Meet Linda Sanchez | Documentary Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Linda Sanchez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Linda, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
My passion for photography stems from my love of connection. I’ve always been fascinated by the way people light up when they feel seen, heard, and comfortable.

What better way to combine my love of laughter, storytelling, and people than through photography?
With 29 years of comedic experience (yes, you read that right—keeping you smiling is my specialty!) and an ever-growing love for capturing life’s most authentic and joy-filled moments, I launched my business in January 2022.

Since then, I’ve filled countless galleries with fun, joy, hope, bonding, beauty, and love.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets Sunnie Seconds Photography apart is its heart. The entire foundation of my brand is built on the belief that no moment is too big or too small to be photographed.

Whether it’s a first birthday, a quiet afternoon at home, a graduation, a rainbow baby announcement, or just a season of life filled with love and laughter—every chapter matters, and every story is worth remembering.

I’m deeply inspired by the uniqueness of each person’s journey. That’s why every session I book is entirely personalized. I approach each one with empathy, sincerity, and a strong desire to understand your story, not just capture it. When you work with me, you’re not just hiring a photographer. You’re getting a hype woman, a professional listener, and someone who truly sees you.

I define my style as documentary photography because I believe the most powerful images are the ones rooted in truth and raw emotion. I don’t pose moments—I preserve them.

Getting to where I am today has been a journey of self-discovery and perseverance. It took me nearly three years of trial, error, and soul-searching to find and fully embrace my niche. It wasn’t always easy—figuring out what kind of art I wanted to create meant saying no to projects that didn’t align with my vision, even when it was hard. But I’ve learned that the more I honor my why, the more aligned and fulfilled I feel.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that authenticity always resonates. When you lead with heart, your people will find you.

What I want the world to know about me and Sunnie Seconds is this: Your life doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful—and your story doesn’t need to be loud to be powerful. Every second matters, and I’m here to help you hold onto them—one frame at a time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh, if my best friend was visiting for a week, I’d definitely want to show them the heart of Upland and all the little gems that make this area so special. We’d kick things off slow—probably start the first morning with coffee from Lucky’s, Rad Coffee, Iron & Kin, Rev’d Up, or Brew Bee’s. From there, we’d probably wander around downtown a bit—there’s something nostalgic about it, with all the shops and small businesses tucked in every corner.

One of my favorite things to do is thrift, so we’d definitely carve out time for that. There are so many great spots in Upland, and it’s kind of a ritual for me—digging for treasures, finding the unexpected. We’d make a day of it with a walk down Euclid Avenue, then maybe pop over to RSL Aquatics if we want to cool off and move a little. It’s such a hidden gem for a relaxing swim.

In the evenings, we’d hang out at Rescue Brewery—it’s super chill, great local vibe, and always a fun crowd. We’d grab drinks, maybe catch some live music, and just unwind. One of the nights we’d probably head over to The Whisper House in Claremont—it has such a good atmosphere, especially for a girls’ night.

We’d definitely make space in the week for some creative time too. I’d probably take them to one of my favorite spots during golden hour—just to shoot, play around with film, or even just sit in that light and talk. That’s honestly my kind of fun.

And of course, we’d have to spend Sunday Morning at the Upland Farmers Market, grab some food, support some local vendors, and just take it all in. If we were feeling extra adventurous, we might do a quick trip to LA or the beach.

At the end of the week, I’d want it to feel like we didn’t just “do stuff,” but really experienced the rhythm of this place—how creative, grounded, and full of character it is. That’s what I love about Upland—it’s not flashy, but it’s real.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I never had a mentor, but I did have the most amazing support.

My current success stems from the never ending encouragement from my mother, father, husband, and clients.

My parents believed in me so much at age 17, they bought me my first camera that I still use to this day. I shot in Automatic, brought it every day to school, and took photos of everything my senior year! I still have all my photos in folders all labeled and organized in a hard drive.

After high school I was so excited to learn to shoot in Manual. So I enrolled in a photography course at Mt. San Antonio College. I continued to learn and figured it would be a cool hobby to have, but not a career. So I pursued other professions from 2013-2022.

All those years, I still felt the love of art and creating, so I would draw, color, tie-dye, sew, sing, etc.

It wasn’t until I married my husband in 2020 that it felt possible to even entertain the idea of making income from this hobby. He was the one who knew I could do it. That little nudge went a long way, because I went full throttle into pursuing what made me happy.

Since then, businesses, such as RSL Aquatics, Barcuso, and Freeda Beauty have hired me for photography services, along with over 200 clients since starting Sunnie Seconds!

I am so grateful to have had the right people in my life to support me and to have found my way back to the art I loved all along.

Website: https://sunnie-seconds.myportfolio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunnie_seconds

Image Credits
Sunnie Seconds – Linda Sanchez