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The Suitcase Studio Blog bio picture

Keeping it REAL...

I'm Michelle Carrillo... owner & photographer of the Suitcase Studio.

I think I see things a little differently than most people. I don't find beauty in perfection. I don't go for the perfectly posed photos, or smiles that have been practiced in the mirrors.  Instead, I'm here to capture the REAL stuff... the moments that happen in-between those poses. The imperfect smiles, the nervous laughter, and even that crazy face you make when you think that no one else is watching.

To help keep it real, I shoot on-location here in Orange County, California. (No stuffy studio!) I travel to where you are... to whatever place showcases you and your style. My goal is to document real lIfe, and thus, I mainly focus on weddings & lifestyle/portrait photography.

From pics of recent clients to thoughts & images of my own life, I'm here to share this journey with you. Keepin' it real... one moment at a time.

Because this is real life. It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. 

 


the Cole Family

This was a casual little photo session; the family wanted updated shots of them and their little girl, Bella. And Chris is wanting to get back into modeling and wanted some updated headshots of himself, as well.  We had originally planned on heading to the beach to use it as our background, but since it was such a beautiful day in the middle of summer and the middle of the day, we all figured we wouldn’t stand a chance to find a decent spot there unless we fought our way through the crowds. No need for that when there are plenty of opportunities all around us.  Chris suggested using a park near his home instead. Sure thing!

Just goes to show you that there are beautiful backgrounds to be found almost anywhere you look. The park itself was pretty flat and open; it was also in the open sunshine (which usually doesn’t make for pretty portraits).  Instead, we used the middle of the street to take most of our shots, and a tool shed for some of Chris’s headshots. Yup, you read that right.

We were in a really nice neighborhood which had a median area with a few trees, grass and rose bushes. SCORE!  That was our canvas for the following favorite shots of mine:

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Next, we headed over to what appeared to be a toolshed.  With its brick walls and red door, it made for a wonderful background for Chris’s headshots. And no one will ever have to know that it wasn’t somewhere absolutely fabulous instead. (shhhh….)

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