Calvina Nguyen

I’m a storyteller. I believe that there’s a story behind every face.

My father played a big role in my curiosity of stories during my childhood. He is a painter and always taught me to watch for the smaller details in life. To fill my time, everyday during the summer he would assign me a portrait assignment. He would take out one of his numerous books on paintings and have me duplicate a portrait. He told me to notice the expressions and the small nuances of the face.

My favorites were the paintings of Norman Rockwell. I loved that each painting was a slice of life, unposed and candid containing so much life. Through time I realized that drawing a portrait is not just putting a pair of eyes, nose and mouth on paper, but capturing the life and story behind it.

That’s how I’ve been molded as a photographer. My goal is not to capture smiling faces and figures, binding them within the edges of an 8x10. My objective is seeing the life behind every pair of eyes, and capturing that in every photo. Life is unscripted and so is my photography. I hope to truly capture the beauty in each spontaneous moment and tell a story.

Photography was my first love and I knew it from the moment I picked up my first 35mm film camera in high school. I went on to study fine arts and design in college and spent years in the design industry. All these years have made me a better artist and designer. So when I found my way back to photography, I realized that I’ve become a different sort of a photographer entirely. I see light, colors, and composition with a much more trained set of eyes.

Today I’m a mother and a photographer seeking to capture my family's moments and the moments that are dear to my clients. One day it is a dream of mine to broaden my horizons and capture images and stories around the world. Telling stories that scream to be told.