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

Hi Arianna, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The thought of being a photographer was stuck in the back of my mind for years before I started my business, but ultimately my love of photography isn’t the reason I made the jump. In all honesty – I just felt trapped. Working for other people always meant a routine with little opportunity for innovation, for creativity, for any of the things that are required to be passionate about your work. It’s a type of limitation that I believe exists even within creative careers like photography. I am constantly pushing myself to break out of that cage, try new things, and improve upon my work. Running my own business allows me the freedom to fuel the passion that makes any type of art good. 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s easy to show up to a wedding with the mindset that you have a certain list of shots you need to get before the end of the night. Showing up and immersing yourself in the small, quiet moments as well as the big, loud ones is much more fulfilling. Over my time as a wedding photographer, I’ve been taught time and time again that the photos really don’t matter if the memory behind them doesn’t hold any emotion. It’s easier to just place a couple in a routine pose, but the photo I take of a candid moment is going to mean more. Being completely present has been the most valuable skill I’ve learned as a photographer. I want my photos to be pretty of course, but I want them to be emotion-filled more. My clients want to look at their wedding photos over and over again for the nostalgia they hold, not just for the aesthetic.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
ROAD TRIP! I’m not originally from Arizona, so one of the best things about being an intimate wedding and elopement photographer here has been getting to explore every corner of this beautiful state. Arizona is DIVERSE. Some of the must-see spots would include Sedona, Horseshoe Bend, the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, and a hidden swimming hole underneath a waterfall near Strawberry! In between hiking we’d fuel up with trips to local eateries and breweries. Some of my favorite places are Historic Brewing and Bottle House in Flagstaff and Loco Patron Brewery in Scottsdale.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe so much of my success to my clients. They trust me (and pay me) to document some of their most emotional moments. When a client responds to their photos with pure excitement about the memories I was able to capture, it inspires me. Being able to create nostalgia, to make a memory physical and place it in someone’s hands, is a magical thing.

Website: https://windandskyphotography.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/windandskyphoto/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/windandskyphoto
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP-FKe8TyLuy4f5jxKBIXdg

Image Credits
Wind and Sky Photography, LLC

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