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

Hi Gena G, thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

As a photographer, it brings me so much joy knowing that my photographs will live on long after i’m gone. I have always just dreamt of photographing everyday women and showing them how beautiful they are. I don’t know what my legacy will be, but I hope that I am remembered as a good person that put their heart & soul into their passion and in turn brought happiness to those I was blessed to photograph.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

This career path has given me so much purpose & I am so grateful that I get to do what I love every day. My photography journey began when I was 8 years old. My mom gifted me a Polaroid Camera for my birthday and I was hooked right from the start. During my teens, my aunt photographed weddings and signed me up as her assistant with such events. It was during those events, that I learned to use my first “real” film camera. I can’t thank those wonderful ladies enough for stoking my interest in photography. After high school, I moved to Los Angeles with only $600 to my name..it was in the big city my love for street photography began, photographing a million passersby in a million corners of this city, suddenly something clicked — portraiture. That’s what I wanted to explore next. I began researching the art of portrait photography vigorously, but it wasn’t until I discovered Sue Bryce (and all her amazing work) that I honed in on my path. I spent every single day for an entire year studying Sue’s work, learning about the business, equipment, proper posing, and lighting.

I didn’t have a studio at the time, so I would scout out interesting walls across the city for a unique backdrop. Having no other choice than to shoot outside, I learned to love the use of natural light I shot this way for about two years. Although I still love shooting outside, I started to dream of creating a studio experience for what little clients I had at that time. My fiancé, John, came up with the brilliant idea to convert our bedroom into a portrait studio and to sleep in our walk-in closet. I know… it sounds crazy and it was — just crazy enough to work! That’s exactly what we did. The bedroom had the best light in the house and the idea was too good and weird enough to pass up! I ran my business this way for four years.

After I spent 10 years in LA building my business from the ground up, due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, we decided to move back to Texas in 2020 and continue to build my business in my small community. I now have a portrait studio based in Hondo, TX where we create a glamorous photoshoot experience for everyday women. I love all genres of portraiture, but boudoir photography is my specialty! For me, this genre of photography is all about reconnecting with the extraordinary woman that’s inside all of us & learning to love ourselves…flaws & all. Seeing my clients shine with confidence is what it’s all about for me. This craft means the world to me & I am so honored to share it with those that have followed my journey from the very beginning.

What sets you apart from other artists?

In regards to what sets me apart from other artists, there are many amazing photographers in my area & we all bring our own unique style to the table…I feel it’s best to let the clients make that decision based on the art they resonate with most. I value my community & all of the small businesses…I love to see us all fulfilling our passions & living our dreams.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Yes absolutely! I think we can all agree that the pandemic showed us all how resilient we are. As I mentioned before, while living in LA I had a full-time job & photography was my side gig. When the pandemic was in full swing, I was unexpectedly let go from my full-time job due to me moving out of state. I was honestly freaked out that all of my financial stability was gone in the blink of an eye. I had to make the decision to find another 9 to 5, or to lean 100% into the photography business that I was building. After many talks with family & friends, ultimately I just felt like it was finally the time to put full trust in myself & see if I could make it as a full-time photographer. Well that turned out to be the best decision I could have made for myself…as I am still going strong today! My small community truly embraced me & my business and for that, I am forever grateful. I have learned so much about myself throughout this journey & i’m so excited to keep evolving as an artist and to see what’s in store for the future.

What are you most proud of in your journey?

When you ask what I’m most proud of…without a doubt I am most proud of the beautiful business I have built over the last 13 years. Through all of the hardships, I surprised myself with the determination & perseverance within me to make the switch to a full time photographer post pandemic. I kept moving forward through all of the uncertainty because I believe that something you love so much is always worth the effort

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of my job is getting to witness women step into their feminine power…it is the most amazing metamorphosis. My clients will often come into the studio nervous & uncertain and leave the studio with a new found confidence. For me it’s so much more than just creating beautiful portraits, it’s about helping women to see themselves from an artistic point of view so they can learn to love their perfect imperfections. I love my job so much…I leave each session smiling from ear to ear, thanking my lucky stars that this is what I get to spend my days doing. Thank you for your support…it means the world!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.genagphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/genagphotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/genagphotography

Image Credits
Gena G Silva | Allison Rooks | Miranda Kirchner | Lilly Gonzales | Kelly Moore | Janet Aase | Clair Boultinghouse | Shelly Quinn | Kaitlyn Bernal | Sierra Reinhart | Victoria Parker | Katie Shae | Bond Brandon