Meet Cassandra Stephens of CLS Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Stephens.

Cassandra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I created CLS Photography in 2015, as a result of a life-long passion of viewing life creatively “behind the lens.” Self-taught in the nuances of portraiture, weddings and boudoir, I had distinguished my niche within a highly competitive industry. Having grown up in Santa Barbara, California, I developed a fascination with cameras, lenses and lighting. Every life event needed to be documented, whether it was tea parties, birthdays or school field trips—I relished in capturing the magic of special moments, as well as the unique persona of my subjects.

After graduating from high school as an exemplary art student, I acquired a number of scholarships in order to attend FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) in Los Angeles, which launched me into the world of fashion.

Graduating with honors, I was immediately hired and became adept in the field of fashion design. I swiftly became one of the youngest fashion designers in the company. As a senior designer, I became a photographer on many occasions for my companies, whereby I was able to uniquely capture the feeling and lifestyle of the clothing I designed.

After having shared my photography portfolio, a colleague offered me an opportunity to assist in a number of wedding photoshoots which began my journey into capturing the love stories of others. I then developed my own clientele as a solo photographer. After serving ten years in the fashion design industry, my photography grew to such an extent that I elected to make photography my sole, full-time career.

As I continue to be a wedding photographer, I have rapidly expanded my creative flair into the art of boudoir and specialty portraiture. I offer a beautifully designed studios for my custom photoshoots, from boho chic, to glitz and glam, to bridal. I cannot wait to continue my passion with every aspect of photography and expand my talent to the next level.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been the smoothest road. I started my photography business back Southern California and began rebuilding my business when I made the move to Denver in September 2018. Same for any business, this was not an easy process. Some of the struggles I deIt with were rebuilding my clientele and getting acquainted in the wedding community of a new state.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
When I began my journey in Weddings, I ended up falling in love with love! With weddings and engagements, I get to help tell the love stories of all types of couples by capturing these special moments with the click of a button. And recently I have now opened the door to boudoir! A lot of people believe boudoir is only to take sexy photos to give to your significant other, but there is so much more to boudoir photography. Boudoir is more about a woman feeling her confidence, believing she is sexy and owning her empowerment over her own body. I absolutely love helping women find their inner goddess.

I think what separates me from other photographers is the way I interact with my clients. A lot of couples get very uncomfortable in front of a camera, but I enjoy making our sessions fun and relaxing by goofing around with them. It helps eliminate the pressure of being cute and romantic in front of a stranger.

What were you like growing up?
As a kid, I was known for being friendly and artistic. I had a bubbly personality and loved making new friends. I was also a huge fan of any type of crafts I could get my hands on. I would paint rocks, design barbie clothes, make bowls out of clay, and draw cats on everything. But my favorite thing was to take pictures whenever I was given one of those disposable cameras back in the day. As a teen, my creative side continued to grow. I joined the art program at my high school, which helped expand my knowledge, talent and my spark towards being a creative person.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.clsphotography.com
• Phone: (970) 648-4081
• Email: cassandra@clsphotography.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/clsphotographydotcom
• Facebook: facebook.com/clsphotographydotcom

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