We had the good fortune of connecting with Desiree Bustos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Desiree, what do you attribute your success to?
I think the most important factor behind my success and the success in my brand is making connections and building relationships with my clients. Most of my clients over the past 10 years have become more then just people I take pictures of, but have become very close friends of mine. I have watched some of my client go from graduating high school to getting married and starting a family and I was there to capture all of it. I believe it is very important to get to know and make connections with my clients because they are entrusting in me to capture such important moments in their lives not only for them but for their family and friends to look back at years and years from now. With making these connections I am able to create a playful, fun and stress free environment during their photoshoot that way when they look back at them they can really remember the moment and how they felt in that moment in time.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
At the age of 14 I began my photography journey. One simple photography class sparked my passion and I have been in love with it since. I started by taking photos for the school yearbook and that turned into portraits for local senior students. My junior year of high school was when I began doing photography competitively for the school . Within that year, I shot my first wedding and started taking family photos. After high school I got a full time job in the mortgage industry and kept doing photography as a hobby during the weekends. In April of 2022 I took the leap of faith and started to do photography as a full time job which was terrifying, but here we are 2 years later and I couldn’t be happier. I am a five time 1st place holder at the Arizona State Fair in multiple categories. I was also published in Retro Lovely Magazine 2022 & 2023 Halloween Editions. In addition to that, I have had multiple photos featured in The Tubac Center of the Arts and won 1st place for my portrait in the 2023 SAACA Oro Valley Photography Contest. I recently learned it is ok to say no to projects that I may not be passionate about and it is ok to have a day off. Doing all this by the age of 26 has not been easy and I have sacrificed a lot of my personal life to build my brand, but it has been worth every minute.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting for a week and I had to take to some of my favorite spots you can’t come to Tucson and not get a Sonoran dog so first stop is BK’s, Taqueria La Esquina, Bison Witches and Ermanos are also of my other favorite spots for some good drinks and food. To hang out we would go to Gates Pass to view the sunset because an Arizona sunset over looking the desert is perfect. We would also go to Agua Caliente Park, Mercado San Agustin and of course a stroll down 4th ave.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I owe my success to a few people first my high school photography teacher Rachael Pemble. Without Rachael I would have never started my photography career she not only taught me photography and all the fundamentals behind it, but really allowed me to be creative and has been supportive since day one. She made a space that was fun, engaging, and made you excited to learn and come to school. We still keep in contact to this day as she follows my journey.

Second would be my parents Daniel and Denise Bustos. My parents are my biggest cheerleaders and have always pushed me to be the best version of myself and have always believed in me and my photography. Not only that, but when I come up with a concept/ idea no matter how crazy they have helped me bring my vision to life, typically my dad building something for it and my mom a fellow creative is normally helping me style and finalize props and decor. They are also my adventure buddies when I want to go check out a new spot for photos whether it is down the street or out of state they tag along for the ride. Not to mention when you walk into my dads office at work all his decor are prints of my photography, it is like my own personal gallery.

Lastly are my clients. When I took the jump 2 years ago to make photography my full time job the amount of support I got from them when I made the announcement is why I know I made the right choice. These people have become more then just clients to me most have become friends and I thank them everyday not only for supporting me but allowing me to be apart of their lives and create forever memories for them.

Website: www.desireebustosphotography.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/desireebustosphotography

Facebook: www.facebook.com/desireebustosphotography

Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/desiree-bustos-photography-tucson

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