Although it appears by the vintage photograph here that I was already carrying a camera by the age of eight, my passion for photography was really ignited after the death of my sister Yvonne in 1990. She had encouraged me to turn my hobby into a career, so I took her advice and began shooting professionally the following year. Initially drawn to portraiture, I was hired as a staff photographer for a large retail corporation where I gained valuable experience. Pursuing my interest in sports, I was given the opportunity to photograph pro football over a couple of seasons and also completed a two year personal project of documenting the piers along the coast of California. When the photojournalistic style appeared in wedding photography, my attention turned toward capturing weddings. It was a privilege to photograph weddings for the best clients anyone could hope for, but I've shifted gears again, focusing my efforts on corporate and commercial photography (specializing in healthcare and education), events and portraits, with less emphasis on traditional methods of posing and more attention on the subject's personality and surroundings. I will also continue to develop personal projects that inspire me creatively, such as L.A. Snapshot, Foto Motivo and Vanishing Polaroid.
Christopher Grisanti on KCRW
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