I'm Rachel
Probably drinking some kind of tea. I really am not picky what kind it is- plain black, sweet tea, arnold palmer, matcha, chai, even kombucha.
I am so glad you decided to enter into my little world (my website) and are interested in learning more about me. If you aren't catching me working, I am probably watching some new show and crying that it's almost over or playing with my daughter- the cutest human in the video above.
Since childhood, photography has been my refuge, my silent companion in every step of my journey. The first glimpse into this world was through my mother's analog cameras, and as time progressed, so did the technology, leading me to explore the realms of digital photography. coworkers.
Photography was my happy place, especially capturing the everyday moments and later looking back at them, flooded with nostalgia. I started by snapping shots of nature, then roping in my best friend as a model when inspiration struck. But there were times the camera just gathered dust.
When I moved to the States from Poland, I felt a real homesickness. I got a cat, a new friend in a new land, even though I'd never had a cat before. Then came my first Black Friday in the U.S., and I waited patiently to snag a new camera. After saving up for months, I got a deal—or so I thought, only to realize the camera never went back to its regular price.
STORYTELLING is what I do best
Rachel Halina Photography has taken several photos of me, and I am so in love with them every single time!! Rachel is always so flexible and easy to work with, and she captures the story of your life so beautifully! Rachel is talented, passionate, and her photos are so heart-wrenchingly real. I absolutely recommend her for all kinds of occasions!
Wendy
Love notes
I held that camera like it was gold, even though I had no clue how to use it. Five years ago, in my room the next morning, I sat down to figure it out. Little did I know it would take me years to really get the hang of it.
I started taking pictures of my coworkers. It was one of the few things that could momentarily ease that homesickness deep inside me. All I wanted was to go back home. And when I finally did—just for a short two weeks—I found everything was different. Maybe not the town, maybe it was just me. Sitting in a cold room that March afternoon, I wondered what on earth I was going to do with my life. I felt empty, despite being exactly where I thought I wanted to be. All I could think of was going back to my everyday life in America.
I held that camera like gold
So, I did. With that camera in hand, it took three more years for me to realize what drives my art isn't my family or what's in front of me. It's the homesickness, the ache that might never go away.
In that homesickness, I find my artistic spark. It's the feeling of missing a place that might not exist the same way anymore, a universal longing that goes beyond borders. Through the lens of homesickness, I create my art, turning a personal yearning into a shared human experience.
I love cinematic/film/raw photography, where you can feel emotions and see the natural movements of the people in the images. If you are able to see a story come to life through my photos, my work has been successful. However, I do offer traditional elopement, micro weddings, senior, family, and couple photo shoots as well.
I believe that photography is an art form that captures the essence of life's most beautiful moments. My job is to capture those moments with a touch of magic and make you look like a million bucks (even if you only spent $500).
what I love..
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