Have I mentioned that I love shooting with dancers? In July I did a shoot on the Cal Poly campus with beautiful and talented MyKayla Jayden who reps several brands and dances at DPAC. MyKayla's combination of athleticism and grace is so much fun to capture! The last shot on my list of 2019 favorites was taken at the new Yakitutu dorm complex which has an amazing modern design that makes it a great setting for both portrait sessions and dance shoots.
Thank you so much for taking a look at my favorite images of 2019! I am grateful for the wonderful clients and models who made this a fabulous year for photography, and I can't wait to see what comes next in 2020. Wishing many blessing for all in the New Year!
Wow....2019 was a busy, crazy, photography-filled year! And this is that time of year when I love to look back on all my shoots from the year and choose my favorite images. So without further ado, here are ten of my favorite images from 2019 (in no particular order), plus one personal favorite bonus shot. Hope you enjoy!
First up: three adorable girls and a gorgeous, enormous golden mirror. This image is from a styled tea party shoot that I organized at The Bees Knees Fruit Farm in San Luis Obispo last April. It was a beautiful, wonderful, memorable day with some awesome vedors and lovely moms and daughters. You can check out lots more images from this shoot here.
Family sessions are always very fun and the Levy family's shoot last June was no exception. Look at those smiles! This is a family that loves hanging out together and values their precious moments when everyone can be together. Higuera Ranch in San Luis Obispo was the perfect setting for this fun family session.
Okay I mentioned at the top that I have an bonus 11th favorite image so here it is. My awesome, hoop-loving daughter Sonja is currently studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea. Of course I'm missing her like crazy but I'm so glad I have this image from a shoot we did in the San Luis Obispo hills just before she departed last summer. I can't wait until she comes home for more fun and photo shoots together! Flower crown by La Bella Rose Boutique.
The goddess in this next image is beautiful ballerina Athena Pruett. We did a fun shoot together at the Los Osos Oak Preserve last March. Could she be more lovely in this gorgeous arabesque under the oak trees and moss? A big thanks to Ruby Villalobos of Heritage Salon for the beautiful, romantic hair and makeup styling for this shoot!
The Los Osos Oak Preserve proved to be a wonderful shooting location, so I used it quite a few times in 2019. My next image is from my senior portrait session with San Luis Obispo High School class of 2020 senior Kylie. I'm just in love with her joyful expression in this shot! Kylie was so easy and fun to work with I could have photographed her all day long. She is just so natural in front of the camera, not to mention stunning! Hair and makeup by the super-talented Ruby Villalobos of Heritage Salon in the Arroyo Grande Village.
My next image is from a shoot I did in October at Avila Beach with two talented dancers, including Andie who is the subject of this image. Andie is a beautiful, athletic dancer and her leaps were just amazing and so fun to capture. She seemed to have limitless energy and we were able to capture several different leaps that day. I love the water spray in this shot!
For the past five years, I've had the pleasure of being the photographer for Coastal Performing Arts Foundation. This next image is from a shoot I did for their theater company Coastal Youth Theater to promote their production of West Side Story which they performed at the Spanos Theater in April. These kids are amazingly talented and each of them brought their A-game to our shoot and to their fantastic show.
Tracy Waitkus Photography 805.264.2771
Avila Beach, California
Next is a senior portrait image from my session with Class of 2020 senior Desi. The Village of Arroyo Grande was the location for this shoot, and there were tons of great backdrops with an array of colors and textures to shoot against. I love the simplicity of this image and the dark backdrop that puts the focus on my gorgeous subject. Leah Heidler of Bluebird Salon in San Luis Obispo created beautiful hair and makeup for Desi's shoot.
Top 10 Images of 2019
December 26, 2019
June through September I'm super busy shooting senior portraits for students at many of our local high schools. One of my favorite sessions from the Class of 2020 was with beautiful Grace from Arroyo Grande High School. I mean, look at those eyes! It was tough to pick a favorite shot from this session, but Grace's serene expression combined with her dark hair and deep blue eyes makes this a favorite for me. Jamie Holloway from Heritage Salon in the Arroyo Grande Village worked her hair and makeup magic on Grace for this session.
Grace Phillips is an amazing dancer and model that I have had the pleasure of shooting with on multiple occasions. She is an ambassador for several brands including Ballet Rosa who created the stunning dancewear seen in this shot. We captured many ballet poses and leaps that day, but my favorite shot is this beauty portrait taken under the Avila Beach pier. Leah Heidler of Bluebird Salon in San Luis Obispo styled Grace's hair and makeup look for this fun shoot.