Samantha is a Photographer and Filmmaker. Ever since she was a kid, she found herself behind the camera. She loved making skits with her friends and having fun photoshoots. Once she was about to enter high school, her local school offered a Digital Video Production program where she realized she could make her passion become a career. She put all her efforts into her program and decided to further her education in film at Full Sail University where she received her Bachelor’s in Film. Unfortunately, when COVID-19 disrupted our world, creativity felt slim. Samantha could no longer create films in groups and her passion started to dwindle until she found Photography. Photography was her saving grace during the hardest time in her life. She started by taking creative portraits, boudoir photography, landscape, and self-portraits. Now that COVID has cleared, she has made a name for herself as a published photographer and excels in wedding photography. She runs her own photography business, is a top photographer in a published magazine, and has now continued her journey to share her knowledge at F.I.R.S.T Institute in Digital Photography.
I’ve been doing photography for 7 years and being a videographer for 4 years. I started my career from home then into UCF from 2016 to 2019. Since then, I have continued to work as freelance till today. My passion was music at first. But then wanted to create visuals for said music.
My experience ranges from a variety of jobs. Working with Schools, the fashion industry, the car dealership business, event coverage, weddings, product photo shoots, multiple businesses. I’ve used a lot of what I learned and utilized each category to elevate my experience!
I love taking photos or creating content but. Seeing someone love my work is another type of excitement.
Taking photos for the New York Times, taking pictures of celebrity’s, or Running my own business and learning more of how photography is evolving. All of these contribute to growth and that will be never ending.
Gabriela is a professional photographer and filmmaker from Miami, Florida who graduated with a Bachelor's Film degree from the University of Central Florida. Gabriela has experimented with several niches in photography like weddings, boudoirs, and studio,s and is passionate about learning more technical and creative techniques in the field. Throughout the years, Gabriela has worked with several photography companies outside of Florida ranging from weddings to Boudoir, has become a published photographer in a magazine, and created her own photography business. Gabriela has also worked on several indie short films and managed an MFA feature film as an assistant director. She started off as a sixteen-year-old with a dream of telling stories through a lens. Now, she's an instructor here at F.I.R.S.T. Institute to share her experiences and knowledge of all things photography and film with students who are aspiring to be the same.
Originally from Wisconsin, Pauly packed up his belongings for a job opportunity here in Orlando with Disney PhotoPass. Taking thousands of photos of hundreds of families each day inspired him to want to become a better photographer and to learn anything and everything he could about photography. He went to Orange Technical College for Digital Photography, and after nearly a decade as a Photographer and Trainer of Photographers for Disney, he left to start his own Photography business. You’ll find him doing headshots, weddings, corporate events, small business content creation, real estate, and performing arts all over Central Florida. Pauly has also worked in Orange County Public Schools and is excited to share his experiences and knowledge from not only the classroom, but from behind the camera with the Digital Photography students at F.I.R.S.T. Institute. In his free time, you can catch Pauly camping with his dog Cheddar, woodworking, or cheering on the Green Bay Packers!
I am a working studio and art photographer passionate about teaching and learning. I enjoy the studio scene working with lighting techniques and a variety of subject matter to create a perfect image. I also enjoy adding artistic elements and metaphors to my photographs allowing the viewers to decipher an image’s meaning.
I have a B.S. degree in photo-technology from UCF and have been showcased in the southeast museum of photography. I have photographed many of Florida's local music artists and helped create their promotional and music album images. I have also worked with many local businesses, photographing their products and services, and helping them grow their brand.
I grew up in the country side of Florida and found an appreciation for art in nature that still inspires me today. I'm also a big fan of modern contemporary art, I can be found either walking around the local museum or a local nature trail. My favorite quote is from Ansel Adams, who helped create and protect our national parks with his images, “A photograph is often looked at, seldom looked into.”
Nearly a decade ago, I embarked on a journey in the world of visual storytelling. My passion for photography ignited during my time at Florida State University. Over the course of four years of being a photographer, I began strengthening my skills by adding videography and graphic design to my creative arsenal. This evolution led me to make a significant move from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando in 2020, where I fulfilled my dream of opening a production studio before the age of 25. Over the years, I’ve been able to provide people with skills in the industry that they didn't know they were capable of. Over time, this has led me to where I am today, pouring into the next generation of great photographers. Whether through the lens of a camera or the frame of a video, my passion will always remain for pouring into others as well as myself.
