Angeli Zankel has been an artist all her life, where she started painting as a little girl, and has since moved on to many different types of mediums as the photographer and artist behind Shrimpy Photography in Plainview.
‘Shrimpy’ is a nickname for Zankel by her husband, and was suggested as the name of the company due to its “fun and whimsical nature,” Zankel said.
“My husband really pushed me to start this company as he has a lot of faith in my talent. I always told him I wanted to start my own business and we both knew this was a great opportunity,” Zankel said. “My grandparents started their own business in the 1960s making dolls and my father started his own advertising company back in Lima, Peru where I was born. This entrepreneurial spirit has always been inside of me and I am so thankful that I have been able to start this company and do something that I love so much.”
After graduating from NYIT with a degree in Fine Art and an associate degree in advertising, Zankel went on to work in the advertising field advertising for almost a decade. During this time, she continued to paint and had began taking an interest in photography as a hobby – Zankel still paints in her free time and does freelance graphic design for many small businesses all over Long Island.
After getting married, Zankel and her husband had had their first son over three years ago, and since then, has been taking photos of him on a constant basis.
“People commented on how incredible the shots were – they said I had an special eye for composition and the colors and overall feel of my photographs really stood out,” Zankel said. “I believe this comes from my lifelong work as an artist.”
Over the next year or so, Zankel’s friends asked her to take photographs of their babies, which at first she did for fun and as a gift to friends. Some time later, with some more pushing by her husband, Zankel decided to give it a shot as a professional baby and childrens photographer.
“With all of my training in the arts, I felt I could really do something different with my photography. And I have to admit it can be really fun to work with such adorable subjects day in and day out,” Zankel said. “The response has been great and I really love what I do. I love children and I find I am always laughing and having a good time while working. I also know that the photographs I give these families, they will absolutely cherish for the rest of their lives. I capture a moment in time that they hold so close to their hearts.”
Zankel and her husband now have two children, Gavin, 3-years-old, and Maro, 9-years-old.
Zankel travels all over the Tri-State area, and has been working with families over the last few years from all over Long Island, Queens, New York City and even a few in New Jersey.
“The majority of my clients have been from Nassau County, but I would love to work with anyone who wants to have special moments in their little ones lives captured forever,” Zankel said.
