Life Updates from Your Bay Area Portrait Photographer

Welcome Back! Life Updates from Your Bay Area Portrait Photographer

It’s hard to believe, but somehow my photography blog quietly disappeared for nearly three years. If you happened to visit my website during that time, you may have wondered where all the new posts went. The funny thing is, it definitely wasn’t because business slowed down. In fact, quite the opposite happened. As a Bay Area portrait photographer, I found myself busier than ever, photographing incredible clients while my blog slowly slipped to the bottom of an ever-growing to-do list.

Like so many photographers, I became caught between creating beautiful images and actually writing about them. A few missed blog posts turned into a few months, and before I knew it, years had passed. I also got caught up worrying about SEO, word counts, and trying to make every post perfect. Writing has never been my favorite creative outlet—I’m much more comfortable telling stories through photographs. Naturally, Instagram became the place where I shared most of my work.

But I’m bringing the blog back.

No promises that I’ll become a weekly blogger overnight, but I do want this space to once again showcase the wonderful people who trust me to document their lives. Whether it’s dancers, seniors, families, or creative portrait sessions, I have so many beautiful stories to share.

A New Studio… and a Little More Pizza

One of the biggest changes since my last blog post is that I moved out of my warehouse studio near the San Jose train station and into a boutique studio in downtown Los Gatos. The new location sits between Main Street Burger and Willow Street Pizza, which, as you might imagine, came with a few delicious challenges. Let’s just say the smell of fresh bread and pizza every day briefly won that battle before common sense eventually prevailed!

The move has been wonderful creatively. I’ve loved discovering colorful alleyways, textured walls, hidden corners, and unexpected locations throughout Los Gatos. Even now, I still find myself wandering downtown San Jose and quiet county parks searching for fresh places to photograph. Every location has its own personality, and finding those hidden gems is still one of my favorite parts of the job.

Growing Alongside My Clients

Another exciting addition has been Taylor, who joined my business about a year and a half ago. Many of you have already met her during sessions, but she’s been working behind the scenes, helping with everything from photo shoots to keeping my business running smoothly. I’ll officially introduce her in an upcoming blog post.

Over the past several years, I’ve also leaned more heavily into dance photography. If you’ve followed my work on social media, you’ve probably noticed just how much I enjoy photographing dancers. Their discipline, artistry, and pursuit of excellence mirror my own approach to photography. We’re both striving for precision while creating something beautiful, and that collaboration is incredibly rewarding.

I’ve also had the opportunity to travel to New York City to study dance photography and learn from some incredibly talented artists. Every experience has pushed me creatively and helped shape the work I create today.

Still Photographing Seniors (Always!)

While dance photography has become a larger part of my business, my love for senior portraits hasn’t changed one bit. High school seniors continue to be some of my favorite people to photograph. Every session is different because every student brings their own personality, interests, and style. As long as seniors keep trusting me to capture this milestone, I’ll happily keep creating portraits that celebrate who they are.

I’m also excited about expanding my portrait offerings to include sessions for women who simply want beautiful photographs of themselves. You don’t need a milestone, a birthday, or a special occasion to deserve professional portraits. Sometimes, celebrating yourself is reason enough.

Looking Ahead

As a Bay Area portrait photographer, I’m incredibly grateful for the clients who have supported my business through every stage of its growth. Whether you’ve been with me since my warehouse studio days or you’ve just recently found my work, thank you for being here.

If you’d like to keep up with my latest work, you can find my dance photography on Instagram at @amydrakedancephoto and my portrait work at @amydrakephoto, where I’ll continue sharing recent sessions, behind-the-scenes moments, and creative inspiration.

For today’s post, I’m leaving you with one of my favorite images of my daughter, Kate, photographed during a quick stop in Paris. We created the image in just a couple of minutes, proving that sometimes the most memorable photographs happen when you simply embrace the moment.

Here’s to new beginnings, beautiful portraits, and hopefully not waiting another three years before the next blog post!