CEO STUDENT PORTFOLIOS
NEXT GEN
Since the creation of CEO, students have continually proven that their perspectives and creative vision should not go unseen. Building on skills learned in prior semesters, CEO students refine their techniques through frequent photo shoots and opportunities for product photography. Class partnerships with Nike and Murad only strengthened their development and growth as creatives and photographers this semester. Their portfolios, available through our website, are a testament to a need for these voices to be given at least the same weight as their male counterparts.
TEACHING ARTISTS
Kenzie Floyd
Melinda Arredondo
TEACHING ARTIST ASSISTANT
Arianna Ordaz
MENTORS
Brittany Bravo
Joey Luau
Juli Perez
Kathleen Arellano
Mitzi Valenzuela
Rebecca Aranda
Ry Essi
Sazan Pasori
Sergio Cordoba
Addys Lopez, age 18
Tinco.
Trabajador. Todos lo dias se levanta mi padre en la mañana para poder dar nos el pan de cada dia. Para que nunca nos llegue a faltar nada.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Through this project, the main focus of the images that Addys took was to show her capability in being able to take self-portrait pictures and studio. She used both her parents in the first pictures to show what they do. What her father does, and her mother does as well. She also played around with taking her self-portraits.
ARTIST STATEMENT
This is Addys Lopez. She is an 18-year-old who has grown up in Los Angeles all her life. She is currently a college freshman. It is her 3rd semester in Las Fotos Project and her first time as CEO. She found her passion in photography two years ago when she first took a picture with a Canon camera. She didn't know how to use it, but she quickly figured out how and since then, she has used photography to express herself. She has used photography to tell stories about how she sees the world.
Andrea Popoca, age 16
School Spirit.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This semester I chose to focus on sports photography. Being in the yearbook club at my school, I was able to take opportunities to take pictures of sports games at my school. The games varied from basketball, soccer, football, and cheer. I love how sports photography can capture a fast-paced sport or someone in action and freeze it in an image. Seeing sports photography on Nike, Adidas, etc., brings me inspiration. Many of the photos catch the freeness of sports. Many people play sports because it is their passion— I enjoy showing that in my photos. I play basketball myself. I can show my love for sports through photos I am proud to do. I hope my photos show a deeper message in sports photography.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Andrea Popoca is a 16-year-old photographer who specializes in covering events and portraiture. She started taking an interest in photography at 12 years old and continues to develop her practice with Las Fotos Project. Andrea’s photography aims to tell stories of the people and places she comes in contact with, allowing her to step out of her comfort zone and grow into a more outgoing artist. Photography has given Andrea exciting opportunities to network with new people and travel. She enjoys photography and hopes to inspire and share her passion through her work.
Angelina Flores, age 17
Color & Culture.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Color and Culture—When taking pictures, my main focus is to show how proud I am to be part of such a beautiful community and culture. I intend to show the beauty of the lowrider community and to teach the people looking at my work the history behind it.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am Angelina Flores, and I am 17 years old. I think of myself as a creative person. My goal is to change people's perspectives about our culture through my photography, continue being a hard-working student, and achieve success. I am proud that I had my work displayed twice at an art gallery. I've had the opportunity to shoot for a known Latina rapper and had my work published in the LA Times newspaper. These accomplishments have shown me that people enjoy seeing my work. One thing that made me want to participate this semester was the chance to learn more about photography and to receive feedback on my work. I hope to learn more about how to take better portraits of people and how to master lighting. With photography, I consider myself a hobbyist meaning some pictures are worthy of being printed and hung, but not all. I hope to become a better photographer so one day, my photos will change the way people view our community.
Aster Sanchez, age 17
All of the Colors.
