Hi, i'm Heather!
I'm a wife to my college sweetheart (Fight On Trojans!) and a mama to two young children. I love to travel, cook and explore. I grew up in Oxnard and have lived in Ventura for the last 15+ years.
I have been obsessed with documenting life through photos since elementary school. I started with polaroid and disposable cameras and moved through digital cameras as technology progressed.
For our first Christmas as a married couple (in 2009) my husband bought me a Nikon camera that we affectionately called my "big camera". This is no longer the camera I shoot on, but I definitely learned manual photography on it. She is still tucked away in a closet for nostalgia. He somehow knew this would be a path I would take and has always been a great encourager of my passion for documenting life's precious moments through photos. Even when he gets annoyed that I over document pretty much everything in our life!
My first "big camera" sat mostly unused for close to a decade. When the Pandemic hit I finally had the time and was home for long enough stretches to learn how to use it. I took classes online, scoured the internet for information and hit up some friends that are photography lovers to help me along. I harassed ALL of my loved ones to let me practice on them. I did socially distanced porch pics during the first shut down and have pretty much been doing sessions ever since.
In the midst of these early practice sessions it was pretty clear this was something I loved and needed to be doing. It is an added bonus that photography is something I can do around my kids' schedule while being a stay at home mom.
So in 2020, I purchased a domain name, slowly and painfully created this website myself, made a photography instagram account and got a business license. And that is how Heather Alexis Photography was born. My first paid session was in December of 2020 and I celebrate my business anniversary on 12/19 of every year.
Thanks for taking the time to read about me and my life. If you think I am a good fit for you, I am so excited (insert happy dance here). I can't wait to capture sweet memories for you and your loved ones sometime soon!
Photo by the ever so talented Marta Buso Photography
Testimonials
“Heather was such a delight to work with right away! From the minute we started she was fun and so sweet. All of my family felt very comfortable. She made the kids laugh and engaged with them so well. Our hour long session went by really quickly, and it was very fun. The pictures were done in a few days, and we were able to access them right away. Our pictures were breathtaking! She was overall wonderful and did absolutely beautiful work! We can’t wait to work with her again!”
—Amanda H.
“Some friends of ours recommended Heather and I started following her on Instagram with the hopes of one day taking some updated family photos. Well, we finally got the time and it was honestly a great experience! With three children ranging from 2 to 15 years old, we had our hands full. Heather was great with each of our kids and made us all feel comfortable throughout the process. The turn around time was quick and we just love the photos!”
—Amber S.
“I feel so happy and lucky to have worked with Heather for our family photos. As a fellow Mom she was great with our kiddos and put us at ease. The entire experience, from booking to receiving our photos was such a delight and we are already looking forward to her capturing our family next year!”
—Nikole G.
“I highly recommend having your family photos taken by Heather. She was a joy to work with from the get-go. When I initially reached out to her she was quick to respond and generous with her time as she messaged me about several different location options and outfit ideas. The photo session was easy and fun. Heather made everyone feel comfortable and had the kids laughing within minutes. It was by far the most natural feeling family photo session we've ever done.”
—Andi M.
“I am not always comfortable in front of the camera and she brought out the fun side in me, so that people could see my true personality. I haven't worked with any other photographer who has been able to make me feel that comfortable. She taught me that it's important for people to see who you are through your branding and not to be afraid to be yourself. In addition to all this, I have gotten SO many compliments on my photos! I'm so happy with them all and I can't wait to work with her again!”
—Angelica M.
“Finding a photographer who can capture a special moment somehow is tough to find. We are so grateful that we found Heather randomly on the Nextdoor app. She is professional and delivers fast and beautiful work. I will definitely contact her again for my next family pictorial.”
—Roxanne S.
“Heather is an amazing photographer, she truly has a gift! My sister and I gifted my mom a photoshoot with her for her Christmas gift. We did the photoshoot at Harmon Canyon in Ventura. It was so much fun, she made us feel very comfortable and it was a delight working with her. She even rented us an awesome chair to take pics with! The pictures came out amazing, can't wait to print them and share them friends and family! I look forward to our next photoshoot!”
—Nicole B.
“Heather’s ability to capture the true personalities in our family in gorgeous portraits seemed effortless. She was patient and friendly getting our boys comfortable in front of the camera to ensure real, candid, emotions and not forced smiles and poses. I was in love with all of our gallery and had a hard time narrowing down my favorites with so many great shots. I could not have been happier with her pictures and cannot wait to use her for our next family session.”
—Christie E.
“Heather is a dream to work with. Despite our little guy not cooperating at all, Heather was able to capture the most precious pictures. She is patient, understanding and doesn’t rush the session even though you know your time has run out. Thank you for making our family feel comfortable in front of the camera and delivering a beautiful final product!”
—Stephanie G.
“Heather Ganser is a very talented photographer. She has an eye for detail and we were beyond pleased with her work for our wedding, her ability to make everyone feel comfortable, happy and she is super helpful. Weddings have so much details and Heather was always a step ahead. We are thrilled with the results of her work. We will cherish all these amazing photos that she captured. Without a doubt we would use her again for any photography service. Thank you for such a wonderful experience!”
—Cassandra D.
