Pictures are often used to capture moments, but for seniors Irene Saavedra and Frankie Concha, they are more of an expression. Both Concha and Saavedra work together: Concha taking pictures and Saavedra designing the photos.
“Frankie is very talented and Irene is very good at graphic design,” Photo teacher Mrs. Cordova said. “Together they both create such powerful images.”
Concha is a photographer with a firm ambition to become as unique and respected as his idol, Erlend Mork, as well as his photo teacher Mrs. Cordova. “She’s the one that got me started and I basically learned everything from her,” Concha said.
Aside from shooting a landscape or a simple object, Concha has a real feel for taking photos of people and has a delicate process of figuring out what type of backgrounds and props are needed in order to suit the person’s aura.
“I do research by first finding other pictures for inspiration then I look at what different objects or surrounding will benefit that person,” Concha said. “I like working with Irene, she really puts meaning into her designs.”
Since middle school Saavedra has always pursued designing; by going on different websites, she expands her ideas based on different layouts and color schemes she views.
“I like making things look different based on my perspective and I usually include a grunge sort of mood,” Saavedra said. “I just play around with different colors or fonts until I get something I like.”
Learning different techniques on software such as Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, Saavedra combines uniqueness and objects to create something she can call her own.
“It’s cool working with Frankie, he really gets what I like to base my designs around,” Saavedra said. “The experience is fun and it’s also practice for my goal of becoming a designer.”
Using elements that surround them, Saavedra and Concha look for extraordinary people around campus that can be featured in their work.
“I met them both in advanced photography; Frankie a little longer,” senior and model Desiree Cisneros said. “I love modeling for them and I like how Frankie’s style of shooting is different.”
Other than using their fellow members from school, Concha also finds people that relate to what type of photo he wants to shoot, such as his brother or close friends that can fit the right aspect of what both he and Saavedra are looking for.
Though everyone on campus may not be aware of their work, Saavedra and Concha still continue to pursue their goal of making a name for themselves as a designer and photographer.