Colors can evoke emotions and feelings and have different meanings. Using and playing with colors is an important part of my work. For example, the color purple in this image means power and strength. Sergio’s confidence is radiant as everyone aims their camera at them as they move around while the cameras click. Colors play in my work as I find them important to a subject’s identity.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Colors can make my photographs more exciting as they capture the audience’s eye. They can evoke passion, energy, and even negative emotions. My work captures positive and negative emotions as I play with different colors. The colors have different meanings— various colors can impact the audience depending on their view of a certain color. I want to explore what specific colors mean to me.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Aster Sanchez is a non-binary photographer from Los Angeles, California. Their work focuses on portraits and documentation. When they were 12, their interest and passion for photography grew since joining Las Fotos Project. Aster’s work used to focus on documentation until they began working with different niches and became interested in portraits. Portrait photography has taught Aster how to capture a subject to convey their identity and story. They hope to expand their work with portraits and create photoshoots outside the classroom. With more experience, they wish to continue doing photography and incorporate more storytelling into their work.
CJ Calica, age 18
Girlhood.
For me, girlhood is the color red. Red was always my favorite color when I was young. Red made me feel powerful. A striking outfit or a dramatic red lip. It was a color that emphasized a woman's power without taking away from her identity as a woman. I continue to visualize the color red as an adult. I'm hoping that when I leave adolescence, the red from my past will still glow in my womanhood and give me the courage to confront the world.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Turning 18 has driven me to contemplate my formative years. Girlhood (noun) is the stage of development during which a person is still a girl but not yet a woman or the experience of being a girl. I loved being a girl and hated it all at the same time. Even though I loved to dress up, and organize tea parties, I detested the limitations that came with being a girl. From strict dress codes to prevent offending men to pricey grooming to increase my attractiveness to the male gaze. In my project, I explore my personal experience as a girl soon entering womanhood and consider how it has affected me now.
ARTIST STATEMENT
CJ Calica is a Mixed Media Photographer with a strong desire to be understood. Her crafty side and the digital world collaborate to create an image of the world around her. She expresses her emotions and ideas in works of collaging and overlay drawings within her photographs to correlate with the never-ending changes in her life. She began her photography journey with Las Fotos Project two years ago and has grown to appreciate the art of editorial photography and beauty marketing. She aims to capture the perfect moment— a photo that makes you stop and stare. Her main objectives this semester are to do more beauty photography and improve her retouching skills. In her final year at Las Fotos Project, she is working hard to complete her final portfolio by the end of the Spring Semester which will include all of the art she has created with LFP over the years.
Haley Santibanez, age 18
ARTIST STATEMENT
My name is Haley Sparkle Santibanez, and l was born on July 4, 2004. What inspires me to be a photographer is l get to capture important moments in my life and turn them into my art piece. I enjoy taking pictures whenever l have the time because I love creating beautiful images with stories behind them and sharing them with people. What l like best about myself is that l am open to new things and love learning about subjects that interest me. I would tell new photographers that trial and error is key to learning photography. Everyone makes mistakes, and over time your experience will grow, and you’ll get more comfortable. It’s important to never give up on something you find engaging and remember to value what you do. One day l want to become a creative director and create a safe space for myself where l can continue to create ART.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My imagination influences my photography. Whenever an idea crosses my mind, l try my best to express it to the best of my ability. Most images are experimental, and I strive to have unique art that stands out. I make images because seeing the final product that was once just an idea in my head come to life is satisfying. I want to continue to make my ideas into reality.
Eternal Youth.
Isabella Reyes, age 15
ARTIST STATEMENT
Isabella Reyes (she/her) is an indigenous artist who specializes in event photography and portraits, focusing on real moments. She is currently a sophomore in high school and has been in Las Fotos since she was 12. She loves crystals, skateboarding, and doing arts and crafts. She believes in the importance of community. Her hobbies include attending drum circles and doing Danza Azteca. She hopes to do more work in entertainment and portraits of the community.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This semester was interesting. I learned a lot, mostly about portraits and candid photography. What I liked about this semester was that there was a lot of help. We were all learning together. The TAs and mentors were amazing, all of them were there to help. The most challenging thing about photography is putting yourself out there— I feel like it is one of the hardest things about being an artist right now is publishing your work. Some questions I ask are, “What if it’s not good lighting? What if I’m copying someone else?” But then you hear feedback from other people— it makes you feel better. My whole family likes photography. It means a lot to hear them say, “se parece bien.”
Baby Cedar.
