Rising Stars: Meet Cris Voss

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cris Voss.

Hi Cris, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started my photography journey back in 2012 in Nevada. I had a friend that was a photographer and needed help with editing photos in Photoshop because she had too much work. I had a basic DSLR camera at the time and learned some Photoshop skills to help her out. She ended up not needing an assistant anymore, and since I had the time, some basic knowledge, and a camera, I decided to try some photoshoots. I did some free sessions for some friends, and then it just took off from there!

My photography business grew very big in a very quick timeframe and I felt as if I was learning as I was growing. I lived in a small town in Nevada and referrals go a long way. It was beautiful and I am so incredibly grateful. I made so many friends that made me a better person that I still call them my ‘family’ today! I got overwhelmed with so much work that I was starting to get burned out.

Then my family and I moved to Arizona from Nevada. I felt like I hit a brick wall at 100 miles per hour! I went from small-town success where everyone knew me and my quality of work, being busy and always booked out, to a big town where I had to start over. I had about 6 years of experience, but starting over in a major city was really hard.

I slowly did as I knew best to provide a great photography session experience with my new friends! Word-of-mouth advertising and referrals started to come in abundance again. During this rebuilding and starting over part of my business, I found that I couldn’t stay stagnant. Change is great!

I decided to re-invest in my business and my education. I’ve taken workshops and courses these last couple of years to make sure I am always learning and improving. I have recently hit my 10th anniversary of being in business and I’ve loved all aspects of it!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I have always thought that if things are going smoothly, I’m not where I need to be. Bumps along the way are not always bad. They are there to make sure we aren’t stagnant. Growth is incredibly important in finding what works best for each person.

I have found that if I do the same thing over and over again, life gets boring. When I was in Nevada, I ended up being so overworked, so burned out from repetition, that I craved change. I needed it. We moved to Arizona and it was both the best and the worst thing that could have happened.

Worst because I was leaving and losing my friends and the business that I created. I was busy and in demand. Then when the change came with the move, I was incredibly depressed. It has taken me a couple of years to get out of the rut, but has it been the best decision ever? I’ve changed for the better. Both personally and business-wise.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I started out doing any and all types of photo shoots. I just wanted to learn. I started to follow many different types of photographers through social media to get tips and advice. In the beginning, I did it all and enjoyed it. I never turned down a job.

When I made the move from Nevada to Arizona, I did the same thing: all types of photo sessions. Once I decided that I wanted to really step out of my comfort zone and grow, I started to remove and not take certain types of sessions from my list. I stopped advertising for the sessions that I wasn’t looking forward to, and that didn’t bring me as joy as I had originally thought.

I then sought to mostly take on sessions that really brought my creative side out and made my heart soar. I mainly do families and high school seniors now. Occasionally I’ll do a wedding or newborn session, but those are because of close family and friends.

In my second year of business, I saw a composite photo of a child and a reindeer. It was so beautiful, that I wanted to learn how to create this! But then I had the idea “What if I found REAL reindeer to put next to the kids? Not just a fake photoshop version?” So I started exploring how to make this happen. I found reindeer owners that were willing to give it a shot with me.

Clients fell in love with the idea of meeting real live reindeer face to face! What an experience to give to little kids and make the magic of Christmas come alive. The reindeer sessions have become so popular that the reindeer owners and I travel to 3 different states during the holidays to do these photos! Many people know me as the reindeer photographer!

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Persistence and never giving up. Always work hard in life and you will achieve your goals!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.crisvossphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crisvossphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrisVossPhotography

Image Credits
Cris Voss Photography