“Don't think twice about booking Heather for your next photo session. She is a natural talent with photography and I absolutely love our photos from our family session. Anyone with kids can tell you taking their photos is not easy, but Heather is so great with little ones, and was amazing with my two rambunctious young boys! She is calm, confident, puts her heart into her work, and will make your session fun and stress free. Heather is fun and easy to work with, and takes gorgeous portraits!”
—Kristina C.
“Heather took the most beautiful maternity photos of my husband and myself. I can’t say enough good things about the entire experience. She was readily available by text, phone, ig to answer all of my questions. She scouted new spots that were closer to where I lived so I wouldn’t have to travel far. I had to reschedule last minute and she generously fit us into her busy schedule. Heather has a natural talent for capturing and framing an image and she brings an energy to the shoot that makes you excited!”
—Becky S.
“Heather not only captured perfect photos of my four girls (which is no small feat!), she did so in the rain! We tried to hold out for clear skies, but when it was apparent that we were out of luck, she didn't even hesitate. Not only did she sacrifice her warm, dry, clothes, she got more Christmas card worthy shots than I could have ever imagined. Rain or shine, Heather is your girl!”
—Lauren M.
“You were an absolute joy to be around the entire length of our reception. You arrived early and offered to stay as late as we needed- we so appreciated that. You were so ready and willing to take any picture at any time we asked. Everyone enjoyed your friendliness and humor- (I heard that non stop from our guests!) Thank you for capturing this extremely important day for us. We will treasure the beautiful photos you took forever.”
—Vickie + Luis M.
“Heather is amazing to work with. She is very knowledgeable and she makes you feel very comfortable. The pictures turned out great. I’m very pleased with her work.”
—Miguelina D.
“Heather was a pleasure to work with! I was beyond pleased with how she interacted with my son, her professionalism, and how she fit in seamlessly. When it came time to receiving the pictures, they arrived within days and were beyond amazing! She truly captured the day in a beautiful, authentic way. It’s hard to even choose favorites. The brightness and style of her photos were exactly what we were looking for. I highly recommend Heather and look forward to working with her for future events!”
—Emily L.
“I am so happy to have had the opportunity to work with Heather Alexis Photography. Heather is extremely talented and professional and the quality of her work was apparent from the moment our session started. I am so pleased with the final photographs and the mix of posed and candid shots. I can’t wait to work with Heather Alexis Photography in the future.”
—Laura G.
“Heather did an amazing job shooting our family photos! She chose a beautiful location and made it easy to schedule a date and time that worked for our group. Her down to earth personality made us all feel at ease in front of the camera and you can see that in the photos. She even suggested recreating old family photos and spent the time to make sure they looked as identical to the originals as possible. We are so happy to have had Heather capture this family memory and will cherish these photos forever.”
—Sophia S.
“When I met Heather, I knew immediately she was going to be a blast to work with. We are not exactly 'photo people' but Heather took the pressure off and made us feel comfortable to be ourselves. Bonus points for her amazing patience and ability to sneak treats to our dog to make him look like an angel! Thank you, Heather! We can't wait for our next session.”
—Sharyn M.
“Heather Alexis Photography is simply the best! Her attention to detail is incredible. My family had such an amazing experience with Heather. She was very professional and made our children feel so comfortable the entire time. Her way with children is truly wonderful. I was also very impressed with her communication skills. Heather was quick to respond to my questions and I am so glad to have found her! I will 100% be sure to use her services again in the near future.”
—Krysol K.
“The photos of my brother's family are beyond my expectations. Thank you so much for making it happen. I will definitely be re-booking you for another session once my newest nephew is born. Thank you so much and I will be recommending you to all my friends!”
—Kristin G.
“Heather Alexis Photography did such a wonderful job capturing our family's three generations. Her ability to get our toddler to smile, laugh and participate while also making everyone feel relaxed made for a great low stress shoot. We look forward to capturing family milestones and moments in the future with Heather!”
—Beth I.
“I couldn't recommend Heather more highly. We are delighted with the photographs. heather is amazing with children and has managed to capture all three of our children perfectly. There are so many we love it is going to be hard to divide which ones will make the perfect Christmas presents for Grandparents! We will cherish these pictures forever.”
—Jessica N.
“Heather is the absolute best! From start to finish the experience was nothing short of excellence. As a family of four with two children under five it’s not always easy to get a frame worthy photo where everybody is looking at the camera with a genuine smile on their face. Heather was able to keep the session lighthearted and fun while capturing priceless moments. She knew when we needed to switch things up to keep it fresh for the kids and even had the foresight to get photos with our dogs in them.”
—Jenna P.
“Look no further for a family photographer! Heather's laid back and friendly demeanor puts even the most shy person at ease in front of her camera! Her response time is great and her passion for photography shines through in the pictures she takes!”
—Megan M.
“Heather has a passion for photography and an excellent natural skill set. With a keen eye for detail she brings together everything you hope in your family photos. Her patience and flexibility allow an easy flow, as things don’t always go according to plan with kids. With her candid style, she makes everyone feel at ease and not over-posed creating a relaxed environment with cooperation by all. Her final product is not over edited and her keen eye flows through to a beautiful finished product.”
—Autumn B.