About Arnel
The Person Behind the Lens
Award-winning portrait photographer. Mother of three. Abuelita. Scuba diver. 47 years behind a camera.
It's one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like. It's another thing to make a portrait of who they are.
That quote has guided my work for over a decade. I am not interested in perfect poses or manufactured smiles. I am interested in you, the real you, the version of yourself that shows up when you feel safe, seen, and celebrated.
My name is Arnel Gonce. I am a Portrait Masters award-winning photographer based in Charlottesville, Virginia. I have been taking photographs for 47 years and working professionally for 13. But the numbers are not what matter. What matters is the moment someone looks at their photos and sees themselves differently.
Beyond the Studio
Life Outside the Lens
When I am not in the studio, you will find me scuba diving somewhere warm, exploring a new city with my husband Mark (35 years and counting), or being completely wrapped around the fingers of my grandson and granddaughter.
I am a mother of three sons, an abuelita who spoils without apology, and someone who believes that the best photographs come from real connection.
Travel has shaped how I see the world and how I see people. Every culture, every face, every story is different. That perspective is what I bring into the studio with me every single day.
My Philosophy
Truth Over Perfection
In a world full of filters and AI-generated images, I believe in something simpler. Truth. Emotion. Connection. The irreplaceable spark that makes you, you.
My studio is a small boutique experience, not a volume operation. I work with a limited number of clients each month so I can give every person the time, care, and creative attention they deserve. From wardrobe guidance to wall art selection, I am with you through the entire process.
I do not just take your photo. I create an atmosphere where the real you can show up. And when that happens, the camera captures something no amount of editing could ever replicate.
What I Photograph
Every Stage, Every Story
Headshots & Branding
For professionals, founders, and teams who want to look like themselves on their best day.
Portraits & Over 50
For women who are ready to see themselves the way the people who love them already do.
Family & Maternity
For the chapters that pass too quickly. The growing bellies, the little hands, the chaos that is also love.
Seniors & Boudoir
For milestones that deserve to be marked. Graduation, self-love, stepping into the next version of you.
The Studio
Where It All Happens
My studio is located at 600 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 305, in Charlottesville, VA. It is a calm, private space designed to feel like a living room, not a cold photo studio.
Soft light, comfortable furniture, good music, and a cup of coffee if you want one. Everything is set up so you can relax into the session and forget the camera is even there.
Get In Touch
600 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 305
Charlottesville, VA 22911
Ready to see yourself differently?
Let's Create Something Beautiful
Whether you know exactly what you want or you are just starting to think about it, I would love to hear your story.