Hannah Bernabe: HB Photos

June 11, 2023

Hannah Bernabe is a talented photographer and creative producer based in San Diego. With a passion for empowering others, she collaborates with women-led brands, businesses, and organizations, capturing their unique stories through her lens. Alongside her photography work, Hannah shares her love for lifestyle, food, and wellness with her social media followers, inspiring them to lead vibrant and balanced lives. Known for her exceptional vision and collaborative spirit, Hannah is highly respected in her community and cherished for her ability to bring diverse talents together to transform creative visions into reality.

What initially sparked your interest in photography and inspired you to pursue it as a creative outlet?

I’ve always had a fascination for photography. By high school, I was given my first DSLR and have always taken photos of friends, family and my travels. Photography allows me to preserve memories in a very meaningful way and as I’ve evolved as a person, I’ve also grown in my practice as a photographer.

As I got older, I always had photography by my side for different phases of my life. Whether it be as a side hustle, or now as a full-time creative professional, I will always adore the medium for what it’s given me.

How would you describe your photography style and the themes or subjects that you're most drawn to capturing?

My photography style has definitely changed throughout the years. I started off with landscape and travel in my younger years, and in the beginning of my career I photographed a lot of people and worked to document amazing memories for others. Nowadays, I love photographing the vibrancy of life, and crafting beautiful images with diverse faces. I think the common thread of all of those is simply documenting the fullness of life and its many forms.

Could you share some of the most memorable moments or experiences you've had as a photographer?

One of the most memorable moments of being a photographer is being on set. I began my journey pretty solitary, but as I’ve grown and taken on more work, I’ve seen that photography can be a team sport. From working with producers, to lighting techs and videographers, there’s just something special about creatives working together to make sure that the vision is executed.

Are there any photographers or artists who have influenced your work or served as sources of inspiration?

Even though fashion photography isn’t in my wheelhouse, I adore the works of Tyler Mitchell, Adrienne Raquel and Peter Lindbergh. I think having sources of inspiration in other mediums also keeps me creative. So I watch films and television as well as walk through art galleries to stay inspired.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their own photography journey or looking to improve their skills?

Always make room in your calendar to have test shoots. You’ll grow as a photographer when you allot time to create just for the sake of creating. It’ll also help hone your skills in working with other people and you’ll never know if your personal work will actually make you stand out more than your client work. Also, give yourself space to step away from the camera and create in other ways. I enjoy cooking a lot, and it gives me a sense of creativity that’s wildly different from photography. Whether it be cooking, pottery or anything else in between, there’s joy in creating through other mediums and whatever you learn from them you can instill back into your photography.

How do you ensure that you prioritize self-care and mental health alongside the demands and responsibilities of being a photographer?

Self-care and mental health is something that I still struggle with, especially with 3 years as a full-time photographer. I definitely battle with the ebb and flow of being a full time working artist as well as all of the crippling anxieties that come with it. What has helped me is that I give myself moments of self-care each day, no matter how small. I also lean on my creative community, as I know we’re all really on the same boat. Photography can also be physically taxing on your body. A new lesson that I’ve learned is that I can’t be my best creative self if I’m not well. So if my body is telling me to rest, I have to honor it.

How do you stay motivated and continue to push yourself creatively as a photographer?

I remind myself that being a photographer was something that I wanted to experience at least once in my life. Now that I’ve been experiencing it for the past three years, it’s definitely a beautiful reminder of how far I’ve come, and how far I can keep going. I’m also very realistic. I know that being a photographer doesn’t just mean doing it full time. I can still be a photographer when it’s a side hustle, or even back to a hobby. What’s important for me is that I never love my love for the medium and will always find ways to be creative.

What message or impact do you hope to leave on people who work with you?

Now that my focus is creating imagery for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and women-led businesses, I hope that the people that I work with see that I’m not just creative, I’m also dedicated to making sure every client feels empowered in the experience. My hope is that even through working with me, they will feel beautiful and excited to promote that business or organization. At the end of the day, being a working photographer means I provide a service, and I hope that the people that I work with see that a lot of thought is put into creating amazing images for them.

What's your endgame? What do you ultimately hope to accomplish in the future?

My hope is that there can be people after me that can see that they can go against the norm, go against what society thinks they should be, and pursue a path that truly works for them. Whether it looks like a creative path or something else entirely, my hope is through the work I do and the work that I create, it will show folks what’s possible.

FOLLOW HANNAH BERNABE STORE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/hbphotos.co

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hannahbernabe

TikTok: ohhannahhb

Website: hannahbernabe.com