Rising Stars: Meet Sofia Arroyo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sofia Arroyo.

Hi Sofia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I grew up in Western Massachusetts, and come from a large Latino family. Everyone has significant others and kids; a family so big you know people have piled out the door when we celebrate holidays together. My family was that family that would always find the perfect excuse to throw a party! And these family celebrations were some of my best memories. My childhood was spent looking forward to the next life milestone and sharing it with the ones I loved most.

The one thing missing from almost all the milestones was the right person to capture those moments for us to relive the “good old times”, over-and-over again! Pictures are truly a timeless gift. Milestones are so important, and they help highlight our life stories. And that is why the Nikon camera my mom bought me when I was twelve, became a gateway to a much bigger dream of mine. I never fell in love with clicking a button, I fell in love with being able to help others cherish their unforgettable moments for a lifetime.

Since our “two-week” shutdown in 2020, my life has done a complete three-sixty for the better! In the past few years I have moved from Massachusetts to Texas, and then from Texas to California. Lucky enough for me, along the way I met my best friend who became my husband not long after! Throughout that time, my interest in turning my hobby of photography into my career grew stronger. Growing up, I had never considered going into the photography industry. Like any kid, my “dream career” changed often. But one thing all of those interests included was a creative aspect.

Fast forward to April of 2022, Covid is settling down and it seems as though life is slowly starting to fall back into place for everyone. The past few years have been nothing but the strangest turn of events, with the sweetest of outcomes. With the encouragement and support of my husband I took the leap and started my own business. I was beyond scared to take that leap with no business experience at twenty-one years old. But I did my homework, l took classes, read about starting a business, and networked with people in photography. I worked hard to launch my business, and before I knew it, I was getting inquiries, my work was published, and I got opportunities to travel doing what I love most!

My mission and dream for my photography business are to create an atmosphere that allows my clients to express themselves authentically and produce emotion through pictures organically. For every project I work on, I insist on providing nothing less than absolute satisfaction as though you are re-living the moment all over again! More than ever our society is embracing the importance of documenting memorable moments because a “two-week” shutdown is never two weeks. Photographing families, mothers-to-be, lovers and entrepreneurs weren’t where I thought I would be when I was twelve, but I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities and experiences that I’ve received from taking the chance and believing in myself.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has definitely not been a smooth one. My biggest strength is my creativity, so learning to navigate the business aspect of what I am doing has been my biggest struggle. Ever since I was a child, I have never been great with numbers. And I prove that still true to this day! But with some help from my accountant/tax adviser, and some reading I have been able to grow and learn to manage the books for the most part myself. Running a business is an everyday learning process!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have photographed a range of events and personal sessions such as model/actor headshots, portraits, and senior pictures. Since moving to California, I have jumped into editorial projects. And within four months of establishing a business in LA County, my work was published and even made the cover! As thrilled as I was, I didn’t feel like my work was truly meaningful and making an impact in the way I wanted it to.

One thing I have never taken for granted in my life is family and personal growth, and I strive to always reflect that in the values I’ve established for my photography business and personal life. I wanted all of my work to show raw emotion in its truest form. So although I never say no to a good photo opportunity, I decided that niching down to spark a creative flow was important for my success. As I said, family and personal milestones have always been important to me, so I decided to shift my focus to just that. I began doing more family sessions and got creative with birthday cake smash projects. I’ve also got to laugh with couples at engagement sessions and photograph beautiful couples saying I-do! And quickly I found a beautiful essence in motherhood and newborn photography, which has become what I am most known for. That is when it clicked for me, I specialize in photographing love! I get butterflies seeing the happiness brought to a client after I deliver their final gallery and that is why I am so proud of what I do. I get the opportunity to document love stories of all forms for people to enjoy and look back on for the rest of their lives!

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I am a big traveler especially when it comes to my photography, so adapting to new surroundings has become something I’ve had to adjust to too quickly. The studio that I offer is located in Pearblossom, California. Pearblossom is a small town, filled with really welcoming people and beautiful nature! I do travel out of my base location for photography sessions often, but luckily it is a perfect middle point for me because I like to be able to service throughout all of Southern California. The only downside to Pearblossom is that it can be out of the way for some folks who live in the city.

Pricing:

• The “Go-to” Session 1) A session perfect for anyone! 2) One hour Session time 3) One location 4) One-Two outfit changes 5) 25 images to an unlimited online photo gallery where you can download and share images and order prints! 6) Starting at $350.00 **Price listed is before tax and calculated travel if applicable.
• Maternity Package 1) Two-hour Session 2)Unlimited outfit changes 3)One-two locations 4)Mama-to-be gift basket! 5)45 images to an unlimited online photo gallery where you can download and share images and order prints! 6)Starting at $500.00 **Price listed is before tax and calculated travel if applicable.
• Engagement Package 1) Two-hour session 2)Unlimited outfit changes 3)1-2 locations 4)Complimentary bottle of champagne to pop at the end! (21+ ONLY) 5)Couples gift basket! 6)45 images to an unlimited online photo gallery where you can download and share images and order prints! 7)Starting at $550.00 **Price listed is before tax and calculated travel if applicable.
• Elopement/Intimate Wedding Starting Package Price 1)30-60 minute phone/zoom consultation one month prior to the engagement session or the day you tie the knot! 2)Complimentary engagement session (15 images). 3)Newlywed gift basket! 4)Elopement/intimate wedding coverage time packages range from 4-8 hours 5)You will receive 400+ (depending on package) images in an unlimited online photo gallery where you can download and share images and order prints! 6)Starting at $1,600.00 **Price listed is before tax and calculated travel if applicable.
• Custom quotes are available upon request.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.sagestudiosbysofia.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sagestudiosbysofia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sagestudiosbysofia
• Other: https://www.honeybook.com/widget/sage_studiosby_sofia_llc_219681/cf_id/629026cc3825fc04bc9408d3