About Cristina Taconne

San Francisco Photographer

It all started when I was a kid, watching my dad make prints in our downstairs darkroom. That led to photographing the neighborhood kids in the suburbs of Connecticut and then onto the high school yearbook. But it wasn’t until I moved to NYC after studying English Literature at Boston College that I learned the craft of lighting, composition and directing.

During the day, I worked in a studio for a photography company, shooting still life and fashion for LL Bean and other catalogs. At night I would do model testing on the rooftops of buildings and on the streets of New York. It was great fun.

After a few years I headed to Mexico to photograph Mayan Indians, their costumes and rituals in the highlands of Chiapas. My photographs were published in National Geographic and cultural magazines. After several more Mexican trips with anthropologists and numerous Day of the Dead projects, my travels ended with a desire to settle down.

I landed in San Francisco and shot for local newspapers and national magazines. My NY experience in fashion and direction helped to strengthen my portraiture shots. My photojournalism experience in shooting Mexican festivals and ritual helped to strengthen my ability to capture important moments.

Now I combine both talents in shooting social media. I photograph people on the street and guide them a bit, but mostly I try to capture a feeling of who they are. Laughing a lot and feeling good helps. Just bring your smile.