This is a baby smiling before his baptism at the Resurrection Church.
Ketzally Alcala, age 16
LH.
Lincoln Heights, like any other community, holds many stories. Many of them are young high school students with hopes for a brighter future in a way that honors their family stories and history— A chance to break cycles and establish their own identities while staying true to the principles implemented by their communities.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Growing up in a predominantly brown community, she observed her surroundings and found there was a lack of brown voices being uplifted. The people who surround her play an important role in who she is as an artist and individual, as they have allowed her to view the world from different perspectives. Through her work, she hopes to elicit a sense of belonging and comfort. For a big period in her life, she questioned where she belonged and where her place in the world was. She felt a sense of misplacement. Through images, she can create memories that allow her to retrace her identity when in moments of self-reflection. The feeling of misplacement is no longer as strong as it once was.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Ketzally Alcala is a 16-year-old photographer based in East Los Angeles. Throughout her photography journey, she has been able to experiment with different niches but specializes in portrait, editorial, and lifestyle. As seen in her work, Ketzally incorporates her indigenous roots and beliefs into each image curated. She feels it's her mission to shed light on her community and people. Her ultimate goal is to highlight the voices that often go unheard in the media. She hopes to be able to give a platform to provide representation for marginalized communities. Through images, she can create memories that allow her to retrace her identity in moments of self-reflection.
Lauren Cho, age 16
P[MAT]URITY.
Through the model’s eyes, lively-styled hair, and freckles, the viewer might feel that they are looking through the world through a child's perspective. Yet, with some aspects like the bright earrings and harsh lighting, some of the model's features look more mature. In this image, I wanted to create a sense of innocence and purity, while keeping an underlying tone of the impending maturity that all children go through. As I continue to grow as a youth student, I wanted to keep an eye on playfulness and look upward and beyond toward the future.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The area I chose to focus on as my niche this semester is Editorial/Storytelling Photography. For my project this year, I created a portfolio that showcases my growing creativity, artistic angles, and hard work. When others view my photography, I want them to see a part of me through my photos and what I value. I would also like to see any viewers feel a type of emotion and be able to relate to it— whether it be loss, excitement, curiosity, anger, love, or anything else. Some things that influence my photography are the environment around me and things that catch my attention. I replicate what I see and create what I don’t. I enjoy making art because I want to create not just a photo but an experience that anyone can be a part of.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Lauren Cho is a Korean-American photographer from Koreatown, Los Angeles. Through her work and studies at the non-profit Las Fotos Project, Lauren has learned to harness a wide range of skills to combine design, art, and photography to express and communicate an expansive array of stories. Lauren first started studying in the Spring 2022 Digital Promotoras class, which taught her the power of observation in her community. In each class she took, she has started to look beyond documentation – and evolve into creative storytelling. By developing skills such as finding distinctive angles to communicate complex stories and perspectives and experimenting with the use of colors, light, and composition in her work, Lauren hopes to continue to share stories in her community and beyond.
MJ Joya, age 15
Colors.
This model flowed through every shot, engaging with the camera. When we began to play with different lights such as red, orange, blue, and green, the more I saw how her body relaxed to fit the mood of the room. With this photo, I wanted to portray the feeling of her relaxation and distance when the color lights surrounded the room.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
At the beginning of the CEO, we needed to choose our niche. As it was my first time as CEO, I wanted to practice my niche of portraiture after continually thinking of what I like to shoot the most. Throughout the classes this semester, we had multiple models volunteer for our class. I was drawn to each of these models, determined to take amazing photos. The more I practiced, the more experience I gained. Ultimately I loved shooting with models and learning more about portraiture.
ARTIST STATEMENT
MaryJane Joya is a 15-year-old high school student with a specialty is funky portraiture and candid street photography. Maryjane wishes to continue to learn and practice fashion photography and photojournalism. This semester at Las Fotos, Maryjane focused mainly on portraits with a still-life mood, photos that capture a moment in-between. They look forward to developing more work with environmental portraiture. They wish to work with New York Times in the future, and their dream job is photographing fashion / editorial work.
Meadows Stevens, age 16
Basketball Club Media Day.
