Andre Toro Photography by first choice

I'm a passionate soul 😍, obsessed with emotive storytelling ❤️ & bold color 🌈. Venezuelan mom of 2 beautiful girls married to my love-at-first-sight husband.

Andre Toro Photography started in 2013 in Seattle, Washington, and relocated to Boston, Massachusetts in 2016. Here is my story.

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Who am I?

I dream about photography all day long. It’s all I think about. I’m obsessed with capturing moments and chasing the best light. Yet my background is atypical, Electrical Engineering back home in Venezuela and then graduated from MIT Sloan class of 2011 — a super nerd, math lover. I wasn’t the artistic one growing up, I didn’t spend hours in a dark room.

I have always liked photography but it was at 30 years old while pregnant with my 1st daughter when I realized how much I wanted to freeze time to treasure MOMENTS.

While working in Microsoft (Seattle) I decided to study digital photography and portraits at the Photographic Center Northwest, the best decision ever. I was obsessed, I would wake up at 5 am to edit with a smile. Photography became my side job in 2013. We then moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 2016 and I landed an incredible job in Wayfair. I loved every second of my HR journey there.

Then life happened... a huge wake-up call. An epic concussion that ended up in brain injury made me STOP. Literally, stop. I had the chance to see life from a new perspective. The journey was so tough, yet the outcome had the best silver lining EVER. Life is too short to not follow your biggest passion. I decided to quit my big corp job and pursue photography full-time — BEST. DECISION. EVER.

I've been blessed to be able to invest and learn from the best! I traveled to Panama in 2019 to get inspired by and learn from Catalina Avila (a world-known Fine Art Photographer). In 2020 and 2021, I learned from Stormy Solis (the guru of emotive family photography). This year, in 2022, I'm traveling to Alaska and Joshua Tree to learn from other 3 epic family photographers!  Family Photography is a fascinating journey, I'll never stop getting inspired and learning!

I'm so thankful for every family who trusts me to capture their most intimate moments! I've got the best clients in the world! :)

What's ATP's magic?

My photography style is deeply connected to my soul. I call it Real Art Photography, I define it as Fine Art inspired by candid moments. I'm a passionate artist chasing human emotions and connections. Emotive storytelling drives my soul.

I want you to be able to FEEL the love as you walk through memory lane looking at your artistic family photos.

That is why I will capture what I feel. My delight is to document your family's essence. Love is raw, candid, and beautiful. I believe in families snuggling, hugging, and kissing during our sessions. I believe in kids running wild while I get to capture their personalities and candid expressions. There is so much beauty in the life each parent is living right at this moment.

I believe in portraits with a purpose. These candid memories are the best heirloom gift for your kids. They'll have breathtaking memories WITH their parents!!

How do you value Andre Toro Photography's work?

So, I've told you about myself and what makes my work special ❤️. How do you integrate this into your decision? Can you put a price on it? I dig deeper into this subject here, but here's a summary list of what you should pay attention to when choosing between different photographers, whether it's me or someone else.

• Personal brand and professional expertise :)
• Style (both in terms of the type of photos (candid vs posed) and editing style)
• Time (what's the best time of the day for family photos?)
• Location (are they adventure-based sessions in fairy tale locations or local spots?)
• Equipment, cameras & lenses (what's in my camera bag)
• Packages and pricing (is it all-inclusive, or do you pay a session fee and then for the photos?)
• White-glove experience (do they offer styling services?, how about Fine Art printing services?
  
  

How much should all this cost?

It’s not just about price; it’s the experience! To get to the answer, you first need to understand what an experience like this really entails.

What Andre Toro Photography is not?

I believe in transparency and honesty. It's part of what makes any business run and every healthy relationship. So, whenever I'm asked if ATP does this or that, these are my answers:

• Wedding or Engagement Photographer ~ It's true that you have seen sweet couples on my website and social media, yet those are parents OR couples without kids. Deeply in love parents of crazy toddlers and teenagers or adorable couples celebrating their wedding anniversary. 

Have I shot a wedding? YES! I loved it. THIS mom met me before she got engaged and reached out for her wedding day. I told her that it was my first wedding! She was looking for a FAMILY photographer to shoot her wedding. It was a perfect fit ❤️ For those inquiring about big weddings, I refer them to my fellow photographer and dear friend Libby at All The Little Stories. How cute was my couple??

• Corporate Event photographer ~ If you're local, you might have seen with my big camera at a 5K or Taste of Lexington event, yet it's not my cup of tea. In both cases, it's been pro bono to support my community and kid's school :) An event photographer enjoys being behind the scenes documenting without participating. Instead, I'm a passionate soul who loves to be IN the mix with my client families, running, playing, making them laugh. A totally different type of session than a corporate event :)
• Headshot photographer ~ I do take headshots but I don't advertise them or publish them on my website/social media. It's usually past client families or their friends who need a headshot(s) for work. I'm happy to do them yet it's not my bread and butter. I do just a handful a year during the winter months :)
• Studio Photographer ~ my style is candid and lifestyle. All my sessions take place on location, either outdoors/indoors/in-home. My family sessions' goal is to capture raw and candid human connections that are difficult to achieve in a confined studio. For inquiries about posed family portraits, I would refer them to Kate at Crabapple Photography. She's a studio guru!

I'm ALL things family, outdoors is my jam!

Maternity Sessions 

Family Sessions with little kids

Family Sessions with older kids

Family Sessions with teenagers

Travel Sessions ~ yes, anywhere in the world

I preach by example :)

I believe SO much in family memories. I photograph my own family often. I want to remember every step of our journey. I want to FEEL that love and have tangible memories of our family story. Photographing my family and being on the other side of the camera, gives me so much perspective.

It's all about the experience

I can only speak about myself. Andre Toro Photography is about love, respect, and empathy. It's a life calling, I'm on a mission of capturing a family's essence and love language!

I make sure that every photo session people book with me is a unique and unforgettable experience. In life, I'm a Mom and a partner, too. I know what it is to want to have tangible, beautiful memories of my loved ones in years to come. When kids are little life can be a blur, memories of candid moments are the ones my soul will crave for decades from now.

I relate so much with my clients, they become family. Their story becomes my story. Each family opens its heart to me, there is so much trust. It's a blessing to be invited into their bubble. 

All of this expertise and knowledge is what makes ATP so special and a great first choice.

With Love,

Andre