Meet Cristobal Varela, Who Directs Photography at IAZ Photo Studio
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Cristobal Varela is the co-founder and Director of Photography of IAZ Photo Studio, the Arizona wedding and quinceañera studio he started with Sonia Varela in 2004. He sets the studio's photography style, trains its photographers and reviews every gallery before it reaches a family.
| Quick fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | Co-founder and Director of Photography, IAZ Photo Studio |
| With the studio since | 2004, the year it was founded as Mi Foto Evento |
| Specialty | Wedding and quinceañera photography |
| Background | Studied architecture at the Universidad de Sonora; ran his own print shop for close to two decades |
| Languages | English and Spanish |
| His role today | Sets the photography and editing style, trains the photographers and reviews every delivery |
How Cristobal Varela went from a print shop to wedding photography
Cristobal Varela came to wedding photography through printing. He ran a print shop in Phoenix that designed and printed invitations, and in 2004 a mother ordering invitations asked him to photograph and film her daughter's wedding. He and Sonia said yes, covered it together, and that wedding became the start of Mi Foto Evento, the studio that later took the name IAZ Photo Studio. He kept running the print shop alongside the studio until it closed during the pandemic.
How architecture shapes Cristobal Varela's photo composition
Cristobal Varela studied architecture, and it shows in the proportion, depth and balance of his frames. He prefers real places, such as gardens, old doors, big trees and buildings with good lines, over elaborate staged sets. Before each shot he checks that nothing pulls the eye away from the people in it: passers-by, cars, signs. That habit is part of how every IAZ photographer is trained.
How Cristobal Varela uses natural light and flash at events
Cristobal Varela works with the available light whenever he can, because it keeps the feel of the place and natural skin tones. In a dark hall or at night he uses flash bounced off a ceiling or a wall, so the light arrives soft instead of straight on. Done well, nobody notices the flash, only the photo.
How Cristobal Varela directs couples, quinceañeras and families
Cristobal Varela treats talking with families as part of the job. He explains what each shot needs, where to stand and where to look, and gives people time to relax. He also makes room for relatives and friends to take photos with the couple or the quinceañera, because those are the pictures families look for years later. Clear direction and a warm tone lower the tension and leave space for the unplanned moments that often turn out best.
Why print shop experience matters for IAZ albums and prints
Years of running a print shop taught Cristobal Varela how color changes from screen to paper and from one press or paper to another. He learned file preparation, materials, bleeds, layout and album production by doing them himself, checking the results and then writing down each method so his collaborators could repeat it. That is why IAZ prepares album and print files with the final paper in mind, and why the studio's style guide for editing exists at all.
How Cristobal Varela trains IAZ photographers
Cristobal Varela started mentoring photographers years later, when people with their own portfolios came asking for work and joined him at events. He gave them practical notes on composition, focus, movement, camera settings, flash and keeping faces from blowing out. Today he trains the IAZ team with the same method: every photographer edits to the style guide he defined, and he reviews each gallery before delivery, so a whole event keeps one look from start to finish.
Cristobal Varela's photo advice for your wedding or quinceañera
Choose real places over staged sets for your portraits
A garden, an old door, a large tree or a building with character gives photos more personality than a built set. If a place means something to you, tell the team and it goes on the plan.
Get ready in a room with a big window
Getting ready is part of the story. A room with a large window and a little cleared space gives soft natural light, so the first photos of the day look clean without flash.
Ask someone you trust to watch the dress and makeup
A portrait shows everything: a twisted strap, a loose strand of hair, a forgotten accessory. The photographer checks before each shot, and a trusted person who keeps an eye on the dress and makeup all day helps even more.
Tell the team who is traveling from far away
Relatives who came from far away, or who rarely see each other, deserve their photo with you. Share their names before the event so the team looks for them.
Decide on an album from the start
A printed photo outlasts any screen. If you plan an album, say so early, so the team also captures the details and transitions that give each page rhythm.
Questions families ask about Cristobal Varela and IAZ photography
Will Cristobal Varela photograph our event himself?
Not necessarily. Cristobal sets the photography style, trains the team and reviews every delivery, and a trained IAZ photographer covers each event. If you'd like Cristobal to photograph your event personally, ask us about his schedule.
Who edits the photos from an IAZ event?
The photographer who covered your event edits to the style guide Cristobal defined, and he reviews every gallery before it goes out. Exposure and color are corrected, difficult photos are rescued, and black and white is used only when it adds to the image, so the whole event keeps one style.
Do printed photos look the same as they do on screen?
Not always. A screen has its own light and paper doesn't, and every press and paper reproduces color differently. IAZ prepares album and print files for where they will be printed, a lesson from Cristobal's years in printing.
What if we feel shy in front of the camera?
That's normal. The photographer tells you what each shot needs and gives you time to loosen up. Between directed shots, the best moments usually happen on their own, and that's when the camera is ready.
Where to learn more about Cristobal Varela
Cristobal Varela is writing a book about the stories behind each clause of the studio's contract. His personal site is cristobalvarela.com (opens in a new tab). Read the IAZ Photo Studio story, or meet the rest of the team: Sonia Varela, Director of Videography, and Melanie Rocha, Director of Creative and Social.
Ready to talk about your wedding or quinceañera? Send us your date and we reply within 24 to 48 hours.