We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cynthia Viola. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cynthia below.
Cynthia, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Definitely my dad. He instilled in me very young that you can do anything in life as long as you’re willing to work hard. He was a mechanic and ran a tow truck at night. I was babysitting and mowing lawns for neighbors at 12, then started working in the restaurant where my mom worked at 14. I kept that job for eight years (hosting, waiting tables, bartending and eventually GM). When I eventually found photography I poured everything into it while still maintaining a side hustle bartending until photography could support me full time. Now, 18 years into the wedding industry I continue to pour everything I have into every wedding while my “side hustles” continue with family portraits and boudoir photography during the week.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I feel incredibly blessed to have the career I have. I absolutely enjoy every second of working with couples and families to produce something meaningful they will cherish for the rest of their lives. I have been working with most of my clients for several years. After I shoot their wedding I often continue capturing their lives as their families grow and often find myself overwhelmed with gratitude with they send me photos of their walls filled with photos I’ve captured over the past 10-15 years.
An added bonus of this lifestyle is it affords me the opportunity to travel regularly. I’ve captured clients in Thailand, Costa Rica, Colombia, Hawaii, all over the states, the Philippines and Mexico. I adore traveling and love that my clients are willing to work with my demanding schedule to squeeze in a shoot wherever they can.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Outside of my dad’s voice always in the back of my head to work hard and keep pushing for the life I want, nailing my workflow has been my greatest asset. I took a few online courses from other photographers in the beginning on how to speed up the editing process and it has changed everything. I still do 100% of my editing myself and refuse to outsource it as it is just as important to the creative process as snapping the photo. However, most photographers deliver their weddings in 6-8 weeks with some taking several months and this is not sustainable with the amount of weddings I capture each year. Honing in the skills required to work more efficiently, and the discipline required to prepare everything required during the off season has allowed me to guarantee every wedding delivered in 2 weeks, while still surprising them with a one week delivery. Finally, my background in psychology gives me a unique ability to serve my clients in more meaningful ways when the stress of the day threatens to break them.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal clients are always adventurers. I’m an avid backpacker and love to explore new places. My more adventurous clients are the ones who want to travel to fun destinations, hike in their wedding clothes to get the photo at the top of the mountain, hop in a canoe for that epic shot or jump in the ocean for more carefree, playful shots. This summer I’ll be backpacking and camping with one such couple and their closest friends to get the photos at their favorite peak for the ceremony and also the late night bonfire and full moon photos they desire.
These types of clients are usually very easy going and don’t fret so much about all the little details. They want to be fully present in the moment and trust me to handle the memories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cynthiaviola.com
- Instagram: @cynthiajviola
Image Credits
Photo of myself in the canoe is Aja White with Aja White Photography.
Other photos are my own.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
