After hearing the final bell at the end of a long school day, most teachers go home to grade papers or plan more lessons, but for one Spanish teacher at Edmond Memorial High School, the day is often far from over. With a camera in her hand, she steps into a different role as a photographer.
Spanish teacher Patricia Pinto is a portrait photographer and owner of Everlasting Images Photography, a business she started with her husband, Felix Pinto. For Pinto, photography first began as a personal interest before it became a business.
“I used to photograph at my church because my kids were doing the first communion, and they did not have a photographer, so I volunteered to do it,” Pinto said.
Over the years, she has invested in professional equipment and started booking paid sessions. Her work includes event photography, portraits, and different types of school-related occurrences.
“I enjoy [photographing] weddings, seniors and prom because it is a beautiful age and they are just blooming,” Pinto said. “My favorite photograph that I have ever taken was for a bridal shoot.”
Rachel Darks is another Spanish teacher at Memorial who hired Pinto to do her family portraits. She has also observed her work in other settings.
“She’s very confident and she knows what looks good, and she doesn’t mess around,” Darks said. “[Pinto] looks at life in a joyful way, and then she brings that joy out in photography.”
Darks works with Pinto daily. They both collaborate everyday and Darks can see the real Pinto that interacts with seniors.
“I think with [photographing] seniors, you really see a lot of their character come out, and she can capture the character of a senior and the joy of graduation,” Darks said.
For Memorial Senior Dillon Luna, his photography shoot represented a significant milestone in his final year of high school. It was not just a collection of photos but a way to capture his identity in his final year.
“I was very impressed by her professionalism; she maintained a professional attitude throughout the photo shoot,” Luna said. “I felt comfortable [doing a photo shoot] with her because I knew who she was.”
Pinto works daily with students and her collaborators to bring out the best in people, through her lessons and through her photography.
Contact Wes Matlock at [email protected]