My creative directive on Basketball Club's Media Day.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Attending an art school in Downtown LA, sports life isn't as livid as in other schools. For Basketball Club, one of the few opportunities to engage in athletics, I took a creative directive role in producing a Media Day for a fall basketball game— taking into consideration lighting, settings, and posing while collaborating with my peers.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My name is Meadows Stevens. I am 16 years old, born and raised in Las Vegas. I discovered photography during quarantine, a moment in time when I grasped for an outlet. While isolation put the whole world on pause, I felt my world collapse when my mother passed away. At 15, I gravitated towards my camera to express my mind, emotions, and ideas by empowering myself to take a creative direction in my photography. Diving into portraiture and editorial more deeply and beginning to take photos of friends and family, photography became more significant in my life. As I continue exploring my identity as a half-Latina teenager adjusting to LA, I plan to take on projects that not only benefit me but my community and the people around me. I want to make an impact with my photos. Finding balance with deepening my connection to the world and my life, I look forward to more possibilities of what is yet to unfold within my imagination.
Melania Espinal, age 17
Oh My Tenebrous.
Lola post-palm reading.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
My work is highly multidisciplinary: sometimes research-based, purely for aesthetics, or informed by my goal of the photo not just being media but fine art. My subjects are often highly personal, and I aim to portray grit as much as visual charm. Highly influenced by magical realism in Latin America, my love for literature, and everything that is dialectic— my project and my ongoing body of work is at its core: a synthesis.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Melania Espinal lives in North East Los Angeles. Being hyper-curious, ambitious, and visionary, they often daydream about their future and new creative projects. They love architecture, ceramics, and the material nature of film photography. Art-making and reading are very important to them and are a driving force in everything they do. They love to explore and find the utmost inspiration in the spaces and structures around them. Informed by radical texts, they turn their art-making into a personal praxis, yet rooted in mutuality. They try to capture this in many ways and different mediums, from fine art to portraiture.
Meyuh Gonzales, age 17
Down in the Dumps.
Laying in Distress. Laying on my back, Worried in my head, Feeling Depressed. I'll try and get some rest Just let me stay in bed All I see is red I just want to sleep instead.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This was a personal shoot I did in the comfort of my room. There are days when I feel overwhelmed and want to lay in bed and sulk, but you can't do that when you have things to do or goals to accomplish. I was in a funk and decided to take the time to put on some face paints, set up some colored lighting, and balance my camera on Bane's(my cat-son) cat condo. This shoot symbolizes how you can either be down in the dumps or make the trash into treasures.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Meyuh is a Los Angeles artist and photographer who explores different media and niches within her art. Based in the beautiful east side of LA, she hopes to bring her culture, surroundings, and community members into her work. Currently, she is exploring different ways of shooting street photography, events, portraits, editorial, and more— challenging herself to be diverse and advancing her skills. She likes to see her photos as statement pieces, statements from the models, and what they would like to represent. "I love the idea of uplifting others and empowering them through my photos." ♡
Mia Figueroa, age 16
La Catrina.
In this photo, there is a strong female presence representing our culture. With her vibrant headpiece and stunning makeup. I feel like this photo represents the mourning that we experience on Dia De Los Muertos uniquely.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Everything in her outfit comes together, from her makeup to her hair.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My name is Mia Figueroa. I am 16 years old and attend San Gabriel Mission High School. I feel more at home in El Sereno, where I grew up. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies because I can convey one feeling in multiple ways, such as motion with my subjects in my photos. I feel that it could change the story of my photos. Las Fotos Project has helped me become more creative with my photography and helped me go beyond my comfort zone so I may improve my skills. Las Fotos has helped me find my style of photography and express myself in my photos.
Ruth Gutierrez, age 17
Serenity.
