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

Alright, Cambria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

I think that many wedding photographers brand themselves as “documentary”, “unposed”, “authentic”, etc. And I do think that the intention is there to do so! But, time and time again, they show up to a session or wedding with the same list of poses in the back of their mind. And even though its not quite so stuffy and traditional, there is still a fair amount of “posing” going on. My approach goes a step further than keeping it laid back–I truly get to know my couples before and during their time with me. Instead of being obsessed with doing anything Pinterest worthy, I lean into that time of it being just the two of them and ask them really intentional questions. What was your first impression of her when you met? What are you most excited for when you think about the future? Plus millions of others that just come up in honest conversation with the two people in front of you. I think that we make people our little projects for whatever day we’re at work instead of appreciating that they have a story that we are supposed to communicate through photographs.

Cambria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a California wedding & elopement photographer based in the OC/LA area. I am a born and raised Californian who happened to go to the Midwest for college and that is how a huge chunk of my story began. In high school, I really didn’t feel a strong direction with what to study or what to do with my life, but I had always been very artistically inclined. I painted and took photos almost constantly! But I didn’t know anyone who had that as their career, so that wasn’t even a possibility in my mind. Fast forward through my Sophomore year of college: I was studying graphic design and really not happy. I gave it 2 years and I couldn’t picture doing this as my every day any longer. So, I took a semester off, which turned into me dropping out completely. Out of desperation, basically, I agreed when one of my friends offered for me to photograph her wedding day. I had spent those years in Iowa carrying my camera everywhere, viewing it as my hobby, but it wasn’t until that first offer came my way that I thought I could maybe make my biggest love my full time job! They paid me to shoot their wedding (and they shouldn’t have, which makes it that much kinder), and I was hooked. I decided that I’d give it my all and try to become a wedding photographer, mostly because I had nothing to lose! Nearly 10 years later, it’s still the dream job I stumbled into.

My approach is very much focused on my couples, who they are, and communicating that through photographs. You won’t find any stuffy poses on my Instagram–just genuine love and honestly, a ton of fun. I can say confidently that many of my couples are friends of mine years later, asking me to document more milestones for them past their wedding. The biggest compliment ever! I think what sets me apart is my appreciation for how a moment feels and being able to translate it to the other side, hopefully freezing it to look back on forever and ever. I photograph moments and the people feeling them, rather than doing whatever is trendy right now. It’s what I’m truly most proud of when I think about all that I’ve done!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

With wedding photography in particular, there are always new workshops or styled shoot days or things of the sort. I think that early on I jumped into one too many workshops where the people running things had no idea what they were doin. To be fair, everyone has to do something for the first time and work out the kinks, so there is a level of empathy there. But my biggest encouragement would be to do a TON of research, read reviews, ask former attendees, do whatever you can to feel out if that workshop weekend is really going to benefit you.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For sure the relationships I’ve built with my couples. I still talk to so many of them, even go on double dates or see them regularly! It’s seriously such a gift. I can’t think of another job where its so natural to become good friends with your “clients”. And on top of that, its people who value my medium of art and are so supportive when it comes to their wedding day–always wanting my creative direction and being down for any weird ideas I have.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cambriashelleyphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/cambriashelley

Image Credits
Cambria Shelley Photography