LET'S BEGIN WITH A LITTLE SECRET ...

My name isn’t actually Drealina. It’s a name I created in middle school by combining my first and middle names. It felt magical then, and somehow, it still does. My real name is Andrea, but if you call me Drealina, I’ll answer either way.

Photography entered my life in high school, though the story really began much earlier. I grew up on five quiet acres with no Wi-Fi, limited television, and endless space to wander. Most evenings, you could find me outside barefoot with a camera in hand, completely mesmerized by the hour before sunset. The changing light felt like a new painting every evening, and without realizing it, I was already falling in love with documenting beauty, movement, and feeling.

Soon, I began photographing friends, and slowly, that small creative spark turned into something much bigger. People connected with my work in ways I never expected. What once felt like an impossible dream gradually became a life.

Starting a photography business over fourteen years ago felt uncertain and, at times, incredibly lonely. I was often told it wasn’t practical or sustainable. But the bookings kept coming, and deep down, I felt a quiet certainty that this was the path I was meant to follow.

Sarasota has been home since I was seven years old. Although I’ve traveled across much of the world, I always find myself drawn back to the ocean air, the palms swaying in the wind, and the golden coastal light that first inspired me as a young girl.

I also grew up in a traveling circus family surrounded by people from all different cultures, languages, and walks of life. Photography became a way to preserve connection beyond words, proof that emotion, love, and storytelling are universal.

Fourteen years later, I still think about that barefoot girl chasing sunsets with no real understanding of business or where life would take her. She simply wanted to preserve beauty for the people she loved. And somehow, that’s still exactly what I get to do today.

Outside of being a Sarasota-based photographer, I’m usually baking sourdough just for the joy of it, attempting to keep plants alive,  spending time with my husband, or chasing around our two doodles, Choccy and Milky, who bring equal parts chaos and happiness into our home.

I’m so grateful you’re here, and I truly hope we have the chance to create something meaningful together.