Meet Sonja Stafford

We recently connected with Sonja Stafford and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sonja, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I lost my parents at a young age. My mother at 12 and my father at 30. One thing I learn from both of them was strong work ethic and how to work hard. My mother was immigrant from Panama she was both a home-maker and worked various jobs at our local military post and my father was in the US Army served as a helicopter mechanic.

At the age of 14 I got a special work permit that allowed me to get a job at the local Subway and I worked hard for others until I was 25 years old when I was publicly discriminated and humiliated in front of many patrons at a bank I worked at. I was living in a new town and I had started a new job as a teller, within a month I was promoted to lead teller. My fiance’ and I at the time discovered we were pregnant and frequent bathroom breaks became more common and during a busy spurt at the bank I had to use the bathroom and shut down my window causing the line to grow. The branch supervisor at the time decided to announce in an obnoxious voice that the pregnant lady had to use the restroom and sounded frustrated and in a mocking tone.

After that I resigned from the job and decided to take the plunge and be a photographer and venture off as an entrepreneur. To be a business owner you must value and posses strong worth ethnic because you have to show up every day and all day for yourself.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m Sonja Stafford, the portrait artist behind Sonja Stafford Photography in Mesa, Arizona. I specialize in creating timeless, editorial-style portraits that celebrate confidence, beauty, and personal transformation. My work centers on empowering women to see themselves the way the world already does- radiant, powerful, and worthy of being seen.

Over the years, I’ve evolved from wedding photography into more expansive style that blends glamour, fashion, and fine-art portraiture. My goal is to give every client an experience that feels cinematic- whether its a a maternity session that captures the quiet strength of motherhood, a branding shoot that elevates a professional image, or an heirloom portrait designed-to be treasured for decades.

What makes my brand special is the intentionality behind ever detail- from custom-styled sets and luxury wardrobe options to editorial lighting inspired by Vanity Fair and Vogue. Ever portrait session is about more than photographs; it’s about helping someone reconnect with their own confidence and story.

Currently, I’m expanding my studio offering to include personal branding and fashion-inspired editorial experiences, as well as limited- edition seasonal portrait events that bring families together in a modern, artful way. Each image is created with legacy in mind- something your future self and loved ones will cherish.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, the three most impactful qualities have been resilience, creativity, and connection.

Resilience taught me to keep building even when things felt uncertain- especially in the early days when I was figuring out my voice as an artist and as a business owner. The creative industry isn’t linear; learning to adapt, pivot, and keep going is essential, My advice; don’t wait for perfect conditions- start with what you have and refine along the way.

Creativity has been my foundation. It’s not just taking beautiful photos, but about storytelling- creating experiences that make people feel something. For those starting out, feed your creativity daily: observe light, art, fashion and human emotion. Inspiration is everywhere if you stay curious.

And finally, connection- both with clients and community has been everything. The ability to make someone feel seen and valued transforms a portrait session into something unforgettable. Build your business around genuine relationships, not transactions, and success will follow naturally,

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

Serving others- helping those in need in any way that I can. Loving those close to me and making memories minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day and so on and making sure to capture it on film whether it be a phone picture or with my professional camera.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sonjastafford.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonjastaffordphotographer
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonjastaffordphotography