Just over a year ago, Stephanie and her family relocated to beautiful and diverse Chile. This marks her 4th continental move; she has lived throughout her native United States, Japan, and Italy. (This international experience has led to quite a few travel opportunities! A selection can be viewed on the website). Her residential studio is located in Las Condes, complete with full hair-and-makeup services and wardrobe styling.
Stephanie’s studio specializes in contemporary fine-art portraiture of people and their pets. Stephanie has over a decade of experience and multiple degrees and awards showcasing her work. With a background in graphic design, attention to detail is obvious and carefully exhibited with each photo shoot. Attention to detail goes beyond the camera room – each client is treated like a part of the family.
Read our interview with the award-winning photographer, world-traveler, and artist.
Where are you from? (¿De dónde eres?)
I’m originally from the New Jersey shore, about an hour outside Manhattan. My extended family still lives in that area.
Soy de la costa de New Jersey, casi una hora de Manhattan. Mi familia extendida todavia vive allá.
How long have you lived in Chile and what do you love most about it? (¿Cuánto tiempo has vivido en Chile? ¿Qué es lo que más te gusta?)
We’ve been in Santiago just over a year. We moved for Dave’s job, and then decided we liked it and immediately extended our stay. I suppose it’s trite to say it, but I love the landscape of Chile. It has everything – deserts, forests, mountains, sea. Penguins. I will never tire of seeing the palm trees in front of the snow-capped mountains. Where else can you see that!?
Hemos estado aqui en Santiago poco mas de un año. Nos mudarnos aqui para el trabajo de mi marido. Luego, inmediatemente decidimos que nos gusta, y extendimos nuestro tiempo en Chile. Supongo que es trivial decirlo, pero me encanta el paisaje de Chile. Tiene todo – desierto, bosque, montana, mar. Pinguinos. Nunca cansare de ver las palmeras frente a las montanas nevadas.
¿Donde mas se puede verlo?
What’s your favorite place you’ve traveled to and why? (Cuál es tu lugar favorito al que has viajado y por qué?)
Tough to say… I guess I’d have to go with Italy, even though we lived there rather than traveled. It just feels like home to us – the food, the art, the culture, the people. We like Chile so much because it feels like Italy in Latin America (but with better-paved roads.)
Es dificil a decirlo. Supongo que tendria que decir ‘Italia’ aun que vivimos alla en lugar de vivir alla. Se siente como un hogar para nosotros – la comida, el arte, la cultura, la gente. Nos gusta mucho Chile porque siente a Italia en America Latina (pero, con mejores calles pavimentadas).
Is it true you have a cat named Dracula? (Es cierto que tienes un gato llamado Drácula?)
No. His name is Mister Dracula.
No. Se llama Mister Dracula.
What are your some of your photography/personal goals for the next year? (Cuáles son algunas de sus metas fotográficas / personales para el próximo año?)
I’ve been an advocate for print competition for nearly a decade now, so most of my goals tend to be measured in print comp merits. I want to merit a print from all 7 continents. So far, 6 down, 1 to go. I would also like to get a bronze Artist case this year. I missed it by one point last year, so I feel like it’s a goal within reach. Moving into a more permanent studio space is also potentially on the list.
He sido una defensora de la competencia de fotografia por casi una decada. Por lo que la mayoria de mis metas tienden a ser medido en “merits” de competencia. Querio recibir un merit de foto de todos los 7 continentes. Solamente 1 continente para ir. Tambien, me gustaria recibir un meta bronce en la categoria Artist este ano. Me lo falto de un punto el ano pasado. Por eso, siento que es un objetivo al alcance. Potencialmente, mudarme en un estudio mas permenente es una meta, tambien.
English is your first language, but do you speak any others? (El inglés es tu primer idioma, pero ¿hablas otros?)
I speak (“speak”) five, actually. English, of course. Spanish, Italian, French, and Japanese. My Spanish and Italian are decent, but I constantly mix up the words.
Hablo (“hablo”) cinco, en realidad. Ingles, por supuesto. Español, italiano, francés, y japonés. Mi español y italiano son bien, pero constantemente mezclar las palabras.
What’s one random thing people don’t know about you? (Qué es una cosa rara que la gente no sabe acerca de usted?)
I’m obsessed with visiting zoos. Obsessed. They’re on my travel itinerary anywhere we go and I have to rate t
hem in terms of animal-friendliness. I’ve been to zoos in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Japan, Thailand, Austria, Malaysia… Buin Zoo is fantastic, by the way. Very humane and well-equipped. FYI, My favorite animal is a platypus, followed by penguins. Score another point for Chile – wild penguins!
Estoy obsesionada con los zoológicos. Obsesionada. Estan en mi itinerario todo el tiempo, y tengo que clasificarlos en terminos de amabilidad de animales. He estado en zoos en Australia, Nueva Zelanda, Italia, Espana, Japon, Tailandia, Austria, Malasia… Buin Zoo es fantastico, por cierto. Muy humano y bien equipado. Ademas, mi animal favorito es un ornitorrinco, seguido de pinguinos. Otro premio por Chile – pinguinos salvages.
What is your favorite type of photos to take and why? (Cuál es tu tipo favorito de fotos para tomar y por qué?)
Ooh, tough call… I love all kinds of studio work because I really like to work with light. I guess my favorite studio work would be pets because I’m an animal person. And then, to really get specific, my favorite pet shoots include people – to see the human/animal interaction.
Dificil a decirlo… Me encantan todos los tipos de trabajo en el estudio por que me gusta mucho jugar con luz. Supongo que me trabajo de studio preferido es con mascotas, porque soy una amante de animales. Luego, para ser mas especifico, mis sesiones preferidas incluyen mascotas con sus duenos – para ver la interacion entre los dos.
Happy birthday! How did you celebrate your birthday this year in Chile? (Feliz cumpleaños! ¿Cómo celebraste tu cumpleaños este año en Chile?)
Thank you! I spent most of the day with my daughter at the park, and then went out with friends at night to Restaurant 040 in Bellavista. If you haven’t been there yet, the food is amazing and their bar is phenomenal. I highly recommend!
Gracias! Yo pasé la mayor parte del día con mi hija al parque. Luego, salí con amigos al Restaurant 040 en Bellavista. Si no has estado alla todavia, la comida es impresionante y su bar es fenomenal. Te lo recomiendo!
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