Who is behind every photo and every video
Cristobal Varela: Co-founder and Director of Photography
He founded the studio with Sonia. He directs photography: he sets the style, trains the team of photographers and reviews every delivery before it reaches the family. He studied architecture at the Universidad de Sonora and has worked in graphic arts, and it shows in the composition of each portrait and in the albums.
Read the full profile: Cristobal Varela (opens in a new tab)
Sonia Varela: Co-founder and Director of Videography
Since the studio began, she has been the lead videographer at almost every wedding and quinceañera the studio has covered. She directs the filming, stays with each family from the first call to delivery, and reviews every video before it leaves the studio. She also studied architecture at the Universidad de Sonora.
Melanie Rocha: Founding Director and Director of Creative and Social
She edits the wedding and quinceañera videos: the full film, the 5-minute and 1-minute highlight videos, the color and sound finish, and the digital experience that gathers all your files in one link.
The founders' full profiles, with their advice and their answers to the questions they hear most, are on the IAZ Photo Studio corporate site.
How we handle a quinceañera or a wedding in Gilbert
- Consultation: we get to know the family, the kind of celebration and what matters most to them to see in their photos and video.
- Date and contract: we confirm availability and put in writing what the coverage and each add-on include.
- Planning: we review the itinerary, the venues, the surprises and the list of people who must be on camera.
- Event day: we photograph and film the celebration, and give direction only when a scene needs it.
- Editing and review: every photo is edited by hand, one by one, in the studio's style; every video is reviewed before it goes out.
- Delivery: you choose your photos in your private online gallery and receive your video, your USB drive and your album.
What we learned in more than 500 events
- The photographer and the videographer have to know each other. Two crews who don't know each other end up blocking each other's shots or repeating scenes. That's why we keep both on the same team.
- Surprises are planned with us. Keep them secret from the guests; we need to know what will happen and when, so we can place the cameras.
- The professional photo first, then the phones. For group photos we ask for a few seconds of attention; then everyone takes their own.
- Two video cameras and three backups. We use two video cameras at every event we film, and we keep backups in three places: the editing station, the studio server and an external drive.
Where we work and how far we travel
This site is for families in Gilbert, Arizona. The studio serves the Phoenix metro area and has one site per city. There is no travel fee within 50 driving miles of Tempe, Arizona (I-10 and US-60); farther away, expenses are agreed in writing.
Where to see reviews and more of our work
We don't publish reviews on this site yet. You can read them on our Google profile and follow our work on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest; the links are at the bottom of every page.
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