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Sacramento Lifestyle Portrait and Event Photographer

@staniphotography

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Stanislava is Award winning Artist / Mentor /Photography for emotional growth @stani.andrea and @mamastani

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Grateful to the cameraman Erik for capturing me on camera while I am capturing @punchbowlnews @google editorial event here in Sacramento. News of the Day and digital wellbeing for kids and teenagers in California, online safety standards for children and legislative laws. You can watch the event on YouTube and learn more.

@staniphotography @staniandrea

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A day well spent with my boys over the long weekend—laughing, hiking, exploring, and, of course, a little resistance at the beginning to the idea of spending two hours in the car! ❤️

And as if that weren’t enough, I woke up with a painfully stiff neck, barely able to turn my head to the left. Thankfully, my husband was driving! Not exactly the perfect start to our adventure, but it was absolutely worth it.

I had been feeling this deep need to go to the ocean, to be near the water, at sea level, where the earth ends and the vastness of the Pacific Ocean begins.

To gaze at the horizon, listen to the cold ocean waves crashing against the rocks, and observe the different birds along the shore. To look into the distance with my boys, trying to guess whether what we were seeing was a seal or just another rock.

But mostly, I just wanted to be there. To slow down, observe, breathe, and surrender to the present moment.

That contemplative space where the past no longer matters and the future doesn’t yet exist. There is only the here and now.

I even tried to capture a few snapshots along the way, intentionally recording these little fragments of time—not just what I was seeing, but what I was experiencing.

And, of course, no family adventure is complete without a little unexpected drama! Damian got stung by a wasp, followed by lots of tears and a few stressful moments. Thankfully, everything turned out fine, and we continued enjoying our day.

The whole adventure was made even better by the best clam chowder I’ve ever tasted and some absolutely delicious grilled oysters!

It’s these little things—the laughter, the unexpected moments, the shared meals, and simply being together—that make our family memories so meaningful. ❤️

And a special thank you to my friend Mimi for the beautiful scarf that kept me warm in the chilly winds of the Pacific coast. ❤️

Sometimes, all we need is to step away from our routines, reconnect with nature, and simply be here, right now. 🌊

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Sometimes we think we are photographing another person, but perhaps we are also photographing something within ourselves.

I created this image years ago as part of a series in which another woman became my protagonist. She was not meant to represent me, and yet over time I realized that I was using her presence to explore my own identity, displacement, femininity, longing, and sense of belonging.

Looking at this work today, I understand it differently.

In photography, we choose what we notice. We choose the moment, the gesture, the frame. And often those choices reveal as much about the photographer as they do about the person in front of the camera.

This is something I am becoming increasingly curious about through photography and my work with systemic constellations: the ways we recognize, project, identify, and sometimes meet our shadow through another person.

Perhaps every portrait contains two people — the person being photographed, and the person behind the camera.

Do you know what you are seeing in another person — and what might actually belong to you?

Photographed on 35mm film, New York, 2007

#35mmphotography #conceptualphotography #contemplativephotography #phototherapy #fineartphotography A woman with dark curly hair stands outside a bar or storefront at night, smoking a cigarette. She wears a black dress and looks off to the side with a distant expression. Neon signage and reflections glow behind her, giving the 35mm photograph a cinematic, film-still quality.

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On this day 8 years ago, we made it official at San Francisco City Hall. ❤️

15 years together. Building a life, building a family, growing up together through challenges, laughter, travels, changes, and all the seasons of life.

Looking back, I wouldn’t change a single moment. Every chapter has shaped us, deepened us, and brought us here. And after all these years, what we have feels more real, more grounded, and more meaningful than ever.

Happy anniversary to us. ❤️
Thanks @rikkivw for the beautiful photos and your presence that day that will cherish forever and ever🙏🫶

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Sometimes we create an image before we fully understand why.

After introducing myself here a few days ago, it feels only right that the next thing I share is an image. I wanted to begin with one of my favorites.

I created this photograph in Yellowstone National Park in 2020, drawn to the extraordinary geothermal landscape—the earth, heat, texture, color, and this single dry branch emerging from it all.

At the time, I was responding intuitively to what I saw. I wasn’t thinking about symbolism or trying to make an image about transformation. Something simply made me stop.

Over the years, I kept returning to this image. And slowly, I began to see something in it that I hadn’t consciously recognized when I made it. It became Rising from the Ashes—an image about transformation, resilience, renewal, and what remains after deep change... but also about what begins to emerge again after deep change.

