Lucia Povinelli
The artist behind living pictures photography.
My journey here was not a straight line, but a winding path guided by a love for science, art, and the profound beauty of the natural world. I’m so glad you’re here.
My story begins in the flatlands of the Midwest, where as a child, I would stare at the horizon and pretend the big, fluffy clouds were distant mountains I could one day climb. I endlessly admired the stillness of lakes, the magic of morning dew on the grass, and was captivated by the idea of the sea. This bred in me a deep love for travel and for quiet, untold sights, often free of human distraction.
That love for the natural world initially led me to study animal sciences at Purdue University and then into a rewarding decade-long career as an IVF embryologist here in the California Bay Area. It was a field of precision, care, and quiet miracles. After stepping away to raise my son, the flexibility and pull of my lifelong creative passions beckoned.
I’ve always been a lover of all creativity—from charcoal and oil painting to sewing and crafting. Lucia found that photography was the perfect art form to merge all of her passions. It was here that her love for travel, exploration, wildlife, and art finally converged. After picking up my first DSLR in high school, I was hooked.
For over a decade now, I’ve explored all that California has to offer—the incredible variety in its landscapes, fauna, and flora. This exploration is often a shared passion with my husband, Blair, who is also a longtime photographer. Our travels are frequently dedicated to our mutual desire to photograph wildlife, attend workshops, or simply discover and capture new landscapes together.
My Philosophy
My background as a scientist taught me precision and a deep respect for the details of the natural world, while my heart has always been that of an artist, dreaming of faraway places. For me, photography is where these two worlds meet.
My 'why' is rooted in a desire to capture the feeling of awe I’ve always felt in nature—that sense of wonder looking at a vast landscape or a quiet, intimate detail. It’s about preserving the profound beauty found in authentic connections, whether it’s with a person, a place, or a moment in time. I believe that these living pictures—these artfully preserved memories—can reconnect us to the most beautiful parts of our own stories and the world around us.
"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything."
Aaron Siskind
My Approach
My photography is deeply influenced by my own journey. In 2020, inspired by two of my favorite photographers, Elizabeth Gadd and Wendy Hansen, I began a dedicated self-portraiture practice. In the quiet of that time, I put myself in the vulnerable position of being my own subject. That experience was transformative. It taught me how it feels to be in front of the lens and how to interact with the environment to create something that feels genuine. It’s this empathy that I bring to every session, guiding you with a gentle hand to ensure you feel comfortable, confident, and truly seen.
My self-portraiture is the heart of my personal artistic practice. It is a form of 'tenalach'—a deep and quiet conversation I have with nature. By standing alone in these vast landscapes, I explore themes of change, resilience, and my own place in the world. It is this journey of finding the story within myself that allows me to so deeply understand and capture the story within you.
When I'm not behind the lens...
My passion for preserving memories extends into my personal life, where you’ll often find me meticulously editing our family photos, creating small home videos of our adventures, or designing beautiful photobooks. When I’m not doing that, you can find me curled up with a good book, exploring a new culture through its food (especially if there’s chocolate involved!), or enjoying the outdoors by scuba diving, kayaking, horseback riding, or going on a bike ride with my family.
Lets' connect
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