about Ani

Welcome! 

I'm a visual journalist and portrait photographer with more than 25 years of experience based in San Diego, California. I also love to spend time creating and selling my jewelry designs. I have plenty for you to look at: Visit my photography website for detailed information on the kinds of services I offer or my jewelry website to view some of my handmade artisan jewelry designs. Also, you can take a gander at some of the images and pages I've designed for the newspaper I work at here and here. In the meantime, grab a cuppa joe or a glass of vino and enjoy your stay here with me. If you're in and around San Diego County and are in need of a photographer for your life moments, feel free to contact me at ani{at}afotogirl.com.


A little more in depth…if you're curious.

A homegrown San Diegan, I attended the University of San Diego before transferring to the Bay Area’s California College of the Arts to further push her artistic vision. Upon my return to San Diego, I freelanced for commercial studios as a photographer’s assistant and stylist for food, product and fashion shoots while working steadily as a custom printer at a professional lab. During free time, I continued exploring San Diego and it’s surroundings with camera in hand searching for that ever elusive perfect light.

In 1989 I joined the photo department of the San Diego Union-Tribune as a deadline color printer. My art background drew many of the staff photographer’s to me for critical feedback eventually earning me a promotion to photo editor. An early pioneer at the newspaper in Adobe Photoshop, I embraced this tool that allowed me to combine my painting, design and photographic skills to creatively express editorial content. I took several staff photographer’s under my wing and guided them on their own journey towards creative expression using this powerful program. As a features photo editor from 1992 - 2006 my charge was the vision, development and execution of all photographic content for Sunday Arts, Night & Day, Travel, Food, Street, Dining Guide and Passport sections. I also guided and aided with the management of the photographers assigned to Special Sections.

As a visual person, I'm always searching for innovative ways to push the boundaries of creative problem solving. I had the privilege to write and lead a workshop at the National Press Photographer Association’s Women in Photojournalism Conference in 2002 on Photoshop illustration techniques and keeping the creative spirit alive and was able to meet a lot of wonderfully talented women at various points in their careers.

At the end of 2006, I began a new chapter in my career at the newspaper when I was asked to consider turning my focus towards page design. Excited by the prospect of an infusion of creative energy, I embraced the challenge and quickly found a rhythm in page design.

Thank you for visiting!

Peace & good health,
Anita L. Arambula
afotogirl & red gem studio


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