This is one of the ideas at the heart of my Contemplative Visual Experiences: moving from unconscious image-making into conscious seeing. Sometimes we create an image before we fully understand why. When we return to it later—with curiosity and attention—it may reveal what we were experiencing, searching for, or becoming.

This photograph did that for me. And it makes me curious...

What do you see when you look at this?

Rising from the Ashes
Yellowstone National Park, 2020
Limited Edition Archival Pigment Print

staniandrea.com

#RisingFromTheAshes #StaniAndrea #FineArtPhotography #ContemplativePhotography #YellowstoneNationalPark Abstract fine art photograph of a vivid orange and rust-colored geothermal surface in Yellowstone National Park captured at West Thumb Geyser Basin

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Well… I guess it’s official. 😊
A new name. A new website. A new chapter.
And, apparently, a lot of ways to say hello. 🌍

Welcome to Stani Andrea.

After many years away from publicly sharing my fine art practice, I’m opening the door again—with an open heart- and I’m very curious to see where it leads.

My new website is now live at staniandrea.com, where you can explore my latest work and discover another direction I’ve been developing: 1:1 Contemplative Visual Experiences.

I’ll be talking much more about this in the coming weeks, along with sharing my fine art photography, the stories behind the images, and some of the ideas and questions that continue to shape my work.

This is only the beginning.

And since I started this video with greetings from around the world—tell me where you’re watching from. 🌎

Did I say hello in your language? And if I missed it, teach me! 😊

#StaniAndrea #ContemplativePhotography #FineArtPhotography #ReflectivePhotography #BeyondTheImage
Welcome. I’m happy you’re here. 🤍
staniandrea.com

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The best birthday gift I could have received today was finishing The Alchemist yesterday.

It had been on my reading list for years, sitting quietly on my bookshelf for a couple of years. I truly believe some books reveal themselves only when we’re ready to receive them.

As ordinary as Santiago’s story may seem, it became a beautiful reminder and a reflection on the last 45 years of my own life. It reminded me that life unfolds through serendipity, unexpected encounters, and quiet moments whose meaning often becomes clear only in hindsight.

Maybe it’s no coincidence that Mercury is retrograde, adding an extra layer of reflection just before my birthday—or maybe it’s simply the perfect time to pause and look back.

Today, I’m celebrating life and feeling deeply grateful for it. When life is given to us, we owe it our best.

Today I celebrate every wrinkle on my face and every white hair on my head. They remind me that I have lived, learned, loved, grieved, lost, and grown.

I celebrate the beginning of another year of my life—the unknown, the unpredictable, and the unexpected. I celebrate this present moment of simply being here, now.

Thank you to everyone who has already reached out with birthday wishes. Some of your messages surprised me with how deeply you know me. They reminded me, once again, that our lives cross for a reason and that our souls remain connected, even if only for a chapter of our lives.

So today, instead of wishing for anything more, I simply choose gratitude.

What has life been trying to teach you lately?
🤍

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🏡 Buying OR Selling? Here’s the part no one talks about…

It’s not just you and your agent—there’s an entire team working behind every successful transaction.

And if even ONE piece falls apart… so can the deal.

Here’s who’s really involved 👇

✨ Listing Agent (Seller’s Agent)Your strategist, marketer, and negotiator—focused on getting top dollar and protecting your equity.

✨ Buyer’s Agent (Yes, I can be both 😉)Guides the buyer through the process, negotiates on their behalf, and keeps everything moving forward.

✨ The BUYERMaking one of the biggest financial decisions of their life—touring homes, submitting offers, and navigating inspections and loan approval.

✨ The SELLERPrepping the home, reviewing offers, negotiating terms, and making key decisions that impact the final outcome.

✨ Lender (Critical for Buyers 💰)Pre-approves the buyer, structures the loan, and ensures financing is solid all the way to closing.👉 No lender = no deal.

✨ Escrow OfficerThe neutral third party managing all funds, documents, and timelines to make sure everything is legal and secure.

✨ Title CompanyEnsures the property is free of liens or ownership issues and provides title insurance for peace of mind.

✨ Home InspectorFinds what you can’t see—this is often where deals are renegotiated or saved.

✨ AppraiserConfirms the home’s value for the lender… and yes, this can make or break the contract.

✨ Contractors / Repair VendorsJump in when needed to fix issues and keep the deal alive.

