Paris Chan

HBHS Business and Design is filled with dedicated students who have found ways to turn what they love into a medium of business. Aspiring entrepreneur Paris Chan has developed her own Orange County-based company, Luvya Photo, where she uses her photography skills to empower others through her exceptional photos taken of her clients in their element.

Photography seems simple; you pick up the camera, click a button, maybe edit the photo for a few minutes, then print the photo. However, according to Paris, photography is more than what meets the eye. "It's not as easy as it looks, it's a whole process and is very versatile," Paris remarked. "Photoshop is needed, and a lot of hours go into a single photo. It's harder than it looks and is something that takes time and patience to get over." Paris has dedicated weeks, days, and many hours to the photography process for both her own business, and the athletics department at HBHS. Each sport partakes in a team photoshoot, and the photos taken and distributed to the teams are shot and edited by Paris' team; which takes excessive editing and feedback to ensure the photos are as perfect as they can be.

The process of photography takes up a lot of a photographer's time, especially if they run the entire business themself. "It's a long process," Paris described, "it varies depending on what kind of medium you do." It begins with communication with the clients on what it is they're looking for, then establishing a location. Paris likes to make sure the photoshoot is personal, so she creates a Pinterest board for each client as a way to create an overall vibe, and they can add or delete pins to collaborate. Once a location and vibe is established, Paris visits the location prior to the shoot to analyze the areas where the lighting and colors look the best. During the shoot, Paris makes sure to play music that the client selects so they can feel comfortable and content. In between photos, she communicates with her clients often to allow for changes in poses, props, and overall shot to get what the client wants out of the shoot. After about 300 to 3,000 photos are taken, the client picks up to 50 photos to be edited and photoshopped by Paris herself. Finally, once the photos are complete, they are returned to the client. "Seeing the final product is so rewarding after the extensive process. I love looking at my Instagram for fun because it's a reminder of where passion can take you," she expressed.

Paris has learned through her experiences how to manage time. Balancing a photography business with school while managing connections and shooting for the HBHS Business and Design program is a difficult schedule to hold. While there are times where she feels burnt out and overwhelmed, she's learned that time needs to be sacrificed and divided throughout the week. While the process is incredibly long, Paris is passionate about the whole operation, and loves the satisfaction of the client. She truly is so proud of her work, and wants others to be courageous as well and take the next step in starting their businesses.