Lockdown reflections. Ver. 1 - Limited Edition of 10 Photograph

Gala Semenova is a self-taught Fine Art Portrait Photographer who lives and works in San Diego, California. I was born in Tula, Russia in 1981 and relocated to the States in 2009. My journey to discovering my own femininity revealed a deep connection to women as the subject of my artistic expression. Every expression of femininity—a woman’s personal story, her cultural context, every defeat and victory—sheds light on the complexities of my own womanhood. My work is a response to the pressure-filled, patriarchal culture i left behind in Russia and the youth/beauty, power-obsessed culture i now experience in America. I strive to capture the true spirit of women, amplifying and revealing something absolutely personal that oftentimes is shared by many yet hasn’t been acknowledged or exposed. With each portrait, i aim to reveal the vulnerable woman inside to allow space for recognition, healing, and empowerment. My photography presents women and their stories, documents their lives in such a way that is feminine, powerful, and touching. Each photograph i take reflects a part of me, of who i am.