Life & Work with Rachel Mostofizadeh

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Mostofizadeh.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I got my first real camera when I was 16. I took a photo class in high school that year and totally fell in love. It was way back in late 90s, so it was all film and super fun to learn. I continued studying photography in college. The school I went to for freshman year was in suburban Chicago. The teacher was so such a cool dude and would take us into the city to learn street photography. The photo classroom was in the basement of the super creepy school with lots of ghost stories. We had to take the rickety old antique elevator and duck under beams and pipes to get to it. I am not sure how I survived the dark room that year! I loved the quirkiness of it all. Between college and starting my business, I worked in restaurants and bars and did a lot of traveling. I finally settled into my photography career around 2009 and opened my business in Nevada in 2010.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. HA! I, like lots of artists, have a hard time with the business side of my business. There was a lot of learning for me in that department. If I could go back, I might have focused more on business classes in college instead of all the awesome art stuff!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer. I photograph newborn babies, pregnant mamas, graduates, weddings, and families. I focus on families and specifically, families with members that have special needs or that require special accommodations.

I have built my business and my brand on FUN, authenticity, and positive energy. It is important to me that I do my best to illustrate each family as they are and give them photos that they can love and hang onto for years to come. I aim to photograph each family in their own special places, wearing their own comfy clothes, and expressing their own genuine joy and emotions.
I have a booking process that includes a questionnaire and possibly an in-person meeting so that I do all that I can to make everyone comfortable when it comes time for the session. I am not a stickler for time limits and I often spend a considerable amount of time chatting during the actual session. I think this works really well to help get genuine photographs that people love. I encourage folks to do their very best to not stress about outfits and booboos and hairdos leading up to, and especially on the car ride to, the photo session. Most of my returning clients know that the time with me is fun and full of energy. Often at the end of the hour, my new clients will say things like, “that was actually so fun!” and “that was so easy!” and “I can’t believe I stressed about that, it was great!”.

I think all of that is part of what led me to focus on families that require special accommodations. I think people see that easy-going nature and are willing to give photos a try when they otherwise may not have. The main reason I started trying to attract this community is because I have a daughter with a rare genetic disorder that presents a bit like autism and causes her to struggle with behaviors, new situations, and things that are unexpected. In about 2015, a mom of one of her friends told me that she would never get professional photos done because of the stress it would cause her and her child. It was that day that I started offering discounts to families with children whose needs are different. I value photographs from my own childhood so much and it made me sad to think that some families feel unable to get good, professional photos. In 2020 I started looking for other resources to not only get myself out there to this community but also to learn everything I could to make it as easy as possible for these folks. In seeking out these resources I became accredited by Hearts and Lens (formerly Special Kids Photography Of America) and Autism Certified with IBCCES. I have also had to hone my photography skills regularly, because I have learned that things do not always go as planned and as a photographer, I need to be flexible with it all; lighting situations, backgrounds, locations, setups, clothing, all of it. I need to stay on my toes!

I am proud to say that I have some clients that have been coming to me for over 13 years. I even have a few that I have worked with since their childhood; through their graduation, engagement, wedding, babies, and now I am doing their own family’s yearly photographs. A lot of my clients have become friends and I am lucky enough to travel to Nevada yearly, and New England, California, Wyoming, and Washington on occasion.

I love my job. I think that to myself all the time as I drive away from my clients. Sometimes I even say it out loud to myself.

How do you think about luck?
I suppose I have been super lucky to have had a supportive family and friend group my entire life. In my business, I am blessed to consistently find excellent clients who value what I do and keep coming back.

Pricing:

• Packages start at $325

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rachelelizphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelelizphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelelizabethphoto/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rachel-elizabeth-photography-mesa-3

Image Credits
Rachel Elizabeth Photography