Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Contois.
Sydney, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I was a little girl, I had an obsession for pictures and videos. My friends would come over and we’d play dress up and I’d pretend to be a Vogue Magazine Photographer and take glamour shots. When I was younger, all we had was the little film throw away cameras. You’d have to wait days to develop and get back. I drove my Mom crazy impatiently waiting for her to pick up the prints.
We also used to put together fake News casting segments to record on the big bulky camcorders. I’m sure I drove my Mom crazy but little did she know that all the dress up and playtime with photography & video would lead me into a full-time Career of being a Photographer & Videographer. I got to high school and we had to choose elective courses. Out of all the courses they offered, I picked every video & photography class they had.
Put it this way, I excelled the most in those classes than any other class in school. I’ve always had a love and passion for photography and mostly for people. The two definitely go hand in hand. It wasn’t until my mid-twenties when my first son was born. Barron was the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to me and having him ignited my passion and love for photography even more! During this time of my life, I worked as a server part-time at night. My husband would get off of work and Id go into work. On the side, I’d have friends and family asking if id their family photos or headshots for work.
One day My Husband asked me if I wanted to go back to school and if we’re being honest here the only subject I truly enjoyed or excelled in was Photography. So with no hesitation, I laughed and said there’s no way id last a few months lol. Then came the most important question id ever be asked in the career aspect of my life, “Why don’t you start a photography business?” My response to him was, “I don’t know how to run a business!” With fear and hesitation, I went out of my comfort zone and decided its definitely something I wanna try.
I already was taking photos for Family and Friends so why not? My Husband had the utmost faith in me and invested everything we had (at the time it wasn’t much ) and invested in good equipment for me. One day I opened the door after the birth of my Second son (Deegan) expecting a brand new stroller to only open a box full of Brand new professional-grade camera equipment. I already naturally had an eye and talent for photography but I wanted to be the best. Everything I know in my profession is a self-taught. I practiced constantly on my beautiful kids and watched numerous tutorials and read a ton of tips and tricks online to better my technique. I still worked part-time in the restaurant business and scheduled Photography sessions on my time off.
Flash forward ten years later and I currently have been running my Business successfully for ten years full time! I now have three beautiful children Barron (10) Deegan (7) and Kingsley (3), who are my favorite subjects. I went from doing shoots for family and friends to doing business for people all over the country. Iv passionately provided photos for Families for years watching their lives blossom and grow! I’ve gotten to capture moments in time for people to remember for the rest of their lives through my eyes and vision. I’ve learned it takes a lot of hard work, passion, drive and self-discipline. My job and career tho is something that I love second to my Family. It’s my happy place. It’s the one thing I can turn to when having a horrible day and it turns it around.
It also has given me the opportunity to be present as a Mom & Wife a lot more than most full-time careers would. My Mom & Dad would tell me growing up, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” So here I am, never working a day, enjoying my passion to the fullest. I recently added Videography to my services. Something I’ve always dabbled in for fun! I brought in my Best Friend, Natae Williams of 25 years to help assist me on this new adventure! Working with my Best Friend by my side and doing something I love is a dream come true! I couldn’t have done it without the love and support of my family and friends, but mostly from the love, support and faith in me that my Husband Pete has provided in our 11 years of marriage. And lastly, the support from my clients, the ones who come back to me time and time again and to my future ones who trust me with capturing their memories, they will get to keep forever!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Running a photography business isn’t always butterflies and golden skies. I spend sometimes 14 hours a day editing until my eyes burn, especially during season. People always see the easy part. You show up, you take photos and you go home. But they don’t realize how much time, work and dedication go into it behind closed doors. It’s a huge industry in Southern California with an insane amount of talented Photographers in which you’re always competing with. You always have to be on your toes with creativity and your own style! Sometimes photography has led me to some of the most tragic times in people’s lives like funerals and tragedy. Although it’s not always easy… its always worth it! It’s always worth it because it’s my passion, its what sets my soul on fire! It’s my creative outlet and its who I am.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m a Photographer & offer Videography with the help of my Best Friend, Natae Williams! I specialize in Family Portraits, Children’s Portraits, Weddings, Maternity and just about everything and anything I can challenge myself in. I’m known mostly for Weddings, Maternity & Family Portraits. I’m most proud of my success of course but in my heart, I’m most proud of the friendships I’ve built from running my business and longtime friends I’ve met through being a photographer!
My biggest compliment I get from clients is they love my creative eye and I think that sets me apart from others. I like to be thrown into an unknown location and just let my creativity go wild. I want the world to see things the way I do through my eyes. Anyone can take pictures but to capture emotion and feeling it takes passion and heart, and that’s what I have!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career is my passion becoming my Career!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.SYDNEYCONTOIS.com
- Phone: 7605016842
- Email: sydneycontois@gmail.com
- Instagram: @sydneycontoisphotovideo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SydneyContoisPhotography/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sydney-contois-photography-and-videography-palm-springs?osq=Sydney+contois+photography
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