Today we’d like to introduce you to Oprah Stephens.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Oprah. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Photography has always intrigued me mostly because it was a big hobby and passion that first belonged to my brother Richard who is eight years older than I am. I always wanted to hang out with him and do the things that he did which included taking photos on film when I was still in elementary school and developing them in a dark room our parents allowed him to create in our basement. Fast forward to 2014 and my husband gifted me a Canon Rebel T5 after listening to me talk about different camera models and business possibilities for months and gave me a nudge to just go for it.
I watched so many videos, bought plenty of books, and sought out education from photographers I admired in search of developing my own identity and finding my niche. I tried almost every type of photography even newborns and landscape and quickly found out what I absolutely did not want to photograph and lucked into a few people who trusted me to photograph their weddings.
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?
When I was gifted my camera and took off shooting any and everything I was a military spouse so moving was inevitable. Although photography is something, I could take with me to every duty station it also meant starting over with meeting people and putting myself out there over and over. I am introverted by nature so simply putting myself out there was a major struggle and still is!
Please tell us about Oprah Stephens Photography.
I photograph love and growth in the forms of weddings, families and business branding. Weddings are my jam! I love love and feel absolutely honored to be entrusted to capture a day that will be shared with children and grandchildren. My wedding services include engagements, bridal boudoir and of course wedding day coverage. I shoot families because I see the value in having photos beyond selfies and smartphone captures of loved ones as they grow and change.
I’ve recently stepped into Business Branding because I think entrepreneurs can do better than a simple headshot. For entrepreneurs who are often running all aspects of the business alone or with a small team and investing so much of their time and effort into their business headshots don’t do the business justice. Headshots don’t tell a story or connect with an audience and that’s what I want to do for my branding clients, tell a story, build connections, drive growth. In my business, I am most proud of my own growth and the client experience I have developed as I get more in tune with what my brides, families and fellow entrepreneurs want and need.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
As a kid, my father would take random days off of work and on those days he would let me skip school and we would go to this really old school diner. Sit together and eat until we couldn’t move. It was our little secret.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.oprahstephens.com
- Phone: 919-972-9361
- Email: oprahstephens@Gmail.com
- Instagram: @oprahstephens
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OprahS.Photography/
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