Janine Licare Photography

Originally from Connecticut, I moved to Costa Rica when I was 4 years old and grew up in the middle of the jungle. At the age of 9, I co-founded a non-profit organisation to help save the rainforest (check us out here). When I was 11, my parents gave me my first film camera and I immediately fell in love. I continued my passion by pursuing photography classes at Stanford University while completing a B.A. in History. Before taking the leap into the wedding industry full-time, I dabbled in various careers. I was a middle school science teacher in Los Angeles with Teach for America, I worked in immigration law in Silicon Valley, and was Chief of Staff at a startup in San Francisco. None of these jobs fulfilled my passion for creativity and photography, so it didn’t take long before I realised it was time to establish myself as a wedding photographer. I photographed my first wedding in October of 2015 and haven't looked back. 

Janine Licare Photography

Originally from Connecticut, I moved to Costa Rica when I was 4 years old and grew up in the middle of the jungle. At the age of 9, I co-founded a non-profit organisation to help save the rainforest (check us out here). When I was 11, my parents gave me my first film camera and I immediately fell in love. I continued my passion by pursuing photography classes at Stanford University while completing a B.A. in History. Before taking the leap into the wedding industry full-time, I dabbled in various careers. I was a middle school science teacher in Los Angeles with Teach for America, I worked in immigration law in Silicon Valley, and was Chief of Staff at a startup in San Francisco. None of these jobs fulfilled my passion for creativity and photography, so it didn’t take long before I realised it was time to establish myself as a wedding photographer. I photographed my first wedding in October of 2015 and haven't looked back. 

San Francisco, California
United States

[email protected]
www.janinelicarephotography.com


Interview

IF I HAVE A FREE SUNDAY I WOULD SPEND IT… my usual Sunday starts off with reading in bed while snuggling with our cat, Hemingway, followed by a bit of work before the day starts. My husband and I would then walk to the San Francisco Marina for our favourite cup of Philz Coffee. Cup in hand, we’d continue on to the Fort Mason Farmer’s Market to pet all of the cute dogs, taste lots of yummy samples, and pick up produce for the week.

MY MOST MEMORABLE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE WAS… a four week trip I took with my husband a few years back. We went to a different country every week. We started out by hiking in Switzerland in Zermatt and Wengen, then moved on to the Greek Island (Mykonos, Ios and Santorini), followed by a week in Italy (Florence and Cinque Terre), and a week in Croatia (Split and Dubrovnik). I broke my foot during the Greece portion of the trip but didn’t want to end the trip early! So I hiked between towns in Cinque Terre and walked the cobblestone streets of Florence and Dubrovnik with a broken foot (and the occasional piggyback ride from my husband)!

THE COUNTRY I MOST WANT TO VISIT IS… Japan! As a History major with an emphasis in Asian studies at Stanford University, I took multiple classes on the social and cultural history of Japan. It’s been on my travel list for a while and I hope to one day see in person all the things I spent years studying. 

WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT MY JOB IS… my amazing couples. Finishing a wedding is so bittersweet. It’s amazing to have completed such a great wedding, but also sad because it means that I’ll no longer be in frequent contact with that particular couple that I spent almost a year getting to know. 

IF I DIDN’T DO THIS FOR A JOB I WOULD… probably somehow still find my way into the wedding industry. I’m a creator at heart and I’m at my happiest when I’m in a creative capacity. I like to think I’d be a florist. I absolutely love photographing florals on wedding days and feel like I witness true magic when I see a stunning bouquet.

If I couldn’t be in the wedding industry, I’d probably be a wildlife caretaker! I grew up in Costa Rica and founded a conservation non-profit when I was 9. As part of the organisation we had a wildlife sanctuary so I helped raise lots of baby sloths and baby monkeys until they could be released back into the wild. You can see more of what we still do here: https://www.kidssavingtherainforest.org/

IF I COULD GIVE NEWLY ENGAGED COUPLES ONE PIECE OF ADVICE IT WOULD BE…to enjoy being engaged and have fun during the planning process! It’s easier said than done, but you’ll be engaged for such a short period of time and you’ll be married for the rest of your life, so say “fiancé” or “fiancée” as much as possible because you’ll be saying “husband” or “wife” before you know it. Have fun while you’re planning your wedding and try and make your wedding day as personal as possible for your guests. Brainstorming ways to do that together can be a fun project. 

I LOVE WHERE I LIVE BECAUSE… San Francisco has a little bit of everything. I love the coffee shops, the museums, the architecture and the food. I also love the location. I’m within an hour drive of Napa Valley, a few hours from Lake Tahoe and Carmel Valley, and on a less-romantic note, just a 30-minute drive from an international airport. 

IF I COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD IT WOULD BE… Paris! Every time I visit I fall in love all over again. I never cease to be amazed by the architecture, the quaint cobblestone streets, the art, and the food. Paris feels like the embodiment of romance and you can find inspiration at every corner. 

MY FAVOURITE MOVIE IS? Dirty Dancing. Hands down, forever and always.

THE PETS I OWN ARE… our cat, Hemingway! He’s the sweetest rescue you’ll ever meet. He loves sitting on my lap while I work, watching Netflix with us in the evenings, following us around the house, and always comes when we call his name.