Daily Inspiration: Meet Vault Of Ria

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vault Of Ria

Hi Vault of , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always been a creative as a child. I remember having my mom buy me a webcam camera and I placed it up the same night and started to record silly videos of myself and uploaded them online to friends and family. This is one of many memories I have of myself engaging in social media content and creativity as a child.

In the midst of that, I remember for my mom’s birthday party, I decided to take photos of the night on her phone. It grabbed my uncles attention, leading him to tell me “You’re really good! You can be a photographer one day.” Little did I know, his words would have a lasting effect on me.

Years later, the idea of that passed my mind. I entered into high school, and my older sister was having her senior photos taken by a well known photographer in our hometown, Milwaukee. During her photoshoot I would help her throughout with pose direction and outfit and hair alterations. The photographer turned to me in the middle of the photoshoot and said “You can be a photographer!” I smiled and laughed but never thought anything of it.

During my junior year of school, there was pressure coming from all sides encouraging the path of college. Yet, I didn’t have a desire to go. All I wanted to do was be in the creative industry. This led me into my journey of being a fashion stylist. I brought together some friends and my sister, and I styled them for a photoshoot I directed with a photographer in my area at the age of 17. During this time I was growing closer to Jesus, and although I was doing this fashion styling route, and it received pretty good feedback, I had this burden in prayer that felt as if God wasn’t calling me to be in that route at that time. I decided to drop it.

After this experience, I went to a thrift store with some friends and I found a film camera for about $3.00. It was a grail! I couldn’t believe it. I started taking photos of myself, family, and friends. This created a deeper love for photo. I started to learn all the film stocks, the cameras, and the art of photography. I started to share all the photos I took on an Instagram account. I began to gain traction from it, leading me to invest into better camera gear and working with models.

From that point forward, history was made. As I mentioned before, I was growing in my relationship with Jesus, and He started to grow a deeper revelation in me about photography. He started to reveal the gift of creativity within me. I have since then found my photography style which is fashion and editorial work. Within this discovery, I’ve photographed amazing clothing brands, composed and published my own photo book, produced and creative directed photoshoots, travelled
to places like New York for New York Fashion Week, and moved from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to sunny California.

I now see the sovereignty and hand of God as I dropped the initial route of fashion styling and where it has now led me into photography. It birthed purpose within me, and I have a great passion for it!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a fashion photographer, stylist, creative, and art director specializing in editorial photography. Known for bringing unique and innovative ideas to every project, I produce every aspect of my photoshoots—from model selection and location scouting to lighting, posing, and production details.

What I’m most proud of is the impact I’ve been able to make at such a young age. At just 21 years old, I have much experience under my belt since starting this journey at 17 with just a dream, dedication, and unwavering faith in Jesus.

What sets me apart is my passion. I’m deeply driven by my love for photography and the stories it allows me to tell. When you book a session with me, you’re not just getting a photographer; you’re getting an experience designed to make you feel confident, renewed, and comfortable. My goal is to create a space where my clients feel seen and celebrated, ensuring that the session is unlike any photography experience they’ve had before.

Above all, my faith grounds everything I do. By keeping God at the center of my work, I strive to create meaningful connections and leave a positive impact on everyone I work with.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Absolutely.

I love watching and listening to art analysis podcast and critiques. I don’t have many specific podcasts and people, since I do just find them on the algorithm. But a couple of my favorite are:

Bliss Foster. He creates podcast like episodes on fashion analysis. His deep dives into fashion analysis, leave me wondering more and making me dig deeper into my own work as an artist.

The Cutting Room Floor Podcast, I listen from time to time.

For books,

I’m currently reading Mile 46. It’s a photographic book of a woman who went to Africa for a semester off leading her with new revelations on life. It’s inspiring!

In addition to that, ANY photo books I can get my hands on, is what helps me do my best at life. I looove a good photo book. It inspires me and gives me new ideas.

And lastly, the Bible and prayer are my biggest resources to keep a foundation and also to receive new ideas!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Thevaultofria.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevaultofria?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Image Credits
All photos taken by me