Meet Georen Goodyear | Arizona Wedding Photographer (Instagram: @loveendures.photo)

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

Hi Georen, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Originally, I went to college and got a bachelors degree in elementary education from Grand Canyon University. However, as I was going through my student teaching I very quickly realised that wasn’t the job for me. After graduating, In the search for what was next I hopped around to a couple of different jobs including nannying, Starbucks Shift Supervisor, working in ministry at my church for two years, etc. I started my business in 2020 (yes, during a global pandemic. yes, i am absolutely wild for that) because there was nothing else I felt more passionate about than photography. In my business, I mainly focus on weddings and couples BUT if you pay me to have a camera in my hand + capture the moments for you, I am there. I have done all kinds of projects such as families, portraits, couples, engagements, senior sessions, business headshots, events, and was even a personal photographer for a doctor (I got to travel around the country with him and capture him at conferences and things).

Photography is not just my profession; it is my passion and creative outlet. Light is my constant muse. I am fascinated by the way it shapes and transforms a scene, adding depth, drama, and a touch of magic. I embrace natural light whenever possible, as it infuses my images with a timeless and organic quality. It is an honor to be entrusted with capturing life’s most precious moments, and I approach each opportunity with dedication, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional images. I have been taking pictures/ videos of everything and capturing moments for as long as I remember. I was always so fascinated with how you could capture a moment in time. It just screams this moment is worthy of being captured and nostalgia and feeling and the time has passed and the seasons have changed.

I believe that every moment, every person, and every story is unique and deserving of being beautifully captured. As a photographer, I strive to go beyond simply taking pictures and instead aim to create meaningful and authentic images that evoke emotions and preserve memories. My approach to photography is rooted in genuine connections and a deep understanding of my clients. I take the time to listen to their stories, understand their vision, and discover what makes them special. This enables me to capture their true essence and tell their story through my lens.

I believe in the power of storytelling through images. Each photograph has the ability to convey emotions, evoke nostalgia, and transport us back to cherished moments. I seek to capture not only the big moments, but also the fleeting glances, the tender gestures, and the in-between moments that often go unnoticed. It is in these details that the true beauty and authenticity of a story emerge. It is through this collaborative process that we create images that are not only visually stunning but also deeply personal and meaningful.

There is absolutely NOTHING that excites me more than creating timeless and meaningful images for people to look back on and get to celebrate the beauty of life’s fleeting moments along side of them. You couldn’t pay me to stop capturing people’s memories.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business isn’t the first time I have built something from the ground up. I think this not only sets me apart BUT it is also something that I am proud of. As a person, I have built my whole life from the ground up. I started taking care of myself when I was 12 years old, bought myself food and school supplies and clothes. I would literally clean random people’s houses and pull the neighbors weeds in their front yard just to make some extra money to afford those things. Fast forward, I was the first in my family to graduate high school and then college. First to have a relationship with God. First to break generational curses of poverty and abuse in my family. I have starved, I have lived in my car, I have been in a place where I had to scrape up every cent to survive. And still, I put myself through college and graduated and STARTED A FREAKING BUSINESS and am successful. I was a statistic that beat all odds. I often tell people that they will never understand the violence it took to become this gentle of a person. I have never, ever been afraid of hard work or taking risks because I have had to do it my whole life. And this was no different in my business and IN FACT I think this makes me appreciate every dollar, client, and memory that I get to capture even more so because of it.

Business wise, to get where I am at now, it was not easy but completely worth all of the hard work. As a mentor to other photographers now I often say, “sometimes you work your 9-5 so you can work your 5-10 and live your dreams of being a full time photographer.” That is because this was my story. I started out with charging clients $25 per session just to put some “paid experience” under my belt and to call myself a professional. In the midst of building my business up, I worked a full time job and then a worked full time on growing my business too. I feel like this is something most people don’t talk about or are even embarrassed to admit. Yes, I worked a full time job aside from my photography business for a while so that I could actually do what I was passionate about and still put food on my table. That didn’t make me any less of a photographer. Again, it made me better and appreciate all of my clients even more so. I have busted my butt off for this business and it has been so fruitful because of it. When it came to overcoming these challenges, I had to continue to remind myself that everyone’s success looks different. You can not quit your day job AND not give up on your dream. You can do both, You can slave. The success will come. The hard work will bear fruit.

