Creative Portrait Session with Bella DeLong in West Hollywood
Helena takes Los Angeles
Meet Bella. She is a very talented actor and musician in Los Angeles, California who also happens to be my cousin. She was raised in Helena, Montana where she grew up on stage. Her parents co-founded the the Montana Shakespeare Company where Bella was cast in productions such as, “The Rivals” and “Twelfth Night.” She also starred in a few productions at the Grandstreet Theatre and at the University of Southern California where she earned a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts.
For the first time since before COVID, I ventured to Los Angeles for some family and photography, my two favorite things. After my photoshoot on Saturday, I traveled to West Hollywood for a sleepover at Bella’s. We caught each other up on our lives, ordered some fantastic food, watched Sleepless in Seattle, and got some rest. In the morning, we decided to blow off some steam, get some steps in, and have an impromptu photoshoot. We cruised around Bella’s neighborhood and found some excellent spots.
Bella and I both value creativity and it is wonderful to feel so supported by one another. We understand the importance of having these outlets and there is nothing like making art with your loved ones. There is a different level of comfort when photographing Bella. There is comfort in practicing without judgement, trying new things, and bouncing ideas off of each other. In my humble opinion, it is evident that this is a winning recipe to create a stunning set of final images.
I hope Bella is as proud of herself as I am. For the last seven years, Bella has chased her dreams on the California coast. She has made incredible progress, even in the face of a global pandemic. She has released two singles called LiveWire and Mad (music video coming soon! Eek!). Both singles are available on Spotify and Apple Music. Please go give them a listen. You will not be disappointed, I promise.
Keep scrolling to see how far we’ve come! If you are ready to book a shoot, please contact me here.
Throwback Time
The images below are from our first shoot together. I had recently moved to San Diego and wanted to start focusing on building my photography portfolio. Bella came down to my neck of the woods for a visit and we spent a day cruising around Balboa Park taking pictures. I remember being so proud of these images and honestly didn’t know how I could get any better. Here we are, almost two years later, and the progress is off the charts. I didn’t quite understand light yet and posing was a challenge. I had just upgraded my camera, but it didn’t take long for me to outgrow it and finally purchase a full-frame camera. I started investing in myself, networking within the photo community, practicing constantly, and believing that I could go far in this industry. I am so proud of how far Bella and I have come. We have evolved as people and gotten so much closer to achieving our dreams.
