Grace is our Digital Artist as well as one of our Photographers. She was born and raised in Tulare, California and graduated as a Valedictorian from Tulare Union High School in 2002. After high school she went directly to UC Davis, where she majored in United States History. Grace worked in photography studios throughout her college career, and had the opportunity to work for Photoshop Guru, Suzette Allen, who helped her to develop her retouching and digital art skills. She also worked with photographers who specialized in high school senior portraiture, and gathered a vast knowledge of what today’s seniors and their families want and need. After graduation from college, Grace joined the Essence Photography team. She is married and has daughter who is her favorite subject to photography.

    Tina Smith is the owner and lead photographer at Essence. Tina was born and raised in Visalia,. She has served as President and Vice President of the Central Valley Professional Association. Tina has studied under and assisted a large variety of the most renowned Master Photographers in the nation. She holds merits in service, education, and photographic art for professional photography.

Her studies have included Business Arts, Marketing, Commercial Photography, Fine Art, Senior Photography, Wedding Photography, Fine Portraiture, Master Black and White Photography, and numerous other aspects of the industry. She is proud to have completed the studies and exams required to earn the status of Certified Professional Photographer, and is one of only approximately 1200 Certified Professional Photographers in the United States. Tina is currently looking forward to achieving her Master of Photography degree. She has been recognized with numerous awards both in local competition and, even more importantly, in review by her peers in photography at a national level. Tina has been married for over 25 years, and is the proud parent of a son and daughter, as well as the grandmother of “the cutest baby girl ever”.