Kendal Riley DeLaura
Kendal Riley DeLaura lives a life that dreams are made of. She was born and raised in Sparks, Nevada - already signifying the magical light and energy that would continue on her path. Growing up she was always artsy, always an adventurer camping and fishing in the local beauty of Lake Tahoe, as well as skiing and snowboarding in the winter.
She moved to California to attend Point Loma Nazarene University with it’s grand visits, tall palm trees and sweeping view where she majored in graphic design. During a study abroad program in Florence, she took her painting, drawing, watercolor, Italian, and most importantly her first official photography class. Loving landscapes thanks to the natural beauty she grew up around, she was drawn to landscape photography. It was her teacher that pointed out her ability to capture people in a way that was beautiful, authentic and with lots of story. He pointed out her gift that she was a natural portrait photographer.
Upon completed college, she moved to Laguna Beach, the artist colony of Orange County, and quickly landed a job at Billabong doing all the graphic designs for women and kids. She loved it. The people, the culture, the projects. Then she moved onto working at O’Neill doing similar work. Still she quickly realized that being a graphic designer wasn’t her calling and she enrolled in photography classes at the local community college. As soon as she enrolled, she made a plan. Six years of working full time, going to school for photography, working photography jobs on the weekends. Then she was going to make the leap into being a full time photographer. She was a woman with a clear mission to get on her intended path.
During this time while snowboarding with friends, she met her husband, Anthony and their story together is woven with romance. Their first date coincided with a meteor shower. Their second date a long weekend at a Laguna Beach wine festival. As a couple they’re equally opposite and compatible. They respect each other and love each other and keep bringing each other back to their ideal state of enjoying all the beauty of life.
Kendal began booking commercial photoshoots, then branded fashions shoots, professional headshots and then weddings. Quickly Anthony became support at her photoshoots, and then a second photographer and finally they started their own international wedding photography business, The DeLauras. As a husband and wife team the yin and yang they bring to their own relationship is what they bring out in each wedding and couple they photograph. Anthony climbs the tree to get the epic perspective for the shot while the sun is setting. Kendal adjusts and turns and coaxes the bride and groom out of their shells to reveal their true selves. Together they capture weddings of fairy tales.
Today Kendal, Anthony and their dog Otto live in Big Sur when they’re not traveling the world to photograph a destination wedding or elopement. While at home they get to do yoga on the platform in the front yard overlooking the pacific, enjoy wine while relaxing in the front yard tub at sunset, hike the beautiful Big Sur trails, enjoy the peace and quite of a t.v. free life, and have a haven from which to edit and perfect all of the thousands of photos they’ve taken at the last shoot.
To follow, support, connect, and of course hire Kendal and Anthony, which you need to do, you can:
Listen to her Powerful Ladies Podcast and leave a comment.
Visit Kendal Riley.com to see Kendal’s Commercial and Fashion website
Visit TheDeLauras.com to see their International Destination Wedding website
Follow them on Instagram @thedelauras
Follow her on Instagram @kendalriley_photography
