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

Hi Stephanie, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
I have two favorite quotes right now from the book Atomic Habits by James Clear: “Be more concerned with your trajectory than with your current results,” and “It is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”

I find these quotes inspiring because they remind me to focus on progress rather than perfection which, in a sense, is giving myself permission to share my creativity at any stage and level. Like so many others, I can sometimes be paralyzed with the desire to have the perfect idea, image, or process all figured out before taking action, but I try to remind myself that the goal is simply to keep moving forward. Then suddenly all of my art is worthy to be shared, and it is all “right” right now, as it is part of the larger creative journey.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have worked in the Brand Photography industry for 3 years now. Having been a photography hobbyist since high school, I actually didn’t know what brand photography was, or that it’d be the niche I wanted to grow in. In 2021, I was looking for purpose and fulfillment outside of my office job and responsibilities at home. I finally had the courage to pursue photography professionally and launched my LLC, Stephanie Estrella Creative Works, in the summertime. By the end of the year, I’d shot three types of jobs, including a branding session, and the rest is history.

These days I utilize an organizational process that guides the client and I through identifying their current brand objectives, who their target audience is, and how they want to use the resulting visuals. All of this is accomplished in a quick video call and adapted into a custom printable guide for the day of the photo shoot, complete with visual examples of key shots, prop lists, and location specifics. It has revolutionized how my Brand shoots flow and increased the value of the product delivered to the clients.

My first year accepting paying clients was exciting and terrifying! I am forever grateful to those first few and for the practical, technical, and business-based lessons I was able to learn. My biggest challenge was and is getting out of my head and trusting my creative intuition. One way I combat this is with continued learning and exploration. Dedicating time to shoot and experiment with concepts or styles in-between client work help me sharpen my skills and stay tapped into the creative flow. Planning may get any job done well, but having confidence in my technical skills allows me to multitask with creating more interesting compositions while shooting. The fun part is that there will always be something new to learn and incorporate next time!

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.
Some of my favorite spots include:

U.S. Egg
d’Lite
Jasmine Jo
Sesame Donuts
Morton’s steakhouse
The Gilbert Farmer’s market
Low Key Piano Bar
Sweet Republic
Tempe Town Lake
Rooftop Lounge at the Westin
BlackSheep Wine Bar

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d love to recognize all of my friends and family who encouraged me to pursue photography seriously, and for their ongoing support, referrals and check-ins since I began this endeavor.

A special shoutout must go to my husband, William. He has been a huge believer in my creative voice and perspective since we met, and my impassioned supporter in the business from the word go. I value his contributions as a sounding board and subject matter expert greatly. And I love that he pushes me to dream bigger!

Website: https://stephanieestrella-az.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/stephanieestrellaaz

Facebook: Facebook.com/stephanieestrellaaz

Image Credits
Stephanie Estrella AZ for Katherine Cheadle; Yoga2Me; Boobie Juice; Ambassador Sunglasses; Pure Bliss Esthetics; Curt Hills

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.