Today we’d like to introduce you to Cia Gould.
Hi Cia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
While working for an architect in Palo Alto in 2005, I was asked to start taking photos of finished custom home projects. I loved photographing homes so much that I decided to take a photography class. I continued to learn after that class without a mentor. I did have enough photos to submit my portfolio to Airbnb in 2012 and used their listings as practice. I photographed homes every weekend and practiced as much as I could to really build up my interior photo skills.
I left the desk job I had with the architect in 2016 to work as a freelance interior photographer. I started to photograph real estate and eventually decided that was not the environment I wanted to be in. I started to transition to Interior Design photography. After freelancing for two years I worked as a Photo Editor at Airbnb. I had come full circle with that Airbnb and had a great experience. After I left Airbnb in 2020 I went back to freelance photography for portraiture. After the pandemic, I needed a bit more stability and now work as a Studio Manager and Photographer in Oakland, CA.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Transitioning from a full-time job into freelance work was very scary and challenging. It’s hard to budget when you don’t know when your next job will come along. Eventually, I got used to it and it was very freeing.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in photographing interiors and have had the opportunity to work with some really great architects and interior designers. I’ve also been featured in some publications, but nothing can compare to being able to see my work on the client’s website. I love to shoot portraits of black women because it helps me express my love for my culture and community. The images represent their realities and allow them to shine in their own light.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Find a photo community you can learn from and get constructive feedback from. Also, just shoot and practice. We all need to start somewhere and the only way to improve is to keep shooting.
Pricing:
- Golden Hour Portrait Session $500
- In-home Portrait Session $700
- Interior Half-Day $1000
- Interior Full-Day $1850
Contact Info:
- Website: ciagould.com
- Instagram: ciagouldstudio
Image Credits:
Cia Gould