If the world could know me and my story, I would want them to know that I love the Lord first and foremost. I am a daughter of God, wife, friend, and entrepreneur. In that order. I want to be seen and known as a person who has a deep love for people first, and photography second. I want to be known as the photographer who became best friends with all of her clients because I cared about the person first and their memories second. I want to be known as the photographer who always pushed other businesses forward and was a good mentor and friend and supporter to those just starting out! I would want the world to know that there is beauty in life’s fleeting moments and every moment, every person, and every story is unique and deserving of being beautifully captured.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
List of my favorite spots:
– Buffalo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse: I love to country swing dance and so I love to go here for the live music and dancing. They also have bull riding and a rodeo as well. So so fun!
– OHSO Brewery: One of my favortie spots to drink a beer with my husband and have a dang good burger
– Superstition Mountains: One of my favorite places to sight see, hike, and use as a background for photos
– Desert Botanical Garden: a good spot to see all of the different desert plants
– Salt River Tubing: love floating down the river in a tube! Such a beautiful spot to do it
– Scottsdale Quarter: I am a big shopping girly lol. I spend a lot of time here. Lots of shops and cool places to eat.
– Sedona: Any hike here is absolutely breathtaking
– The Ostrich: a cute little speakeasy place with yummy drinks

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh my goodness, who do I NOT shoutout! First and foremost, I want to thank God. I recognize that all of my passions and talents come from him and are used for Him. Everything that I have is from God and is completely right for me and my brand. All of my crowns of success in my business are His.

A special thanks to Chloe + Zac, Stevie + Evan and Lisajane, the first three people the believe in my dream of becoming a full time photographer AND paying me for my services.

Thank you to Sarah + Seth, the first couple who paid me to capture their sweet wedding day. I will never EVER forget you.

Thank you to Amy Wright, the closer, the most amazing and wise business woman that I know. She is always my go to when it comes to anything business related and I am absolutely blessed by her wisdom and guidance.

Shout out to The Shephards Photo (Instagram: @theshepahrdsphoto). I cannot thank Aslan + Andria enough. These two were my dream photographers for my wedding day and my own inspiration when it came to photography. I hired them to shoot my wedding, and shortly after I started second shooting for them. Through that they then became my first mentor photographers. Now I consider them friends and colleagues. I never took a moment of the time I got to spend with them for granted and will forever be thankful for their support, encouragement, advice, hard questions, critiques, guidance, and for giving away some of their precious time to push me forward. Knowing them has pushed my photography business so far and has ultimately made me a better photographer.

Shoutout to Tammy, who is the God-fearing mama I never had. You have supported all of my crazy dreams and visions beyond measure + I could not have even fathomed up a blessing like you in my life. Thank you for being the first of many to cheer me on, coming to wedding shows/open houses with me, helping me with all of my projects and helping me go bigger and do everything with excellence.

A huge shoutout to my instagram followers. I know this may be a weird one but there is currently 3,192 of you. To most people, that doesn’t seem like much BUT I look at each and every single one of you as a PERSON and someone who supports me as a business owner + an artist. I would rather have a community who has my back, loves me and my work, trusts me to capture their memories, and supports me rather than having a ton of random followers.

And the BIGGEST shoutout to my sweet husband, James Goodyear, for being my absolute biggest supporter and cheerleader. Having a loving, supportive and sacrificial husband has been one of the key factors in my life and in the success of my business.

Website: https://www.loveenduresphoto.com

Instagram: @loveendures.photo

Other: Pintrest: @loveenduresphoto
Google: Love Endures Photo by Georen

Image Credits
Love Endures Photo