An introduction to how "Zee Gunchev Family Photography" came into existence, Part I

Hi, I'm Zee (short for Zornitsa - I adore my full name which translates to Dawning Star, but I go by its shorter version Zee). In the next few weeks, I will be sharing with you the story of how "Zee Gunchev Family Photographer" came to be.

Part I

Those of you that have known me for a long time, know that photography has always been my passion. I started shooting images of my friends when I was only 14 back in my hometown located on the beautiful seacoast of Bulgaria. My first camera was gifted to me by my parents as a present for successfully finishing my school year at the top of my class.

For years photography took all of my spare time and headspace and I loved it. I lived and breathed photography. I would always take my camera with me wherever I went, I was constantly looking for new creative ideas or scouting locations for my next session. Soon my first clients came - family friends with little children wishing to capture the life stage their families are at, friends who hired me to shoot their graduation ceremonies, small local businesses needing advertising images and many others.

When I graduated high school, I went on to study Photography in university to further develop my skills. Back then I had the opportunity to explore different photography genres, to witness some of the top photographers doing their jobs, to learn more about art in general and to dig deep into what photography meant for me.

I had my training as a photo assistant to leading photographers in London and Sofia, after which I led my own photoshoots in both Fashion and Advertising Photography. After being part of the fast paced world of commercial photography, I discovered that my true passion lies in capturing those special family moments. Going back to my creative roots and focusing on Family and Children Photography is something I had planned for a long time.

...Stay tuned for Part II