Serenity is a place of calm and peace. It is when the light hits your skin, and you bask in the beauty of the earth. Sitting in a pool of tranquility as you become one— A breath of fresh air.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
For the past couple of years as a photographer, I have delved into self-portraiture, learning to become more confident with myself and understanding my being through art. This semester I wanted to explore being behind the camera and understanding other people through my lens, capturing their being through my eyes. In a way, this photo is a bridge that connects them. This is a self-portrait, but at the same time, it can be someone else. The mystery of this being is seen through the viewer's eyes.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Ruth Gutierrez (she/her) is a 17-year-old Mexican/Honduran portrait photographer from Highland Park, Los Angeles. Her focus centers on portrait photography. This type of photography allows Ruth to photograph themselves and others as a way to tell stories and share the personality of her subjects. Ruth began her journey in photography in 2016 at the age of 11, when she joined Las Fotos Project. Over the years, she expanded her photography and explored many niches and recently has started to include mixed media into her work. Along the way, she fell in love with self-portraiture. Eventually, she felt brave enough to get behind the camera and photograph someone. Ruth hopes to continue to expand and improve her photography skills and pursue them as a future career.
Sawyer Sariñana, age 15
White Wedding.
What a nice day.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
During this semester, I expanded on weaving client visions with a creative experience to create unique deliverables for each project. Inspired by artists like Patrick Tosani, Laia Abril, and Lars Tjunbork, I have attempted to evoke a surreal sense from conventional settings. Working with class mentors and other students, I have initiated new pathways of creative discovery and am excited to continue collaborating!
ARTIST STATEMENT
Sawyer Sarinana is a 15-year-old artist from Echo Park. Inspired by local communities, the Surrealist movement, and the nuances of daily life, Sawyer attempts to bridge the abstract of fine art with the intention of commercial work. Her work ranges from conceptual to documentary in its approach. She is currently using photography to explore the physical world around her. After shooting a season with the Angel City soccer team and completing a variety of self-produced shoots, she hopes to venture more into the world of editorial and conceptual photography.
Uzuri Ray, age 15
Colores.
Ariani R. in a ball pit.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Color is a big part of my work. This semester I wanted to explore how color and no color change my photography. I started shooting black and white this semester, and I loved it. I chose a very colorful picture because of the nostalgia it brings me. The bright colors bring back feelings of being in elementary school in bright-colored clothing, hair in the wind, and no worries. When people see my photography, I want them to be reminded of happier times.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Uzuri Ray is a Mexican-American 15-year-old based in Boyle Heights. Her biggest inspiration is her mother’s passion for photography. She’s always found photography interesting but never had a chance to fully experiment with a camera until she joined the Las Fotos Project. She loves having the opportunity to capture special moments. They find it fascinating how pictures can tell stories and how someone can always find a connection to them. She focuses most on portraiture and capturing her subject’s true personalities. Most of their portraits are of their family and community members. Her work includes vibrant colors, but she has recently started experimenting with black-and-white pictures.
Wendy Cubillo, age 18
"Versed"
Mikey Vega is an 18-year-old writer, experimental photographer, and artist. Raised in Glassell Park, Mikey focuses on platform creatives that are unrevealed and on the rise through storytelling. To learn more about Mikey and more artists like him, check out the upcoming magazine issue “Any Means Necessary” and a sneak peek project here.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Based in East Los Angeles and the surrounding underrepresented communities, this photographic series serves as a microphone to amplify the voices, talents, and aspirations of creatives. Focusing on editorial and concert/event photography— every photo is a statement of pride and a way to say, “This is us.” It evokes a sense of reflection and self-expression in the captured candid moments, brief interviews, and studio shoots with some featured youth artists, photographers, writers, and designers of LA.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Wendy Cubillo (b. East Los Angeles, California since 2004) tells stories related to identity, activism, and pride. Shifting through the different lenses of our people, Wendy uses photojournalism to highlight the day-to-day lives of the Los Angeles community. She focuses on event and fashion photography, often combining the two to highlight self-expression. As an 18-year-old, Wendy has created a magazine brand named Eonagapi and released her first issue titled “Eonagapi: Sonder Issue 01,” showcasing pieces by local artists, performances and interviews with rock bands, and various essays by East Los Angeles youth. Its purpose is to spotlight the accomplishments of the Angelino youth, centering around passions, talents, aspirations, and social justice, hoping to provide a platform for community voices.