I’m sure you’ve already gathered this, but my name is Haeli. I can thank my dad for the coolest spelling of that name ever. Most people know me by my Instagram handle @photos.by.haeli and sometimes call me that more often than my actual name. I think it’s hilarious! But enough about photography for a minute, I want you to get to know me as a real person.
Oh gosh okay this is our first impression. I got this!
This cutie right here!
I live with my sweet soulmate, Travis. Quality time for us is riding motorcycles, hearing about each other's day, trying new things, snuggling with our two kitties at home, & so on. Really all that matters is that we’re together. We both have jobs that require LOTS of in-person & screen time, so it's easy to get sucked into work mode & get lost in emails, texts, social media, etc. We both LOVE what we do so it doesn't bother us, but it always feels nice to look up & see his handsome face in between it all. We've been together since we were teenagers & are currently growing our careers & building our life together. He's my voice of reason, my personal mechanic, and my absolute best friend.
I was born and raised in California. I’ve traveled quite a bit, but I’m not anywhere near satisfied yet haha. I should probably add that I have a ridiculous amount of energy all the time. I can wake up at 5 am and go-go-go until around 11 pm, but I’m definitely the most productive in the morning. I may have to re-heat my coffee 3 to 4 times but I’ll get s**t done!
About Me
Growing up, my mom and dad always had the sweetest relationship. They were great parents and still are to this day. My mom was always SO insistent about taking pictures of everything all the time. It drove us all nuts. We would always tell her to “put the camera away and just enjoy the moment in real life.” Around the time I was 11 years old, my dad passed away from a brain tumor. I’m so grateful now that my mom ignored us and took so many pictures anyway. Thanks to those photos, I’ll always be able to vividly remember what my dad looks like.
I also get to see photos of my parents when they first started dating, and how in love they were. I can see his face on their wedding day and it’s almost like I was there. I get to see my brother & I as kids again, and I can see in my dad's eyes how much he loved us both. Those photos are how I visit and remember him now. THAT is why I’m a photographer. I want to give you the same ability to look back and re-live the moments you shared with the people you love. Thanks to my mom & all of the photos she made us take, I’ll always be able to see my dad smiling back at me whenever I need him. I'm so indescribably grateful for that.
I'm sure you're wondering why I got started in photography anyways? Grab your shovels because it's about to get deep.
When I found photography everything in life just suddenly made sense.
If I were to have a day completely by myself I would spend it riding my harley, drinking boba, calling my mom just to say hi, getting a facial or massage, and thinking of creative ideas for shoots that I want to do next. I genuinely love what I do, so it's rare that I fully disconnect from this world even on days off. Before I started as a photographer, I really wanted to become a tattoo artist. As much as I love the world of tattooing, I realized that it just wasn't the right creative medium for me.
