Meet Andreia Stirbu | Wedding Photographer & Mother of 3

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andreia Stirbu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andreia, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I love this question because it addresses such a real issue in so many working mothers’ lives. When I first started photographing weddings, I had one baby. Over time as my business grew so did my family and along with those, my responsibilities. It was mentally tolling for a few years and both my work and my home responsibilities were less than perfect. I had to re-evaluate my priorities. First and foremost my role in life is not to work as hard as I can, it’s not to be the best I can be for someone else while my family just gets a shell of me. Putting my family and my home first had to be my priority. I would be trying to work during the day, not being able to give my all because my house was a mess and my kids were watching their 3rd movie of the day, or I would be present in my home and be guilty because I had 3 weddings and 6 shoots to edit and I had all of that work sitting there making no progress. Which one would take priority? The Lord blessed me with my family to care and nurture them so, they HAD to come first, that’s all that made sense. When I started doing that, my stress was gone and it felt like my world was back in sync. I have to give credit to my husband for being such an amazing father and husband and for encouraging me the entire time. Pushing me to get my editing and other business tasks done while he was home and on his days off. With him around, worrying about the kids being neglected was never an issue because he’s the most invested father ever. So yeah, Jesus aligning my priorities and my husband being the most amazing partner in life ever has helped me be successful in what I do and regardless of if i’m working in my home and serving my family or working and serving my clients. it’s all done for the Lord. If He has decided to bless my business thus far, i’m thankful for it!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Photography is such an amazing art form. It’s limitless and real and an expression of your own self. I remember being in grade school and learning about the Great Depression. Those images taken during that time, immortalized in history as an expression of what people went through in those years. Raw, emotion filled, and absolutely heartbreaking. I became enthralled by the idea of the power of a photograph and I started taking pictures on my red coolpix camera anytime I could. Looking back now I see that being a photographer was my calling but if you would have asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up i’d have given you a series of careers in the medical field.

Fast froward many many years, I started my business with a dream. I had never photographed anything besides the occasional mirror selfie and low resolution moon picture on a full moon night. Then one day I took $2,500, bought a camera and a lens and started. I did a LOT of free shoots. These are amazing! Definitely, if you’re starting out as a photographer, put that ego aside, and do some free shoots. We all want to get paid for our work, that’s fair. BUT, free shoots help you hone your craft, learn your camera, figure out your style, lighting and sooo much more! I then started second shooting weddings. I wasn’t the best but I made sure my the main photographers I would work with knew I was just starting out. It was all uphill from there.

I would sometime wish I would have started shooting weddings right away but i’ve come to appreciate how much I learned from working with such a wide variety of wedding photographers. There are things i’ve applied to my own wedding photography business such as different ways to deliver a gallery and my contracts as well. At the same time i’ve seen different practices that I would never apply to my work and i’m glad that i’ve had that opportunity to create my own opinion about things instead of only knowing one way and never giving myself the freedom to change and adapt.

Along with the usual growing pains of a business and overcoming the usual mental battles that comes along with trying anything new, I was raising and having three little babies. All of that also came along with the most amazing and difficult challenge of all, my daughter! She was born with CHARGE syndrome and that came along with an open heart operation for her at 8 months old and with our family building an incredible network of people in the deaf community as Kate, our daughter, is deaf. We’ve been learning ASL to grow with her and teach her. Our lives have opened up to the world of shadow acting plays and finding a church with a deaf community and interpreter for the sermons and songs (which we have and it is INCREDIBLE).

Life is much more 3D for everyone around us than we can ever imagine. I take that view into my business and to my work. I strive to make my couples feel the most beautiful they could ever feel. I want to create photos that stand the test of time and truly make you feel the emotions, hear the laughter, and smell the perfume she was wearing in that specific moment. I want to create art from the love in-between two people. Art that is worthy of any magazine cover and gallery exhibit. Art that will have your grandkids looking back and wishing they could have been there too.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First thing is first, we go outside the city into dearborn and get the best pistachio latte at Bayt al Mocha off of Michigan Ave. Afterwards we’d walk through the Detroit Institute of Arts. We’d get disposable film cameras and rent scooters to see the streets and shops the right way. I’d make sure to take them for lunch at Niki’s Pizza in downtown off of Beaubian Ave. and next door for some AMAZING Fajitas at Locos Tex-Mex grill. We’d take the People Mover through the city to catch a Lions 0r Red Wings game. Finally for dinner we’d go to Joe Muer Seafood in downtown Detroit and for a walk on the riverside after that.

If I had to pick a place in Michigan to share with anyone, we’d spend a weekend on the west coast visiting all of the lighthouses along the coast until we made it to the UP. Disposable cameras in hand, fresh lake air around, sunglasses on and no time limit. That’s my idea of a perfect summer weekend.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh yes this shoutout is for my husband Obed. Without his encouraging voice backing me in all of my endeavors I never would have gotten this far in my business. His guidance and helping hand has helped me grow not only my business, but my confidence in who I am and discovering what I love to do! His very presence in my life has made me a better mother, friend, and person all around. Love you forever and always!

Website: https://andreiadanielle.com

Instagram: @andreiadaniellephotos

Facebook: @andreiadaniellephotography

Image Credits
Andreia Danielle Photography