Meet Patricia Pastrano of Memories Imagined

Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Pastrano.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Photography has always been around me since I was a child. My grandmother was a photographer, and I even was a photographer for our high school paper and yearbook.

After high school and college, I got away from photography and pursued my career as a corporate financial accounting analyst and started a family. About four years ago, I was asked to be a part of an overseas project. My family and I decided to take the two-year project and see what adventures could be had in the Pacific Rim. My then husband, son and I all moved to the beautiful island country of Singapore. Singapore did bring many adventures.

The first big one was three months in when my ex-husband and I parted ways, and he came back to the US. So there I was a single mom in a foreign country with no family support just a bunch of work friends that became my family. My son is developmentally delayed and has autism. This made for a fun adventure in a country that doesn’t provide support for its special needs community. Somehow, with all the craziness going on, I began to find refuge in my photography.

I began taking pictures of the beauty that Singapore has to offer. Before I knew it, I was planning trips to Bali, Phuket, Langkawi, Penang, etc. Tristan and I went on tours of cities via pedal cabs, ate amazing foods and got to experience things most people don’t get to do in their lifetime. I took pictures on every adventure. Each adventure my confidence in being a single mom that is successful and happy grew.

As I looked at my pictures, I was flooded with the memories of the adventures I had with my son and my loved ones in Singapore. It is a very peaceful thing to gaze upon a picture and have your mind whisk you away to a special place or moment in time. Photography became my way of assessing the world around me and taking it all in. Appreciating each and every little piece of goodness around me and encompassing it in my lense. It has helped me to have a healthier, happier and more resourceful approach to my life, whether it be photography or daily dilemmas.

After having three jobs end in layoffs over the last three years, I decided to find a way to do my photography and generate a little side hustle income. I invested not only photography equipment but also equipment that allows me to take my photos and put them on aluminum sheets, metal magnets, ceramic mugs, and many other mediums. I wanted a way to not only TAKE pictures but also to sell them. I wanted to create a way for the people that they could enjoy the images that are captured of their special moments the same way I do. In lightweight prints that are easily hung on your wall or placed in your daily life.

Today, I am enjoying my photography and expanding my knowledge in it everytime I grab my camera. I have a business that brings me joy by being able to take photographs and transform them into beautiful printed memories.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooth road. Ha! You’re funny. Do those even exist anymore? I think the pursuit of my craft is like the pursuit of anything in this life. You set out to achieve something, and there will always be obstacles on your path.

I think in life we choose how we approach something. Some people see problems, I like to try to look at things as an opportunity for improvement. Things like… What resources do I have available and what do I need to do? How can I use those resources to get where I need to go?

With my son Tristan’s special needs, the road we travel is often riddled with bumps. He is the one who taught me just to keep on going, and you will get where you need to be in your own time. Sometimes things may not be just perfect, but you learn to love and live through all the imperfections.

Sometimes, I feel like I am still learning how to overcome the obstacles, but somehow my ten-year-old has already mastered it.

Please tell us about Memories Imagined.
At Memories Imagined our focus is on capturing images that are special to our customers. Sometimes it may be a wedding, or a birthday or graduation or other types of events. We just donated our time to the Miss Pinups and Pooches event in Phoenix. It is a modeling contest and car show for the benefit of dog rescue.

Animals are a big part of mine and my partner’s personal life, so the ability to give back to such a worthwhile cause was super inspiring. The event helped five dogs find their forever homes PLUS we donated photography packages to all the people that donated dogs as a result of that event. Now the families get an opportunity to have a family portrait with a new four-legged family member.

In 2019, we are working rescues to help get some of their fosters adopted. We plan to do this by in boosting their adoptions donating photography packages to those who adopt certain dogs that may have been in the system longer than others.

We really enjoy working events and getting to know our customers. Each customer is different, and as a result, their tastes are each unique. With two photographers, we are able to capture the posed shots as well as the candid shots. At the end of the day, we want to help capture memories in a way that they can be enjoyed and appreciated on a regular basis.

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
Knowing that I don’t know it all. I am a big reader love to learn. I know that I don’t always have an answer to something or know how to do something. When a challenge presents itself, I pursue it until I have mastered it. It is important in life to look at things in all different points of view.

When my son needed open heart surgery at the age of three with all his sensory issues and non-verbal presentation. I hit the ground running with research. I knew next to nothing about the surgery he needed and what it was going to entail. I read articles, interviewed different providers and found the best care for my son.

Not only did my son have a successful surgery, we were part of an Emmy nominated documentary that went on to help others by sharing the tips and techniques we used in preparing him for his heart surgery. We also got to meet a lot of amazing people in the process.

Pricing:

• Photography session – 4 hours, 3 wardrobes, 4 people, 15 edited images, 1 8×10 metal print $250
• 2×3 metal wallets $5
• Custom metal Name badges $8.50

Contact Info:

• Website: www.memoriesimagined.com
• Phone: 480-737-8629
• Email: memoriesimaging@gmail.com
• Instagram: memoriesimagined
• Facebook: memoriesimaginedaz

Image Credit:
Amanda DeLeon, Nessa Kate Thomas, Jessica Lopez, Andrea Fox, Alyssa Marie Desapio, Teresa McNulty

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