From the Desk of: Gianna Cardella, RPM PR's Photographer

My love for photography started at the age of 13 - well, my love for art, really. In school, you could always find me at my best in any type of creative class. After getting my first camera (s/o to my pops, best birthday gift ever), I mainly took photos here and there, but it wasn’t until my freshman year of college when I started to take photography seriously.

I have always had a love for portrait photography, so I started taking photos of my friends - they always inspire me! Eventually, I started getting inquiries to do portrait sessions, senior pictures, family photos, and everything under the sun - and before I knew it, what started as a hobby grew to be a side gig. I mean, I was also balancing school, a part-time job, and extracurriculars… the Sagittarius in me needs to be on the go.

A year or so into college, I knew I needed to grow my experience. After deciding to major in graphic design as a full-time student at Fresno State, I wanted to branch out in order to build my resume and portfolio. I saw on social media that RPM PR was looking for a Photography Intern in the fall of 2017. Urged by a dear friend and now coworker (heeyyyy, Dani) to apply, I decided to take the leap. I had never been so nervous in my life for my interview. Up until then, photography was just a passion for me, and this was my first step to making it a career. 

Landing the internship was *seriously* the best feeling in the world. I felt so validated in my work as a photographer, and knew that I could grow here. After about 6 months of interning, I joined the team officially. Working at RPM has grown my career and confidence as a photographer tremendously, and I’m so thankful for the experiences I have here. 

During the week, you’ll find me shooting visuals for clients and RPM PR - something I love doing - and on the weekends, I have grown to fall in love (ha) with the wedding industry. You can catch me with Justice Film, capturing local love stories and having a ball.

Working as a photographer has honestly been a huge blessing - just like everyone says, if you love what you do, it’ll never feel like work. My biggest piece of advice? Branch out. Take the risk. You never know where it might lead you.

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Gianna Cardella