Lucia Kiel Portraits

Lucia Kiel Portraits Contemporary women's portraiture. Empowering women by showing them their beauty in portraits. Fine art women's portrait photography.

Empowering women by showing them their true beauty in fashion inspired portraits. Creating luminous and authentic images in the beautiful natural light of Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez and San Louis Obispo.

06/05/2026

One of the most common questions I get is:

"What actually happens during a photoshoot?"

So I thought I'd share a little behind-the-scenes look at a day in the studio.

Every portrait experience includes:

✨ A planning and styling consultation

✨ Professional hair and makeup

✨ Access to our size-inclusive studio wardrobe

✨ Multiple outfit changes

✨ Fully guided posing

✨ A personalized photoshoot experience

✨ A portrait reveal where you'll see your images for the first time

My goal is to make the process feel effortless from start to finish so you can focus on enjoying the experience rather than worrying about the details.

If you've ever been curious about booking a session or simply have questions about how it all works, I'd love to chat.

Book or learn more:

https://www.luciakielportraits.com/book-now

There’s a myth that women become less visible as they age.That after 40, they’re supposed to soften themselves, step bac...
06/03/2026

There’s a myth that women become less visible as they age.

That after 40, they’re supposed to soften themselves, step back, or quietly disappear into the background.

The women who participate in the 40 Over 40 project are doing the opposite.

They are choosing to be photographed exactly as they are in this chapter of life — strong, expressive, resilient, elegant, fully themselves.

Not younger. Not smaller. Not “before.”

Now.

And that matters.

Because these portraits eventually become more than photographs. They become part of your story. A reminder that you existed fully in this season of your life and allowed yourself to be seen.

2026 applications are now open:
https://www.luciakielportraits.com/book-now

I think one of the most powerful things a woman can do is stop treating herself like something that constantly needs cor...
06/01/2026

I think one of the most powerful things a woman can do is stop treating herself like something that constantly needs correcting.

To stop hiding the softness, the story, the scars, and the evidence that she has fully lived.

Because those things do not make a woman less beautiful.

If anything, they make her more fully herself.

That’s what these portrait experiences are truly about for me.

Not perfection. Not performance. But creating space for women to see themselves with honesty, artistry, compassion, and presence.

Some women are drawn to the raw simplicity of As I Am sessions. Others want to celebrate this season of life through 40 Over 40. Some are craving the symbolism and transformation of The Becoming Experience, while others reconnect with softness and confidence through Return To You.

And sometimes the most meaningful sessions exist somewhere in between.

Because no two women are the same, and no portrait experience should feel one-size-fits-all.

The heart of this work has always been creating something that feels deeply personal and aligned with who you are in this moment of your life.

https://www.luciakielportraits.com/book-now

The Becoming Experience was created for stories that feel too expansive for ordinary portraits.These sessions are fully ...
05/28/2026

The Becoming Experience was created for stories that feel too expansive for ordinary portraits.

These sessions are fully conceptual and intentionally designed around emotion, symbolism, transformation, and visual storytelling — creating artwork that feels cinematic, immersive, and deeply personal.

Every experience begins with a conversation. A feeling. A season of life. An idea that deserves a visual language of its own.

From styling and atmosphere to movement, emotion, and final composition, every detail is created collaboratively and with intention.

The final image becomes more than a portrait.

It becomes a reflection of transformation captured through art.

Explore The Becoming Experience:
https://www.luciakielportraits.com/becoming

Some portraits feel less like photographs and more like paintings.The color, the texture of the gown, the softness of th...
05/25/2026

Some portraits feel less like photographs and more like paintings.

The color, the texture of the gown, the softness of the light — everything about this image felt cinematic from the moment we created it.

This is one of my favorite things about portraiture: creating images that feel timeless long after the session itself is over.

https://www.luciakielportraits.com/book-now

05/22/2026

I love when clients fully lean into the creative process and let themselves play.

The styling. The makeup. The energy. The final image — all of it came together in the best way for this shoot.

Portraits don’t have to fit inside a box.

Sometimes they’re bold. Sometimes dramatic. Sometimes fashion-forward and unapologetically expressive.

And honestly? That’s where some of the magic lives.




creative portrait photography, fashion inspired photoshoot, editorial portraits, glam photoshoot, Santa Barbara portrait photographer




AS I AM was created for the version of you that is tired of feeling like you need to become someone else before you dese...
05/20/2026

AS I AM was created for the version of you that is tired of feeling like you need to become someone else before you deserve to be seen.

This experience is intentionally stripped back — no professional hair and makeup, no heavy retouching, no pressure to perform or “look perfect.”

Just you, exactly as you are.

Because this work isn’t about fixing women. It’s about creating enough safety and presence for them to stop fighting themselves long enough to actually be seen.

And that can feel incredibly emotional.

The women who do these sessions often leave softer, freer, and more connected to themselves than when they arrived.

Maybe nothing changes externally.
Maybe you leave looking exactly the same.

But sometimes something inside softens.
Sometimes you realize you were never the problem to begin with.

And if you’re not ready for that yet… that’s okay too.
I’ll be here when you are.

Learn more here: https://www.luciakielportraits.com/as-i-am-raw-portraits

Some emotions feel impossible to explain with words alone.This series felt like grief, anxiety, rage, survival, and fina...
05/18/2026

Some emotions feel impossible to explain with words alone.

This series felt like grief, anxiety, rage, survival, and finally… release.

Like the feeling of fighting your way back toward air after spending too long underwater.

That’s one of the reasons creative portraiture means so much to me. Sometimes a photoshoot becomes more than photographs. Sometimes it becomes a way to process emotion, express vulnerability, or tell a story that’s been sitting quietly beneath the surface.

Experiences like As I Am and my creative portrait sessions are designed to create space for that — not just beautiful images, but honest ones.

A place where people can show up fully as themselves.

https://www.luciakielportraits.com/book-now

05/15/2026

Susan brought so much joy, confidence, and personality into the studio.

Watching someone settle into themselves throughout a session is always one of my favorite things — and by the end of this shoot, she was absolutely glowing.

We explored multiple looks, different styling directions, and so many sides of who she is. That’s one of the things I love most about the 40 Over 40 project — it’s never about fitting women into one version of beauty.

It’s about honoring who they are now.

Strong. Expressive. Playful. Elegant. Fully themselves.

Thank you, Susan, for trusting me with this chapter of your story 🤍

2026 applications for 40 Over 40 are now open.




40 over 40 project, women over 40 photography, Santa Barbara portrait photographer, empowerment portraits, luxury photoshoot experience




Address

1234 Mission Canyon Road
Santa Barbara, CA
93105

Telephone

+18054035777

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Lucia Kiel Portraits posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Lucia Kiel Portraits:

Shortcuts

Share

Category