hey, i’m giselle!

Giselle David smiling and taking a photo with a camera in a bright room, standing near a window with a potted plant nearby.

The Heart Behind The Camera

I’ve always been that person who stops mid-walk to capture a moment everyone else might miss. Every moment, to me, matters. Documenting the mundane moments is as important as capturing the big ones. They’re all a memory that deserves to last. I’ve always wanted to hold onto what feels fleeting and beautiful. You deserve to preserve those memories too.

Giselle David holding a black and white photographs, with jewelry on their left wrist and a gold watch on their right wrist, wearing a striped shirt.

My roots

Born and raised in Jersey City, I’m a proud first-generation Filipina and daughter of Marilyn David—the most patient and loving mom there is. I graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2019 with a degree in Early Childhood Education and English, and I now work full-time as a special education teacher in Hoboken. Teaching is my heart; photography is my creative freedom.

In the summer of 2024, my best friend Kristina asked me to take engagement photos of her and her fiancé in Philly. What started as a favor quickly turned into something more. I shared their photos online, and within days, inquiries started rolling in. Two shoots became five. Then ten. And suddenly, I was doing what I loved in a way I never expected.

I bought a used Fujifilm camera from Facebook Marketplace, taught myself the craft, and started capturing love stories across the tri-state area. Every shoot reminded me that this was what I was meant to do — preserve connection in all its forms.

How it started

Giselle David with wavy, shoulder-length hair sitting on a patterned couch, holding a camera, wearing a checkered shirt over a white top, beige pants, and floral sandals, in a room with wall decorations including photos and framed pictures.
Two women laughing and embracing on the beach with ocean waves in the background.

What lights me up…

A group of people gathered at a dinner table in a restaurant, smiling and posing for a photo.

FIRST DAY OF SUMMER VACATION

Two women walking hand in hand along a lakeshore surrounded by trees, with mountains in the background on a clear, sunny day.

FAMILY

MY FUR BABIES

MY BEST FRIENDS

A person driving a car, with hands on the steering wheel, inside the vehicle's dashboard and air vents visible.

LISTENING TO PODCASTS ON A LONG DRIVE WITH MY FIANCÉ

NEW HOPE, PA

SOFT SERVE WITH RAINBOW SPRINKLES

THE WNBA

LAUGHING WITH MY STUDENTS

LAUGHING EVEN HARDER WITH MY COWORKERS

LAKE GEORGE, NY

CREATING + DESIGNING

FLOWERS + FILM

A bride adjusting her wedding dress with a woman in a floral dress in a garden.
Giselle David with wavy hair wearing a checkered shirt is holding a camera, looking through the viewfinder, indoors with houseplants and furniture in the background.

let’s keep it simple

You might hear me say, “Don’t look at the camera!” multiple times. There’s a reason for that, trust me! Looking at the lens causes a lot of people to act unnatural, stiff, and be inauthentically themselves. It takes away from truly living in the moment and instead living for the photo. I know it’s easier said than done, but pretending I’m not there brings out the most genuine and raw moments.

if my work feels like

home to you, I’d behonored

to tell your story.

Pink and purple chalk lines on a black chalkboard.