Bi.2o
Mont Saint-Michel,, 2013 · ©Denise Espina
As a Filipina-American artist from a family of first generation immigrant lawyers and doctors, the expectation to pursue traditional career paths was strong. After receiving a B.A. in Communications from the University of California, San Diego, I worked as the Editorial Director of an annual travel publication in the San Diego/Tijuana transborder region.
Following the 2008 recession, I wondered if there was merit to the idea of safety in a traditional career. My mom is a criminal defense attorney and civil litigator with a private practice in Los Angeles. As the eldest child I felt obligated to pursue the family business. To placate my creative side while prepping for the LSAT, I took my first darkroom class. On the eve of sending law school applications I knew my heart wasn’t in it and enrolled in the photography program at San Diego Community College.
SDCC’s newly renovated photography lab was heaven on earth for a photo student. I was recruited to be a lab technician to help daily operations like maintaining the studios, print lab, and wet darkooms; equipment inventory and rental; and gallery install and exhibition promotion. While taking classes I also handled documentary and event photography for local museums, businesses, and organizations like the Museum of Photographic Arts and Medium Festival of Photography. It was one of the most fulfilling times of my life.
Lab Tech Friendsgiving, 2013 · ©Edward Honaker
The Empire State Building in a puddle, 2016
A work/study internship at Nixon watches was my first taste of professional studio photography and went on to inform the direction of my career. Under their longtime photographer I learned how to light and capture commercial imagery and how to handle all related aspects of pre- and post-production work including prop sourcing, styling, retouching, and digital teching — skills I have built upon every day since. A testament to the value I brought to the Nixon creative team, when the semester concluded I was hired as the photographer’s assistant and later as an in-house freelancer.
In 2015 I moved to New York looking to push myself to grow as a photographer and artist. I quickly found my footing within the city’s competitive creative base and for the next several years continued to build a career in-house at multinational companies executing the highest technical and aesthetic standards of studio photography work. Like all New Yorkers, I also maintained several side hustles including hand modeling and freelancing.
Testing the light for a scale install shot, 2020
Shadow self-portrait, 2022
In my role as Senior Photographer for Christie’s, I excelled in cultural heritage imaging of a wide variety of 2- and 3-dimensional items for auction. From antiquities to contemporary art, books to jewelry, oversized sculpture to photographic prints I’d learned about in school, no two days were the same. It was so fun and rewarding to be surrounded by historic works of art on a daily basis. A few standout projects include:
Masterpieces in Miniature - Ancient engraved intaglios and cameos as old as 16th century BC. My lighting treatment on these tiny artifacts has been used for subsequent sales in New York and London.
Important Chinese Art - I was requested by the department to shoot the entire catalog of intricate jade carvings, gilt-silver objects, lacquers, and early bronzes.
As a music lover it was a privilege to shoot Miles Davis’s ‘Moon and Stars’ trumpet and Dolly Parton’s gold and crystal dulcimer.
A special dedicated print catalog of Mark Rothko’s Untitled (Rust, Blacks on Plum).
I returned to freelancing in early 2022. I’m proud to have built a roster of steady, recurring clients. My hope is to continue to create dynamic images with people, brands, organizations, and companies I admire.
In addition to photography I enjoy many different visual art mediums including embroidery, collage, and digital design. Occasionally, as a nod to my days as an editor, I still do copyediting.
If you have read this far you know a lot about me and I’d like to get to know you. Send me an email, I look forward to being in touch.