The 10 Best Editorial Photographers in San Diego

From portraiture to documentation, the art of storytelling with an image is what makes editorial photography so interesting! It is also a very diverse genre, as you’ll come to see. Plus, the work of these top San Diego editorial photographers will take you on a deep dive into compelling stories of brands, people, places, and more. Be awed by how these professionals showcase the beauty of the moment while remaining true to their subjects!

1. Frank Rogo

On-location portraits that use the setting to tell editorial stories is what Frank Rogo does best! Industrial companies, biotech, artists, nonprofits, and other organizations are some of his past partners.

Frank’s images are minimalist and modern in style, offering just enough of the background to give context while keeping the focus on his subjects. In this way, he humanizes the services and people behind his brand partners.

2. Jessika Christine

Editorial photography goes beyond images in publications to also include stories about lives and events. As a wedding photographer with an editorial bent, Jessika Christine’s artistry combines timing, setting, and intimate knowledge of her couples together into heirloom portrait images. Photos that will warm hearts and reignite memories for decades to come.

We especially love how her wedding, family, and couples photography is mostly unposed, featuring authentic, candid moments of engagement. In this way, Jessika showcases how people naturally interact with each other and their environments.

3. Jenny Siegwart

Jenny Siegwart’s love for photography goes all the way back to the first grade when she received a camera as a gift from her parents. That introduction has led her to become a top San Diego editorial photographer, decades later.

She went so far as to study at Brooks Institute of Photography, graduating with a degree in commercial photography. Jenny now travels California and the wider world, telling the stories of people, spaces, and services through a commercial and editorial lens. Check out more of her work on her Instagram!

4. Ava Cantrell

Editorial children’s photography is a genre we rarely see, so we are excited to share the world of Ava Cantrell! Her images convey fashion and lifestyle narratives as well, making them ideally suited for media publications, social media usage, websites, catalogs, and more.

Ava’s approach is one that brings the energetic liveliness of children to the forefront. She also has a preference for vibrant color and contrast, as well as lighting situations that are often dynamic in character. Her portfolio features other types of editorial photography, too, as seen with the above image!

5. Dina Diaz

Wedding photography need not be solely about classic poses in stuffy churches, as Dina Diaz demonstrates! Instead, this San Diego editorial photographer brings her couples out into the endlessly diverse outdoor scenes of California. Here, mountains, the desert, beaches, and other elements add adventurous elements to each collaboration.

Dina’s couples seek a unique way of capturing their love over cookie-cutter photographs. And as a result, we see not only more authentic expressions but also a distinctly playful character in how her subjects relate to the camera and each other.

6. Chrissy Walther

Chrissy Walther uses photography to tell stories about motherhood, family connections, intimacy, childhood, and other nostalgic themes of life. What’s more, her choices in setting also play to these themes. Family outings at the beach, forest walks, or even home sessions with Chrissy are perfect for editorial and lifestyle heirloom photography.

We also love how she mixes in both candid captures with gently guided poses. Chrissy offers her clients the chance to choose from both approaches. Poses that convey classic themes but also those in-between moments of fine art that naturally appear to the eye of this attentive photographer.

7. Shannon Christy

Documentary family photography is a favorite of ours because it is a striking departure from what we traditionally considered to be family portraiture. Shannon Christy is here to help redefine the genre, showing the innate beauty of your loved ones in the messy-haired dinner table moments.

It takes a rare photographer to be able to work within the home of her subjects and leave them at ease enough to remain spontaneous. Yet Shannon does so masterfully, which is a testament to both her skill and personality! It’s no wonder she’s considered among the most noteworthy San Diego editorial photographers.

8. Coco Jeannine

Few San Diego editorial photographers tell visual stories as effectively as Coco Jeannine does! We especially love her outdoor editorial portraits, where stories about picnics in a warm meadow or romantic getaways into the mountains are effortlessly conveyed in a single frame. Coco favors an interesting color style as well, with warm tones and deep shadow, two styles that rarely come together. It gives her work a distinctive signature all her own!

9. Erica Joan

Just because editorial images have a story does not mean it has to be a mundane one. We love the work of Erica Joan because she is unafraid to explore more conceptual and provocative themes in her work. Erica’s photography is of such high caliber that she has been published in media outlets like the Los Angeles Times, Nakid, and SD Voyager.

She explores not only storytelling but also form, especially the female form, sexuality, and how it is expressed in both the individual and greater cultural sphere. Erica’s vision is one that is always pushing the boundaries of what interests her, exploring new themes and approaches to visual storytelling.

10. Natalie Joy Mitchell

Born and raised in Idaho, Natalie Mitchell is now a San Diego editorial photographer who weaves visual narratives for branding, portrait, and couples session. She draws inspiration from the great early photographers of the 20th century, many of whom she studied formally during her college years in Santa Cruz.

Natalie’s style often evokes film influences despite the digital medium, where gentle highlights and subdued colors create that nostalgic air we’ve come to love. What’s more, she masterfully balances her personal fine-art vision with the needs of each collaboration—documenting, storytelling, and portraying subjects without forgoing artistry and beauty in the process.

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