American Photographic Artists - San Francisco Chapter
Instagram Twitter Facebook
info@apasf.com or membershiprep@apanational.org
APA SF Chapter Board of Directors
DAWN HEUMANN she/her
APA SF BOARD MEMBER
Dawn's childhood shaped her into precisely who she is today. Her father, a filmmaker who specialized in travel films, would shoot and edit them while her mother wrote and produced them. Together, they toted Dawn across the world as they created these captivating films. The upbringing not only trained her to constantly see the world through a lens, but it also taught her to be curious, resilient, and kind.
At her core, Dawn is a heart-driven storyteller and shows up as a familiar and approachable artist who searches to elevate every client’s brand in an authentic way. Being collaborative at every stage of the process is the way Dawn works best. She comes to the table with lots of ideas, but she also loves receiving feedback and enjoys morphing the approach into something that feels like a crew-wide effort. Dawn works from the central belief that team energy is the best energy, and is continually inspired by the stylists, photo assistants, models, art directors, marketing professionals, and producers she works with on a daily basis. She prides herself on bringing an energetic, positive, and can-do attitude to every project, and she takes delight in being the photographer who you'd want to be on set with.
_______________________________________________________
SHEILBY MACENA she/her
APA SF BOARD MEMBER
Sheilby Macena is a photographer who currently resides in the vibrant city of Oakland, California. Her passion for photography, especially portraiture, was ignited by the photographs in her family albums, which showcased the contrast between her family's life in Haiti and her own in the United States. Sheilby's background and personal experiences have profoundly influenced her artistic vision and storytelling approach through her photography.
In addition to photography, Sheilby is also a skilled producer, having founded NARRATVES, in 2020, a platform highlighting underrepresented voices and stories through various events and creative projects. On top of juggling her creative projects, she also works as a full-time broker in cyber insurance. Despite her busy schedule, Sheilby is passionate about exploring new places and meeting new people. Her love for culture, community, and storytelling is evident in everything she does.
_______________________________________________________
ALEXIS FLOYD she/her
APA SF CHAPTER REP
My name is Alexis Floyd, and I'm a Fashion Edorital and Portrait Photographer based in the Bay Area. In 2017, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication at Norfolk State University. I am now pursuing my Master of Art in Photography at the Academy of Art. I have always used my artistic expression as a source of freedom and individuality. As a photographer, I'm rewarded with the ability to express my art through imagery, and I'm grateful for what this journey has taught me so far. Throughout my studies and career, I've concluded that all aspects of art buckle down to one primary purpose, action. To evoke a movement of sorts out of viewers mentally, emotionally, or physically is a significant responsibility. Photography allows me to create art that sets that action in motion, and I make it my mission to utilize those responsibilities with originality, style, and grace.
_______________________________________________________
NATE FONG he/him
APA SF VICE CHAIR
Hi, I'm Nate Fong, a commercial photographer and creative director. For most of my career, I worked as a freelance photographer, wearing all the hats and learning all things business. I also co-founded a creative agency as the director of production and helped create a print publication called The Lesser Known Quarterly, celebrating dynamic and diverse identities through print. In 2020 I made the jump in house to my current role as the creative director for a national coffee company. I'm interested in sharing my learnings and experience with the photo community and pushing for representation and diversity in the industry. (photo by Pei Ketron)
_____________________________________________
AMANDA HIBBERT she/her
APA SF TREASURER
Amanda is interested in improving our world by making the creative industry easier to navigate for traditionally marginalized communities and working parents by creating a sense of community among freelance professionals. She started her career in photography in 2011 after closing the chapter on a career as an Aerospace Engineer and pivoting into photography. Amanda has a passion for stills, motion and video working cohesively together. Her focus is product advertising at her shared studio, Tether Collective, in San Francisco for social and environmental impact brands. www.amandahibbert.com (photo: Darren Ferriera)
_____________________________________________
EDWIN VARGAS he/him
APA SF CHAPTER CHAIR OF THE BOARD
Once in front of the camera, now behind it—meet latinx model-turned-photographer Edwin Vargas. Born in San Jose, Costa Rica, Vargas infuses an air of tropical vibrancy into his images, utilizing exotic flowers as props or producing recreations of nature as the back-drop for his bold, neon-hued compositions. From Panama to Mexico and the United States, Vargas’ photography has continued to gain international recognition, landing him clients such as Facebook, Wilhelmina Models, Carolina Herrera, Tommy Hilfiger, Diesel and Kenneth Cole, among others. Now based in Oakland, California, Vargas’ vivid, chromatic aesthetic has captured the attention of the local community, earning him exhibitions at Instagram headquarters and the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. In addition to his photography, Vargas is a cinematographer and documentarian, applying his unique perspective to the moving image. Beyond his work behind the lens, Vargas is focused on the empowerment of Black women and the advancement of LGBTQIA+ rights, serving as a diversity committee member for the non-profit organization American Photographic Artists. edwinvargas.net
_____________________________________________
LISA VORTMAN she/her
APA SF BOARD MEMBER
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER (bio forthcoming)
_____________________________________________
Join Our Board of Directors!
APA San Francisco is our local chapter of a nationwide organization which exists to provide business tools and creative inspiration which help photographic artists of all levels run a smarter, more creative, and profitable business.
On a local level,
Our mission is to build and educate our local photographic community. Within our chapter we are building a village, one that represents our members, our up and coming youth, the well seasoned and the ever evolving photographic artists of the Bay Area and the greater North West. Ours is a community in which we may all grow stronger, through shared knowledge and intentional community support. We value education and community above all else and commit to putting forth the energy it takes to to be transparent with, to support, to advocate for, and to celebrate our photographic community.
...And we need your help! We currently have a few open seats on our Board of Directors, and if you have the passion, time & bandwidth to pitch in, we'd love to hear from you!
If this sounds like you, click here to submit an interest form and let us know a bit about you!
