Gloria Zavaleta Photography

07/31/2024

✨Fannie Mae is the founder of , the official DJ for and is a resident DJ for Everyday People✨

Artist:
Photographer 📸: .c.zavaleta
Location: .studios

07/27/2024

I had the incredible opportunity to document a Racial Equity in Journalism Conference: Kaleidoscope 2024 put on by
chaos brought journalists, liberators and disruptors together from all over the country to resource grassroots movements towards transformative change.

The opening reception was held at the where I capture over 💫200💫 portraits of attendees. One of my FAVORITE portraits is this image of 🔥✨

Candice Fortman is the Executive Director of in Detroit.

From Outlier:
“Her work is centered on ensuring that the organization makes consistent and timely progress in achieving its mission while building a sustainable newsroom that challenges traditional models both on the editorial and business end. Before joining Outlier, Candice was the marketing and engagement manager at WDET 101.9, Detroit’s NPR station. She is a 2021 alumna of the John S. Knight (JSK) fellowship at Stanford, where she studied how the business model of journalism impacts low-wealth communities.“

07/22/2024

Hey friends! I want to invite you to our Artist Panel Discussion for our Liminal Divine Exhibition! Here are the details:

Spring 2024 McColl Center Exhibition Fellowship Artists, moderated by WBTV’s , happening Wednesday, July 24
from 6-8pm. We will share our experiences and collaboration behind our exhibition, Liminal Divine.
Admission is free.

The artists are:
Elizabeth Palmisano -
Krystle Baller -
Marcelle Vielot -
Gloria Zavaleta - .c.zavaleta
Alicia Bell - .chaos
Amtah Naazim -
day hixson -

WBTV’s Jorge Andres is an award-winning anchor, analyst, and reporter with experience serving local, national, and international audiences. Valuing representation, he connects with the Hispanic community in the Carolinas. An avid sports fan and foodie, he explores Charlotte with his family. Catch him weekdays at 3 p.m. on QC at 3.

05/02/2024

During my 2024 Fellowship at the McColl Center we will be exploring Community and What We Hold Sacred.

Interview Sign Up Sheet:
https://signup.com/go/tJCAhrc

I invite you to share my studio where we will film a 2-5 minute Interview Postcard discussing what you cherish and hold close & conduct a Portrait Session.

This body of work will go beyond the visual story, bridging our physical differences to show our collective humanity.

Your Video Postcards and Portraits will be showcased at our gallery opening on Thursday, June 20th, 2024 from 6-9pm at the McColl Center!

Thank you for being apart of this community engaged, collective body of storytelling!

12/21/2023

CORE is the first feature length film that I had the opportunity to be an Assistant Director on. It’s a pretty surreal and cool feeling to be listed on IMDb for this project as well! On this set, I more so acted as Production Assistant, lending a hand anywhere that needed me. My camera is Always in my hand, so I after my first day on set without it I knew I had to bring it going forward to capture BTS Photography. I was so use to carrying out every aspect of a project alone, that it was Amazing getting to watch each person on set carry out their own unique roles: Directing, Cinematography, Audio, Hair & Makeup, Wardrobe, Lighting and even pulling focus!

We filmed CORE two and a half years ago. Renny Omole and Hannah Morrow wrote CORE initially as a series. After all of the footage was in, it was decided it would be strongest as a 90 minute feature film. Once everything was wrapped Renny emailed Bridge Stone Media Group and they picked up CORE for a Five Year distribution deal!!

It was an incredible experience to have been a very, very, small part of this project and opened my passion for filmmaking.

If you’re looking for a Cinematographer, Director of Photography, or BTS Photography & Videography in 2024 I would love to help bring your vision to life!

12/20/2023

💫Hey, Hi, Hello!💫

I haven’t shared a photo of myself since 2021, and I look a little different so I thought it was time lol

My name is Gloria Zavaleta, Im a Visual Storyteller through Photography and Cinematography based in Charlotte, North Carolina. I recently had the honor of being awarded Reader’s Pick Best Photographer for Best in the Nest (still mind blown!!). I have been documenting the Arts, Music and Social Justice for nearly a decade now in and around the city of Charlotte.

