We recently connected with Valeria Cavazos and have shared our conversation below.
Valeria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
I believe that when starting a business, the name is something that is carefully considered because it represents who your company is and what it stands for. It took me a while to decide on a name; I changed it at least three times before settling on the one I have today. I chose Valeria Grace Photo because Valeria is obviously my name, but Grace is a name that I cherish and hold dearly to my heart. Grace was my sister’s name, who passed away in 2001. I knew I wanted her to be a part of my small business, so Valeria Grace Photo was born.
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?
I was always fascinated by cameras and photographing my memories as a child. My parents gave me a point-and-shoot camera when I was in middle school, and I loved it. They “upgraded” me to a Nikon COOLPIX B500 Digital Camera for Christmas in 2011, and the idea of becoming a photographer blossomed there from doing small photoshoots with my cousins and friends. I invested in my hobby in college by purchasing a Sony a5100 on eBay; it was the best decision I ever made. During the summer of 2018, I traveled to Europe with my camera to document my study abroad experience and all of the beautiful architecture there, and as cliche as it sounds – just like in the movies – my travels truly inspired me. When I returned home, I decided to pursue my passion for photography as a business, and I haven’t looked back since.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I believe that at first, just like everyone who is starting a business, they want to advertise it and put it out there. I was just posting to get my business name out there and have people see my work. It wasn’t until many months later that I realized I needed to change my marketing strategies if I wanted to build clientele beyond my family and friends. I began to invest in photography workshops, courses, and styled shooting. Investing in yourself is crucial! I’ve definitely seen an improvement in my social media presence and bookings.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
There were times when I didn’t feel like I was making any progress, or when I was insecure about myself and developed imposter syndrome by constantly comparing myself to other photographers. I wanted to completely give up photography as a business. Throughout my photography journey, my husband has been my biggest supporter, seeing me on both good and bad days. He always believed in me, even when I didn’t at times, a couple years ago he gave me a new camera for Christmas as a reminder to keep going. He definitely knew what he was doing, because it worked! Having a good support system behind your business is important. When I doubted myself, he would literally snap me out of it and push me to keep going. It’s been a difficult journey to believe in myself, but I’ve realized that when someone books with me, it’s because they believe in my work, and I should give myself more credit because I’m the creator and the girl behind the lens. I am truly proud of how far I’ve come and of my work!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://valeriagracephoto.mypixieset.com
- Instagram: @valeriagracephoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valeriagracephoto
Image Credits
Valeria Grace Photo