Who is Allie Serrano?

I am 40 years oHi My name is Allie Serrano. I am 40 years old this year and I am a portrait photographer born in the Czech Republic, currently living and practicing in Tampa, FL.

Where were you born

I was born close to Prague in the Czech Republic. Prague is a beautiful city. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe if you don’t count Italy and Paris. It’s one of the cities that didn’t get bombarded during the wars so it’s absolutely gorgeous. I love the history, I love the romanticism, and I just love going there.

What was it like growing up in The Czech Republic?

I would say, living in the Czech Republic and in Europe, in general, makes you more aware of your history, where you come from, your ancestors, and that the life before you is just as important as the life you are creating now, and the life that’s coming ahead. So it’s kind of made me the artist that I am today.

Who are your biggest heroes?

There are two heroes that I keep going back to. The biggest one would be definitely my mom because of what she went through and what she was able to overcome to still be a totally incredible and powerful woman. The other would be my older sister, she is like my second mom. And I put her through the wringer sometimes because I didn’t want to listen but she was looking out for me when my parents were busy. So I would say those two for sure.

WHAT HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE TO MAKE THE LIFE CHANGE AND START FOLLOWING YOUR PATH AS A BUSINESS OWNER?

Photography has not always been my profession. It has been something I enjoy but for the longest time, it was more of a hobby, something I enjoyed doing on nights and weekends. In 2016 it all changed. That was the year for me of many endings and many beginnings. That year my best friend passed away on March 10th, and that year also my last grandma passed away and my last grandpa. That was a year of me realizing that life is short and if I didn’t get the message the first time when my best friend passed, then I had the other two deaths to reflect upon to really get the message of “you need to do something”.

Tells Us About Your Best Friend Passing

My best friend died of a brain aneurysm. It is the one phone call you dread getting, and you don’t have a chance to say Good Bye. So, it was a huge shock. That’s really the first time I realized that I need to change the direction of where I am going because at that time I was not living happily. Life is short and why do I hate getting up in the morning and going to my job? Why don’t I just do something I enjoy and help other people as well?

What advice would you give to your younger self?

If there was one piece of advice I would give to my younger self, it would be 1) go ahead and jump into the unknown and 2) make sure you have your ducks in the row when you do it.