Meet Sterling Chavez | Photographer

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

Hi Sterling, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I grew up in a low income household. My mom and older brother always did the best they could to pay the bills and put food on the table, but there wasn’t a lot of extra money for things like photos. During the span of my senior year, my mom had struggled to find a way to ensure that I would be able to have my senior pictures taken. After a few months, my mom was able to put together enough money to hire a photographer for my photos. This had a huge impact on me when it came to starting my business; I decided that I wanted to be an affordable option for everyone. I believe in the client experience and helping others in any way I can.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always had an interest in photography, but it wasn’t until I purchased my first camera back in 2019 that I found a real passion for it. I started taking photos for family and friends, posting my work on my personal Facebook page when an old friend from high school had reached out, asking me to take her senior pictures. From there I continued booking other clients and discovered a real love for taking photos and making others feel their best. I knew it was a feeling I wanted to hold on to.

I believe what sets me apart from other photographers is the client experience. When booking with me, I do my best to ensure my clients are completely prepared and comfortable from the booking process to receiving their photos. I provide suggestions when needed, helpful guides, questionnaires, etc. to help me give my clients an amazing experience. Your photos shouldn’t feel stiff and boring, they should be adventurous and personalized. During each session, my goal is to tell a story through photographs. I often get to know my clients before and during their session to help them feel comfortable, which produces raw emotion, making for amazing candid photos. I want my clients to look back at their photos twenty years from now and remember how they felt at that exact moment in time and for it to feel nostalgic and magical. I want to capture memories that will last a
lifetime.

So far the biggest obstacle I’ve faced since starting my business is work-life balance. Along with my photography business I work graveyard shifts full time at our local hospital, making it fairly difficult to manage my time. Luckily I have a great boss who works with my schedule and helps make things easier on my end. I do currently struggle quite a bit with knowing when to stop working. I find it difficult to take time away from photography, whether it’s thinking of the next session, planning for future content days, or thinking of all the sessions I still need to edit and send out, I’m always planning for what’s next. This can make it difficult at times for me to take time away and enjoy myself.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had a friend visiting, the first place I’d take them is on a hike to Vogel Canyon and make a whole day of it. I love being outdoors, and the views there are phenomenal! During their time here, I’d be sure to take them out to eat and get some coffee at The Barista. From there we’d go to my in-law’s house for some great food, great music, and good vibes. We’d definitely find time to go to our local bowling alley, Eagle Lanes with other friends and have a good time! I’d definitely have to introduce them to Lucy’s Tacos, the best Mexican food truck in town! We might even take a trip to Pueblo or Colorado Springs to go shopping and hang out.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Sally Chavez (Mom) & Bill Moyer (Dad) – for always supporting my dreams

Abraham Piña (fiancé) – for pushing me to always be my best and supporting me along the way

Crystal Lindt (friend) – for pushing me to start my business and believing in me

Rashel Chavez (niece/assistant) – for helping me along the way

Website: https://chavezphotographyllc.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/_chavez_photography?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chavez.photography1?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_chavez_photography?_t=8YrZDLhsjt8&_r=1

Image Credits
Queenie S. Lito