Two years ago, I stepped away from sharing my work here to focus 100% on my new role as Director of Marketing for Heist Brewery. In this role I carried out: Web Development, Design & Maintenance; Photographer; Videographer; Sound; Lighting, Stage Design; Company Newsletter, Copy; Social Media Management and Graphic Design. This role really taught me the diligence of designing, producing, and distributing high quality content on a 1-2 day turn around - every single day. This has been an immeasurable opportunity for me to grow as an artist, honing my technical and visual skill set directly through consistent repetition.

As we close out the year I want to thank every single business, organization, nonprofit, musician and artist who has ever given me the opportunity to document your mission and process.

💫I am diving all in, in my Visual Storytelling and Documentary work in 2024 FULL TIME!!! To reflect on each stepping stone can be really hard when your in the throws of life grinding and creating (especially when you don’t post any of your work like me lol). But man, is life rewarding when you’re able to take it all in!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to anyone who has ever encouraged, believed in and supported me as a creative, but also just as Glo.

If you need a Cinematographer, Director of Photography, Photographer or BTS in 2024 let’s connect!

📸: 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

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12/16/2023

at the in Charlotte, NC.

The is one of my favorite venues in Charlotte to document live performances. The textures & details of the stage wall, the curtain backdrop, and lighting create such dynamic, layered photographs. The stage also has a corridor entrance from the Green Room that you can photograph the performance with a view of the audience and the drummer without being intrusive to the set.
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12/12/2023

Stephanie absolutely crushes it every time she’s in front of the camera!

had me out to document Rock Roulette for a second year in a row at in NoDa. They were able to raise over $7,000 in proceeds that will go toward funding the organization and its teachers!

We wanted to capture individual headshots, as well as band promos prior to everyone hitting the stage between 6:30-9pm. So, I arrived at Free Range by 4pm to set up lighting in front of their Barrel Cellar. We knocked out 21 headshots and 4 band promos in an hour and a half!

Thanks for having me out again this year and thank you for everything you do for me & the community!! 🤘🏽🎸📸
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12/11/2023

I love how this shoot with from their show at turned out!

We got some bangers of them performing, but my favorite portraits from the night were from our Promos Segment. The Milestone is rich in texture, details, & uniqueness - Especially in this corner in the Taproom and it was a great space for Full Band & Individual Portraits.

For these, I brought a large umbrella, my AD200 Flash and attached the receiver to my Nikon D7500. Our umbrella is tilted down at a 45 Degree Angle and is positioned at an angle, off-center on the subjects right hand side. I love high contrast imagery and this pop of light brought everything to life, while achieving the grit & edginess of The Milestone.

As a one woman show this set up is extremely minimal and excellent for everything from portraits to product photography!

12/01/2023

To have won the Readers’ Pick Best Photographer for this year’s 2023 Best in the Nest Awards by is incredibly humbling. The Readers’ Pick is particularly breathtaking, because the Recipients are nominated by the community. I have been documenting artistry in the city of Charlotte for the last 7 years. Many, many of the other recipients of this year’s awards (in varying categories) are artists and organizations that I admire, respect, and look up to; This community, these people have all given me the enriching opportunities to document their journey’s throughout the last decade. I am in a particularly large transition in my life at the moment; My friend recently said to me: “Sometimes we must give up good things, to welcome and make space for the unimaginable”. And WOW. The universe works in wondrous ways. To feel the love and support from our thriving community has filled my soul this week. I am endlessly grateful to be able to grow alongside each of you.

Speaking of community: I am a proud Vapa Artists Resident. is the largest Artist Collective IN THE COUNTRY housing 340 insanely talented artists. This year Vapa Center has won the Critics’ 2023 Pick for Best New Artist Space!!! Cheers to community, cheers to Art Everyday, cheers to US!!!

10/11/2022

I always love shooting at Visulite Theatre. They have one of the best backdrops and lighting for any band to look absolutely stellar.

Huge thanks to gogoPilot, The Menders, and The Penitentials for having me out a few weeks ago to document their evening. Be sure to give these guys a follow and check them out at their next gigs!

Photo collection by Gloria Zavaleta