IAZ Photo Studio
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Our Story: From One Promised Wedding to a Trained Arizona Team

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Cristobal and Sonia Varela, co-founders of IAZ Photo Studio, with a camera and a video rig at an Arizona event

IAZ Photo Studio is a wedding and quinceañera photo and video studio that Cristobal and Sonia Varela founded in 2004 as Mi Foto Evento and later renamed IAZ Photo Studio. Since then it has covered more than 500 events across Arizona, in English and Spanish, and today it works as a team the two founders train and supervise.

How IAZ Photo Studio started with one wedding in 2004

IAZ Photo Studio started when a mother walked into Cristobal's small print shop in Phoenix to order wedding invitations and asked if he knew anyone who could photograph and film the wedding. Cristobal had no wedding portfolio yet. What he had was years of work with images and design, and a few videos he had edited for his sister's gymnastics meets. He showed her one, and she trusted him with her daughter's wedding.

Cristobal and Sonia covered that wedding together at a reception hall in Mesa, with video equipment two generous people lent them because the studio didn't own any yet. They delivered more than they had promised, including an album that wasn't in the agreement, because they wanted the family to be proud of what they received. The owner of the hall watched them work and started recommending them. That first promise kept became Mi Foto Evento.

Cristobal and Sonia Varela at work during the studio's first wedding at a reception hall in Mesa, Arizona, in 2004

How IAZ Photo Studio grew from one wedding to a trained team

  1. The first wedding. Cristobal and Sonia cover it at a reception hall in Mesa, and the studio begins as Mi Foto Evento.
  2. A space of its own. The studio moves into its own corner of the print shop near 31st Avenue and Thomas Road in Phoenix.
  3. A larger studio in Mesa. A bigger space opens, with room for a photo studio next to the print shop.
  4. A new name. Mi Foto Evento takes the name IAZ Photo Studio.
  5. The pandemic. About 20 events move to new dates, the print shop closes, and Sonia hands video editing to the team.
  6. Today. The founders train and supervise the photographers and videographers who cover events.

What the pandemic taught IAZ Photo Studio about date changes

During the pandemic IAZ Photo Studio had to move about 20 weddings and quinceañeras to new dates, and most of them landed on Fridays because reception halls offered Fridays to the families who were rescheduling. That kept Saturdays open for new families and let the studio honor every date it had promised. The lesson went into the contract: a new date depends on the team being free that day, and the change is agreed in writing. The print shop didn't survive those months; the studio did.

You can read how dates, deposits and changes work today on how we work.

Why IAZ Photo Studio became a team the founders train

IAZ Photo Studio became a team after a long night at a wedding reception, when Sonia's feet hurt too much to keep standing behind the camera. Cristobal set up three video cameras around the dance floor and kept filming and photographing until the end, so she could rest. They finished the coverage, as always. On the way home the question stayed: did every event really need the two founders behind the cameras for the studio to work?

The answer was no. What every event needs is the founders' standard. Today Cristobal and Sonia set the photo and video style, write the shot lists, train each photographer and videographer, and review every delivery before it reaches a family. A team also means backup: if a team member gets sick, another trained team member covers the event. Nobody is promised that a founder will be behind the camera, and every family is promised that the event is covered to the founders' standard.

The three people who set the style and review every delivery

Cristobal Varela, Co-founder and Director of Photography

Cristobal studied architecture and spent years in graphic arts and printing, and both show in how the studio composes photos, designs albums and prepares prints. He sets the photography style and reviews every gallery. Read Cristobal's profile.

Sonia Varela, Co-founder and Director of Videography

Sonia has filmed events since the first wedding and edited the studio's videos herself until she handed editing to the team. She sets the video style and reviews every film and highlight before delivery. Read Sonia's profile.

Melanie Rocha, Founding Director and Director of Creative and Social

Melanie leads the creative side of the studio: video editing, the highlights families share, and how IAZ Photo Studio shows its work online. Read Melanie's profile.

How IAZ Photo Studio works with families today

  • One photo and video team. The photographer and the videographer come from the same studio, plan the day together and edit to the same style.
  • English and Spanish. From the first message to the delivery, in the language each side of the family speaks.
  • A contract you sign from your phone. A $500 deposit holds your date, and the balance is paid in installments, in full one month before the event. Every step is on how we work.
  • Usual delivery counted from your photo selection. Usually 2 to 4 weeks for photo only and 4 to 8 weeks for photo and video.
  • Travel stated up front. No travel fee within 50 driving miles of Tempe, Arizona (I-10 and US-60). Beyond that, travel is quoted on the full driving distance and agreed in writing before your date.

Where IAZ Photo Studio covers events in Arizona

IAZ Photo Studio covers events across Arizona, with one site for each of its six Phoenix-area cities. If your event is in one of them, its site has the packages, venues and real events for your city.

Planning an event somewhere else in Arizona, such as Glendale, Tucson, Payson or Flagstaff? Events outside our city areas has the price list and the travel terms.

Meet the IAZ Photo Studio team

Want the short version for quick reference? See IAZ Photo Studio facts. When you're ready, send us your date and we reply within 24 to 48 hours.

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