist until 2003, when I bought my first DSLR and started photographing my own children.

When you're not photographing, where can we find you?

In front of my computer, at the motocross track watching my son ride, shuttling my girls to art and gymnastics classes. Oh... and doing laundry, lol. As if laundering 4 active children's wardrobes wasn't enough, I've added loads of peed and pooped on blankets to the mix. You gotta accept that if you want to photograph babies in their birthday suits!

What inspires you as a photographer?

Children in general. Especially newborn babies. Children are natural performers and newborn babies are just awe inspiring to me. Brand new life... still holding on to characteristics that they had in the womb, curling up tightly, sleeping peacefully.

Any books that inspired you {or helped you} in your business?

Anne Geddes, Pure. As any photographer who enjoys photographing babies would say. I was really drawn to her simple work.

Best marketing idea?

Birth Announcements are great word of mouth. I love creating them and my clients love sending them out.

What’s your weakness in this business?

All things left brain! Accounting, placing orders, keeping up with correspondence. I've finally accepted this and just recently hired a "studio manager". I am SUPER excited about this. Hopefully, this will complete my business.

Do you twitter? Facebook?

I try, but would have to say no. No twitter, although I am signed up. I am cbyc on twitter. I am the most active on Facebook, though: http://www.facebook.com/carriesandoval

WHAT’S YOUR…

Savvy indulgence?

Camera gear... and I know most photographers would say this, but I seriously buy all the gadgets. I even have underwater housing for my DSLR! Shoot, I deserve it... I'm not into jewelry, perfume or boutique clothes... right?

Ideal getaway?

Would love to hike to Havasu Canyon - once it has recovered from the floods of 2008.

Seriously, go Google "Havasu Canyon" right now.

Favorite family ritual?

Barbeques at Grammy and Papa's (just about) every Sunday.

Current reading material?

err... client emails?

favorite drink? cocktail?

Ya baby! Bacardi and Diet coke.

Do you blog stalk?

No. Not really. But occasionally, I'll go check out my friends Tara Whitney, Deb Schwedhelm, Audrey Woulard, Barb Uil, Jen Wright.

Any children? How many?

Absolutely. I have 4.A 9 year old boy, 7 year old twin girls, and a 3 year old baby girl.

Ask your kids to describe you…and tell us what they really say?

Makenna: She's wearing a striped shirt, she takes pictures, she likes yellow, I like her earrings, and she reads me a book.

Kalynn: She takes pictures of newborns and of people when babies are in their tummy. And of me. I hug her and kiss her.

My son is not here at the moment, but he sent me this email from across the room a while back. I have it printed out, pinned up by my computer: “you are the bist faotogor.“

What are doing on a typical Sunday afternoon?

Haha. As mentioned above... barbeque at Grammy and Papa's and having a Bacardi and Coke.

Want to share you meet your husband?

I was 19 and he 21. We shared mutual friends with mutual interests (off road racing, desert and river outtings, etc). I knew after 3 months that I would marry him.

As a parent, what do you wish you had more time for?

More one on one time with each child. Very hard to do with 4!

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?

Graphic Designer. I have a BFA in graphic design and although I loved being an art director at an advertising agency, I discovered that it was merely a stepping stone to photography

Tell us your proudest moment of your career~

Seeing my image on the cover of Professional Photographer Magazine. And the second runner up was being flown to Hawaii to photograph the Daddy and newborn that was featured on that cover just a couple months before!