We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caleb Cobos a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Caleb, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

When I started my company back in 2016, I was a college student at the University of New Mexico juggling coursework, late nights of studying, and the dream of building something that truly mattered. I was studying Management Information Systems (MIS), which gave me a solid foundation in business and technology, but my passion lived behind the lens capturing real, unscripted moments and turning them into lasting memories.

I began filming and photographing weddings and events while still in school, often heading from class to a shoot or editing late into the night after studying. It didn’t take long to notice a common theme across the industry: couples and families wanted high-quality media to preserve the most important days of their lives, but too often they were forced to choose between affordability and quality. That just didn’t sit right with me.

So I made it my mission: to provide high-quality, professionally captured and edited media at reasonable prices without cutting corners. I wanted to make the experience as smooth and rewarding as possible for my clients, especially during seasons of life that can already feel overwhelming. That meant not just delivering stunning photos and videos, but doing so with quick turnaround times, clear communication, and dependable service.

After graduating in 2018, I poured everything I had into growing the business. We now cover over 100 weddings and events each year, and we’ve built a team that shares the same passion for excellence and client satisfaction. Along the way, I’ve also used my background in MIS to streamline our workflows, manage data securely, and continuously improve how we operate so we can focus on what matters most, story telling for our clients.

At the heart of our company is a simple belief everyone deserves to have their story told beautifully, and they shouldn’t have to break the bank to do it. That belief is what guides every decision we make and every moment we capture.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

For those who may not have heard of me or my work before, my name is Caleb Cobos I’m the founder of C.C. Photo & Video (previously known as Caleb Cobos Photography) a media company that specializes in wedding and event photography and videography. I launched the company back in 2016 while I was a full-time student at the University of New Mexico, studying Management Information Systems (MIS). I was balancing lectures, homework, and exams during the week, and capturing weddings and events on weekends. It was intense, but I loved every moment of it.

What drew me into this field was the power of storytelling not just the artistic side of photography and film, but the emotional weight of preserving memories that only happen once. Early on, I saw that there was a gap in the market: couples and families were often forced to choose between quality and affordability. I knew there had to be a better way. So, I built a company around the idea that clients deserve exceptional media, delivered with care and professionalism, at a fair price.

Today, we provide a full range of photography and videography services, including:

* Wedding coverage
* Engagement sessions
* Event videography
* Highlight reels and full-day films
* Custom packages for both small, intimate events and large-scale productions

We’ve grown to cover over 100 events each year, and I’ve had the privilege of building a talented and passionate team that shares my commitment to storytelling, service, and client satisfaction.

What sets us apart is our blend of artistry, efficiency, and transparency. We don’t just show up with cameras we show up with intention. We work closely with clients to make sure their vision is brought to life, and we pride ourselves on fast delivery times without compromising quality. We’ve also invested heavily in the right tools, systems, and workflows (leveraging my MIS background) to make every part of the process smooth and stress free for our customers.

One of the things I’m most proud of is the trust we’ve built with our clients. We’re not just providing a service we’re capturing milestones, memories, and moments that will last a lifetime. That responsibility means everything to us.

With the continued success of the media company, I’ve also been fortunate to branch out into other business ventures. One of the most exciting new chapters is Viceroy, a company I founded to provide products and services to both federal and state-level agencies. We’re currently in the growth phase, but the mission is clear: to bring the same level of professionalism, reliability, and value to the public sector that has fueled our success in the media world.

Whether we’re capturing a wedding, delivering a film, or supporting an agency, the goal is always the same: deliver quality, create impact, and earn trust.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was how the traditional wedding and event media industry approaches pricing and the overall client experience.

Early on, I followed the standard model charging clients based on rigid hourly packages, add-on fees, and up-to-the-minute timelines. But after working with real couples and seeing firsthand how stressful wedding days already are, I realized something, the industry was often making things more complicated, not easier. Couples shouldn’t have to stress about whether they’re going over time or if a delay will cost them more. That pressure doesn’t help anyone especially when you’re trying to enjoy one of the most important days of your life.

So we made a major shift.

We moved to upfront, transparent pricing with our packages, and we began including full-day coverage as a standard, not an upgrade. This change not only simplified the booking process, but it gave our clients peace of mind. They know we’re there to capture their day, start to finish, no stopwatch running. It’s allowed us to focus on storytelling rather than the clock, and it’s led to a far more relaxed, trust-driven relationship with our clients.

Alongside that, I had to unlearn some of the industry’s assumptions about client communication and replace them with a more thoughtful, guided approach. I built out a new onboarding process from the first phone call to the final delivery of photos and video. We created a system that’s easy to navigate, straightforward to understand, and built entirely around the client’s comfort and clarity. Whether it’s scheduling, selecting their package, or getting their final gallery we want every touchpoint to feel seamless and stress-free.

That unlearning process taught me that when you challenge the norms and put people first, you build trust and deliver a much better experience. And that’s exactly what we’re here to do.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My company actually started as a side hustle during my college years at the University of New Mexico. I was studying, and like a lot of students, I was trying to find ways to earn money while pursuing something I was passionate about. I had always loved photography and videography, especially storytelling through visuals, so I started offering to shoot small events and weddings for friends and local clients usually on weekends, between classes, and late at night.

What started as a way to earn extra income quickly became something much bigger. As I worked more events, I began to see the potential for something long-term not just creatively, but professionally. The more weddings I shot, the more I realized how much people valued a dependable, affordable, and high-quality service that made their day easier instead of more stressful. That’s when I started to take it seriously and invest in systems, equipment, and branding all while still balancing exams, class projects, and graduation.

After graduating in 2018, I made the leap to go full-time. It was both exciting and intimidating, but I had already built a strong foundation during those college years. I leaned heavily on what I learned from my MIS degree to streamline processes, manage clients efficiently, and create a scalable model.

Some key milestones that helped me grow from side hustle to successful business include:

Booking my first full wedding season while still in school realizing I could turn this into more than just a gig.

Developing a full-day, flat-rate pricing model that simplified the client experience and set us apart from traditional photo/video packages.

Building a streamlined onboarding and delivery process that made working with us simple, transparent, and efficient.

Growing a small but dedicated team who share the same values professionalism, creativity, and client care.
Crossing the 100+ events per year mark, which confirmed that the systems and client experience we built were working.

Today, this business isn’t just my full-time career it’s a passion that’s allowed me to serve hundreds of clients and tell stories that matter. And with the success of the media company, I’ve also been able to branch out into new ventures, including Viceroy, a business focused on providing products and services to government agencies at the state and federal level.

Looking back, starting as a side hustle gave me time to learn, grow, and make mistakes without the pressure of going all in too soon. But the decision to take it full time and build it into something meaningful has been one of the most rewarding choices of my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ccphotovideo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.c.photovideo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalebCobosPhotoandvideo/

Image Credits

C.C. Photo & Video