Hey, I’m Holly!

A woman with long, wavy hair holding a camera and smiling while looking at the camera.

sagittarius

born + raised in Texas

scientist by day

cat mom

extroverted introvert

wife

eldest daughter

Where it all started…

Illustration of a film camera with film strip, surrounded by star-like sparkles.

I have been surrounded by art my entire life. My dad was a photojournalist and now a photography teacher, while my grandma was a very talented oil painter + crafter. I received hand-me-down cameras from my dad all throughout my childhood and was always working on a craft with my grandma. Once I reached high school, I enrolled in a photo art class. This is when I first learned how to develop 35mm film and ultimately fell in love with the medium. I also took photos for the yearbook/newspaper. I believe my photojournalistic style really developed during this time. I took self-portraits in my down time and took my friend’s and classmate’s senior portraits here and there. I had so much fun. I had other career aspirations, so decided to put a pin in pursing photography.

Flash forward to 2024 - the year I got married!! It was my first time in front of the camera in such a long time and it just reminded me of how much I missed being behind it. I started Happy Chance Photo shortly after getting married. I also work a full-time job as a public health researcher. I love staying active, spending quality time with my husband and our cat, a sweet treat, and keeping up with pop culture.

A man and a young girl in pajamas hugging and smiling next to a decorated Christmas tree, with wrapped gifts on the floor and couch.
Line drawing of a vintage camera with a large lens, two dials on top, and a strap attachment on the side.

my favorite film photo of me + my dad (1998)

Smiling woman with glasses and short dark hair, wearing a white blouse with blue floral patterns, sitting at a table in a dimly lit restaurant.
Logo with a circular outline, the letters 'hc' in the center, a star replacing the dot in the letter 'i,' and a swooping arrow underneath.

my favorite film photo I’ve taken of my grandma (2011)

A wedding reception with a bride and groom sitting at a decorated table with flowers, white curtains in the background.
Line drawing of a vintage camera surrounded by star shapes on a black background.

me + my husband at our wedding (2024)

A woman holds a glass jar with a tiny woman inside and sparkles surrounding her, while she also holds a small metallic container in her other hand.
Young woman with brown, curly hair and a serious expression sitting at a table, holding a fork in her left hand and a knife in her right hand. In front of her is a plate with a banana, carrots, and a container of yogurt.

self-portraits from high school (2011)

WHY

Brown circular logo with the word "the" in cursive and a star replacing the dot in the 'i', with a smiley face curve underneath.

happy chance?

Every time I take photos, I experience a little bit of *~serendipity~* aka a happy chance. There is always at least one shot that I cannot believe I was able to capture, just out of pure luck.

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