💡 Here’s the reality:A smooth closing isn’t luck—it’s strategy, communication, and strong leadership behind the scenes.

That’s where the right agent changes everything.

Whether you’re thinking about buying your first home, upgrading, or selling for top dollar… having the right team matters more than ever.

📩 Comment “BUY” or “SELL” (or message me privately) and I’ll help you map out your next move with a clear, customized game plan.

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✨ Step-by-Step Home Buying Timeline

1. Get Pre-Approved (1–5 days)
This is your first move. A lender reviews your finances and tells you what you can afford.
💡 This also makes your offer stronger when you find the right home.

⸻

2. Home Search (1–6+ weeks)
This is where the fun begins—touring homes, exploring neighborhoods, and finding “the one.”
⏳ Timing depends on the market and how quickly you decide.

⸻

3. Make an Offer & Get Accepted (1–7 days)
Once you find the home, your agent submits an offer.
You may negotiate terms before reaching an agreement.

⸻

4. Under Contract / Escrow (30–45 days)
This is the most detailed phase:

✔️ Home inspection
✔️ Appraisal
✔️ Loan processing & underwriting
✔️ Final approvals

⸻

5. Closing Day 🎉
You sign documents, funds are transferred, and…
🔑 You get the keys to your new home!

⸻

💬 Pro Tip:
The smoother your finances and paperwork are upfront, the faster everything moves. Having a great lender and agent makes all the difference.

⸻
Comment BUYER for my free buyers guide.

#buyer #homepurchase #homeloans

Photo by @staniphotography

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Lately, I’ve been getting asked a lot…
“What brokerage are you with?”

The answer is — I’m not just with a brokerage… I own it.

I’m Geri Mudrova, Broker & Founder of EstateAir Properties.

And here’s why that matters for YOU as my client ⬇️

When you work with me, you’re not working with an agent tied to corporate rules, quotas, or limitations. I have the freedom to design strategies that are tailored specifically to your goals — not a one-size-fits-all approach.

✔️ I’m not restricted by corporate policies
✔️ I can market your home creatively and aggressively
✔️ I can negotiate in ways that prioritize YOU — not a company’s bottom line
✔️ I can pivot quickly based on the market

My only guidelines?
State and federal laws — and my commitment to doing what’s best for my clients.

That means more flexibility, more creativity, and ultimately… better results.

Real estate isn’t just about buying or selling — it’s about strategy, experience, and having someone in your corner who can truly think outside the box.

And that’s exactly what I’ve built EstateAir Properties to do.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling and want a customized approach, let’s talk. 🏡✨

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The father is the Sun.
Today my father turns 71.

Last summer, while visiting my family in Bulgaria, I intentionally made these photographs of him—
in his tomato greenhouse, in his natural element.

A year and a half ago, his cancer returned.
Moments like this carry a quiet awareness: you create images without knowing if you will see the person again.
So I wanted to photograph him where he feels most himself.

Photographing family is, for me, the most difficult kind of work.
It is about acceptance and acknowledgment.
Open emotions.
Forgiveness.
It is about facing your roots, your genes, your flesh and blood.
When we point the camera at those we love, we don’t just document them—we reveal how we see them.
We reveal ourselves.

Our subconscious lives in the image.
The subject responds not only to the camera, but to the person holding it—especially in moments like this.

These photographs are my way of seeing my father.
Always occupied—tending his garden, working the land, alive with enthusiasm for how his tomatoes will turn out.

In Bulgarian culture, tomatoes are more than food.
They are pride, care, competition, generosity.
Whose are better. Bigger. Sweeter.
They are shared. They are discussed. They are loved.

My father is a man who keeps going.
Active. Proud. Stubborn.
A man who refuses to give up, who carries his illness with denial and strength,
who continues chemotherapy even now—while still planting, tending, believing.

I pray that next month his scan shows remission.
Today, he looks happier.
He has gained weight. His hair has grown.
And he is still standing in the sun—
his smile shining.
.
.
.
.
#creativewellness #selfreflection #artasmedicine #healingthroughimages #visualstorytelling A man in a green house

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“The Dance of the Storks”
Early August , my father drove us to a place where we witnessed hundreds and hundreds of storks. They were all gathered near a pond, but all of a sudden one by one started flying up in the sky in beautiful circles. It was just magical! Watch the 3 min video to experience it!

#storks #bulgaria #storksmovie #bidswatching #flying #naturevideo #natureperfect #birdslove #birdsphotography #stork #summerbirds

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