Meet the Graduate
Meet Cindy, a Sociology major, graduating from UC Berkeley, class of 2022! Cindy is originally from Los Angeles, CA. When asked why she decided to attend UC Berkeley, Cindy replied “Out of all the universities I was accepted into, I chose UC Berkeley because it is one of the best universities in the country. It is the number 1 public university in the world and I wanted to be part of the 16.4% latinx student population on that campus. It meant so much to me to be able to transfer to a school like Berkeley as a first generation, latina college student with immigrant parents.
Cindy’s favorite moment throughout her college experience was being able to connect to other latinx students in the institution. “It was inspiring and uplifting to see other students of color successfully navigate a predominately white institution.” Cindy was part of MALCS (Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social).
Q&A Time
What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?
“I love hitting the beach. Soaking up the sun, listening to music and eating good food by the ocean.”
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
“If I had to describe myself in three words it would be Ambitious, Adventurous, and Charismatic.”
Why did you decide to take graduation photos?
“My grad photos are so important to me because they represent all the hard work and dedication I put in for years to be able to graduate. They represent my determination and overall perseverance.”
What is one goal you’d like to accomplish during your life?
“I’d love to start my own business. I’ve always dreamt of being my own boss and i know that it will happen soon.”
What’s something my readers would be surprised to learn about you?
“I absolutely love fitness and staying active. I love weightlifting and playing sports for fun.”
What’s your favorite quote or saying?
“Just Do It”- sometimes you just have to do whats good for you even when you don’t want to.
The Shoot
This grad season was by far our busiest season of all time. With over 150 bookings in 3 months, most of our shoots were centered around SJSU, Sac State and Chico St. When Cindy reached out to book a grad session at UC Berkeley, we didn’t have any availability left. But Cindy was willing to take her photos post graduation, and we were able to work out a date that worked out for both of us.
UC Berkeley has a gorgeous campus. I had been to CAL a couple of times to photograph sporting events, but never to photograph a grad. Cindy provided me with a few population locations and I did some scouting of my own.
We started our session at one of the many libraries at CAL. This part of our session was unique, because the library was completely quiet, so Cindy and I tried our best to communicate silently with our hands and expressions. Luckily for me, Cindy was great and adapted quickly to working in silent mode.
The lighting was great, and we couldn’t have gotten better weather to work in. Next, we proceeded to taking some photos outside of Morrison Library. CAL has some awesome big green doors that look great in photos. In addition, we also shot a set with Morrison Library in the background.
For our next location, we headed over to the popular Campanile. These shots are a must for every CAL grad student. We did a quick set here before Cindy changed into a more casual collegiate outfit. I love it when grads opt for a second outfit, since these are a bit more casual and add a nice variety to your grad set.
Below are some of our favorite UC Berkeley grad photos with Cindy. Enjoy!
Sergio is such a great photographer! He was so professional and brought all the necessary equipment to make sure all my shots came out great. He’s so knowledgeable and talented. He made me feel so comfortable during our shoot and even guided me with poses, which was extremely helpful. His energy throughout the shoot was amazing and I’m so glad I chose him to do my grad pics :). I absolutely love how they came out! 10/10
– Cindy
Estrada Photos is wedding and portrait photography company based out of Sacramento California, with coverage expanding throughout greater parts of the Bay Area. We specialize in weddings, family portraits, senior portraits, and engagement sessions. In addition, we take pride in capturing each of our clients personality, and creating beautiful imagery that will last a lifetime. For more information about our services, click here.
