Galina Semenova is an award-winning self-taught Fine Art Portrait Photographer based in San Diego, California. Born in Russia and relocating to the United States in 2009, she brings a unique perspective shaped by her multicultural background and over two decades of experience across photography genres. Influenced by Russian literary giants like Dostoevsky and Gogol, her work delves into the complexities of the human soul, balancing fragility and fortitude, vulnerability and courage, while creating a space for recognition, healing, and empowerment. As a “collector of sensations,” she draws inspiration from colors, emotions, and shared human experiences, exploring themes of self-acceptance, love, and collective trauma. Embracing Intermedia Photography, she seamlessly blends various visual arts media to express visionary stories.

In recent years, she has focused on socially engaged projects such as her Portraits of Domestic Violence Survivors and Breast Cancer Survivor Series, which transform tragedy into triumph, foster empathy, and inspire action. Her belief in photography as a catalyst for change drives her commitment to art that invites more hope, love, and awakening, connecting diverse communities through shared experiences.

Internationally recognized, her work has been exhibited worldwide in numerous group exhibitions, and she continues to push the boundaries of portrait photography to illuminate the human spirit and contribute to positive social transformation.