We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alina Joukova. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alina below.

Alina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Photography is an art that captures moments and emotions that can be cherished for a lifetime. Photography is more than just capturing images. It is a way of expressing oneself, telling stories, and making an impact.

Hi, I am Alina, a photographer with a keen eye for capturing the essence of my clients. My passion for photography began at an early age, when I would take pictures of nature, and my family and friends, trying to capture their unique personalities on film. Over the years, my love for photography grew and I eventually pursued it as a career. I started as a journalist photographer in the local Daily News about 20 years ago.

My approach to photography is simple yet powerful. I believe that every person has a unique story to tell, and it’s my job to capture that story through my lens. Whether I am photographing a child or a grandparent, my goal is always the same: to capture their true essence and personality.

One of my areas of specialization is family and children’s photography. I love to capture the natural beauty and bond that families share, from the playful moments of children to the intimate moments between parents and their little ones. I use my skills to capture these moments in a way that brings out the unique personality of each family member and showcases the love and warmth in their relationships.

For my boudoir clients, I promote body positivity and help women feel confident and beautiful in their own skin. I believe that every woman deserves to feel comfortable and sexy, regardless of their body type or size. My photography sessions are designed to empower women and help them embrace their bodies, highlighting their best features and creating stunning images that capture their beauty and sensuality. I pay a particular attention to boudoir photography, which is a genre of intimate and sensual portraits that celebrate the beauty and diversity of women’s bodies. I believe that boudoir photography can be empowering and liberating for women who struggle with self-esteem, body image, or trauma. I want to show women that they are beautiful and worthy, no matter what society tells them. I want to create a safe space for them to express their true personalities and embrace their uniqueness.

My photography style is not about perfection or glamour. It is about honesty and vulnerability. I barely ever use Photoshop or filters to alter my images. Instead, I use simple backgrounds, and minimal props to highlight the natural beauty of my subjects.

My intention is to be inclusive and respectful of all kinds of women, regardless of their size, shape, skin tone, gender identity, or sexual orientation. I work with women and men of different ages, backgrounds, abilities, and experiences. I learn something new from every client I photograph. I love hearing their stories and seeing their transformations. Some women come to me feeling insecure or ashamed of their bodies, but after the session, they leave feeling confident and proud. It’s amazing to witness that change.

Finally, for my wedding clients, I celebrate their unique personalities by capturing their wedding day in a way that reflects their style and character. I understand that each wedding is unique and work closely with the couple to create a vision that is tailored to their specific needs and preferences. I use my photography skills to capture every detail of the wedding, from the dress and flowers to the emotions of the couple and their guests.

I believe that everyone has a story to tell and that their unique personalities should be celebrated. Whether I am photographing a child at play or an elderly couple enjoying their retirement, my goal is to show an authentic and unique personality of my subjects.

My passion for photography has taken me all over the world. I followed many instructors and took classes and workshops in The United States and also in Europe. I love attending conferences like WPPI and PPA to learn something new and meet fellow photographers.

I continue to push the boundaries of photography, always striving to capture the essence of the human spirit in every picture I take. I think this ability to capture the true core of my subjects has earned me the respect of my clients. I push to make sure my work is a testament to the power of photography to capture the soul of the human spirit and the beauty of the world around us. Through my work, I celebrate the beauty of families, the strength of women, and the uniqueness of every individual. My photography serves as a reminder that we are all beautiful in our own way, and that our differences should be celebrated and embraced.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi, I am Alina.

I have created this company to help you to capture the essence of your family, your true personality, your inner child, and all the love that you carry in your heart, and to keep these memories for a lifetime!

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Our kids grow so fast, our parents don’t last forever, and we change every moment, without realizing this. Through photographs, we can relive the moments that we treasure so much. The photographs of our babies will bring back the memories of when they were young and so innocent. The pictures of our parents and grandparents we will treasure forever. Our children’s birthday parties, weddings of our cousins, or just a party for a group of friends–these are the moments that we remember, these are the moments that life is about. Also, in today’s world, social media is so prevalent, that we all need pictures to show the world our true selves. BeYOUnique, be unapologetically and authentically yourself and let the future generation BE PROUD!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to show every human being, every woman and man, that they have a fire inside them! That fire is so unique, it caries light and warmth for others. My goal is to celebrate each individual through the pictures that they can keep forever!

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

When I started, I had a full time job and 2 toddlers. I was working as an assistant who would just help another well established photographer. I had to set the light, help the clients, assist in any way possible, including changing the bride’s daughter’s dress because of the accident. Pushing through, year after year, changing my full time job into a part time, and still doing everything and anything – taking online classes, learning about new equipment, taking tests to become a certified Professional Photographer, while taking care of my kids non stop, this is my journey! I can’t thank enough all the people who helped me on my journey. Carrie Alves, Cathy Catanese are well established local photographers with multi decade careers, who always helped me with advise, answering any question, and just being there for me. I am so grateful that I met these people and many more!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.authenticyou-photography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticyouphotography32459/ and https://www.instagram.com/boudoir_moments_on_30a/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticPhotographybyHeart