We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ciana Shaeffer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ciana, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
“How do you keep creativity alive?” is probably one of the most subjective and multifaceted questions a person can ask someone in any creative space, which is why I really resonate with it. You see, I believe that creativity never really dies. Sure, sometimes the wells of inspiration run dry leaving you have to look elsewhere for it, but it’s never truly gone. Actually, I’d argue that this is a vital part to continuing to live in the creative cycle. For me, the earth has always been my greatest muse – all of my best ideas, epiphanies, and my creative capacities have come from the earth and elements in some form. The natural world is where I know I can always reconnect with myself, find the answers I’m looking for, and just process the weight of the world we live in today. With some luck and good fortune, but mostly hard work, I’ve been able to cultivate a blended personal and professional lifestyle where creativity seems to constantly renew and replenish itself. I’ve kind of manifested this trifecta of travel, storytelling, and culture in conjunction with the outdoor spaces I’m privileged enough to work in, to be an ever-evolving, forever deepening pool of creativity. This pool is a boundless creative source built from my own real world experiences, the exchanges I’ve shared with the people I am so honored to work with, heartfelt conversations I’ve had across the globe, and the pockets of my life that have had the greatest impact on my personal trajectory. Creativity surrounds us everyday, we just have to learn how to recognize it, even if it shows up in unconventional ways.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In a single sentence, I’m a destination wedding and elopement photographer. But in reality, I’m much more than that. I provide digital and film wedding and elopement photography for experience-driven and adventurous couples around the world. Outside of the photography aspect, I help my eloping couples curate once-in-a-lifetime experiences, from start to finish, that transcends the traditional way of getting married. I encourage each of the couples I work with to find the beauty in the unconventional, while showing them that what they want is possible, regardless of what society has conditioned them to believe. I think the most important, and by far the most special, part of what I do is documenting people for who they are in a way that allows them to recognize the significance of their stories. I want to help my couples live experiences they’ll be talking about, and reminiscing on, for ages. You know, the kind of stories they’ll share around a dinner table full of friends and family, or the ones they’ll share with strangers passing by. I want them to find a liberation in intentionally choosing how they want to enter this next season of life together, a celebration conducted on their own terms that fills their cup tenfold. Our stories connect us in more ways than one, which I’d have to imagine is why storytelling has been cemented into human history since the dawn of time. It’s an art that I know will never dwindle, and one I hope to master through each wedding and elopement I am so fortunate to be a part of.
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?
I think being able to observe, and really just listen to people without letting judgement or preconceived notions get in the way, has been the biggest asset in the way I show up and serve my clients. I don’t think I would be able to do this job, or run this business, without prioritizing my ability to perform these skills in a genuine and adaptable manner. These things are paramount when you’re working with people on such a personal, and an often incredibly vulnerable, level. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I believe that in order to be a great storyteller, you must understand that judgement will hinder your ability to create honestly, but an open mind and open heart will bring you new strides of creative freedom.
Aside from those things, I think being tenacious and innovative have taken me far. Without these qualities, I don’t think I would have had access to even half of the opportunities I’ve gotten to be a part of. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart, it’s a tough road to travel. There were, (and still are), so many obstacles I’ve had to overcome – isolation, troubleshooting, misguided ambitions, critics, financial strain, and more – but I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all over again. My advice to people who are still in the early stages of their journey is, as cliche as it sounds, to never give up. When one thing isn’t working, be flexible and pivot. Learn from every part of the process, especially the parts where you met failure. While the validation from others around you is nice, you don’t need it and you certainly shouldn’t rely on it. Take risks, invest in yourself, and dream big, but act bigger.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My partner, Ryan, has been monumental in the progression of my success, as well as our truly wonderful community of entrepreneurial friends. Ryan has invested in me in ways that I will be eternally grateful for – he’s dedicated so much of his time, energy, and resources into helping me grow into who I am today, professionally and personally. Together, we’ve become a team that rivals any challenge or conflict with confidence. With his help and our combined knowledge, we’ve been able to build an extraordinary client experience and scale the foundation of this business into something we are both wildly proud of. He’s my sounding board when I have to abruptly learn a new skill, talk through dilemmas or uncertainties, and organize the logistics of new projects near and far. We get to curate these bucket list-level experiences for the people we meet, while checking off our own and working towards the kind of lifestyle we can flourish in together. I wish everyone could have a Ryan in their corner because I wholeheartedly believe the world would be a better place. But for now, I’ll just have to share mine with everyone we meet along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wildelements.photography
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildelementsphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildelementsphotography
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/wildelementsphotography
Image Credits
Wild Elements Photography
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