Hi! My name is ANNE WLADYKA

Creativity and adventure are part of my DNA. My diverse family– a Japanese mother (artist and master calligrapher) and South African father (artist and educator) – moved often, residing in Japan, France, Washington, Illinois, and Oregon before eventually settling in Carmel on California’s idyllic Central Coast. We often spent summers on the road and abroad, exploring different corners of the Earth. There is little doubt that this sparked my lifelong passion for travel.

For as long as I can remember, my most prized possession was my dad’s old Canon 35mm camera which he gifted me at age 14. I was instantly captivated, and it never left my side. I found myself gravitating towards people and faces to photograph but was equally excited to stumble across a field of wildflowers, interesting rock formations or an old, dilapidated barn. I was always searching for colors, textures, and shapes that inspired me because there is beauty everywhere and it is in everything.

Want to know what sets my soul on fire?

Road trips to anywhere, sharing stories around a campfire, beautiful melodies, singing, wandering through the colorful spice markets of Morocco, catching the first glimpse of the sun peeking over the dunes in Death Valley, thunderstorms, gazing up at a star-filled sky, exploring ghost towns, ruins, and the surreal landscapes of Joshua Tree.

After graduating from CSU Chico with a BA in Communication Design, I moved to Southern California and made the city of Long Beach my home base. Over the years, the Bay Area kept calling me back so I finally decided to plant some roots with my son and my daughter in beautiful Walnut Creek. My children have been my inspiration over the years and the reason why capturing small, fleeting moments is so close to my heart. I recognized early on that they, too, are growing up quickly, and I want to be able to preserve all of the important details, in different stages of their lives, and to remember US.