An Inspired Chat with Roy Serafin

Roy Serafin shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Roy, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
I can’t imagine being intelligent or energetic is a good thing without integrity. That sounds like a supervillian origin story. Quite frankly i don’t want to know anyone without integrity at this point in my life.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Roy the Photographer. I shoot weddings and cinematic couple sessions all over the world. My whole thing is making sure people actually have fun, look good, and get photos that feel honest—not staged or overly filtered.

I don’t take on a ton of clients because I like to actually know the people I’m photographing. That means helping with timelines, giving location recs, and keeping things chill even when the day isn’t. I’ve shot weddings all over, from rooftops in Chicago to remote beaches in Brazil. I’m always looking for the next cool spot or story to tell.

Right now, I’m focused on working more in Phoenix again and having fun with the people I get to wrk with.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Funny you should ask. I’ve been going through what I call a “controlled burn”—intentionally letting go of things that don’t align anymore. Old habits, stale connections, even the comfort of staying in the same place just because it’s familiar.

I’ve been clearing space so I can pour more energy into what I actually care about—having more passion for the work I love, the freedom to travel, and being based somewhere that supports stronger relationships. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s been necessary. Sometimes growth looks like walking away so you can show up better for the things that matter.

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
There’s something strangely peaceful about hitting rock bottom—when you’ve failed so hard that you know it can’t really get worse. That’s where I changed my mind about failure. I used to fear it, like it was something to avoid at all costs. But after falling flat, I realized the fear was worse than the thing itself.

Once you’ve been through the worst, you’re free. Free to take risks, free to rebuild, and free to finally do what you were meant to do. I stopped seeing change, failure, or starting over as something to fear—and started seeing it as part of the map. Whatever season you’re in is the one you’re meant to navigate. That mindset shift changed everything for me.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
Contrary to the “artistic” belief that real art doesn’t need to be understood immediately, I disagree.Photography is not like an new band’s album which might be appreciated more on the second listen. If you look at a photo and you can’t understand what it is you’re looking at, the photo doesn’t work.

Have you heard of the 5 second rule? It fits in photography too. If you can’t tell what it is within 5 seconds, its a bad image.

So foundational shifts might be something like how you run timelines, or in my case how I offer coverage. (half day/ full day vs by the hour) in order to make sure clients aren’t cutting moments.

Fads are things like blurry photos of decor where you can’t see a subject or purpose.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
Two very different moments, same result.

I feel most at peace when I have a camera in my hand—because I’m fully in control and locked in on creating something important.

The other is when I’m riding my bike. It’s not peaceful in the traditional sense—there’s traffic, noise, and the constant awareness of not getting hit—but it forces me into the present. Nothing else exists. Just the road, and limited supply of water.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://roythephotographer.com/phoenix-wedding-photographer
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/roythephotographer
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roythephotographer

Image Credits
Roy the Photographer – https://roythephotographer.com/phoenix-wedding-photographer