Divya Stumpff, Divya Stumpff Photography | Business Stories Magazine

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

My name is Divya Stumpff. I was born in Goa, India, with very deep Portuguese roots. Growing up in different parts of the world shaped the way I see life. Being surrounded by different cultures and experiences taught me to appreciate beauty, embrace grace, and find joy even in an imperfect world.

Today I call Southern California home, with the ocean stretching out before me and the vineyards resting behind me. Here, surrounded by so much natural beauty, I continue to find inspiration in the people I meet, the stories they carry, and the moments that deserve to be remembered.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now?

What I love about living in Southern California is the life I have built here as a family. Between raising my two boys, supporting my husband through his Navy career, and growing my photography business, this place has given me the opportunity to pursue what I believe God has created me to do while creating meaningful memories and celebrating with the people I love.

Tell us a little bit more about what your company does and how it started? How does it help your customers?

Divya Stumpff Photography is a wedding, family, and private event photography business based in Southern California. I started photography later in life, and what began as a creative outlet slowly grew into something I realized was much bigger than taking pictures. It became a way for me to serve people and preserve the moments they never want to forget.

I believe photographs are more than something beautiful to look at. They become tangible reminders of how you felt, who you were with, and what that season of your life meant to you. That's what I try to give my clients—not just images, but a feeling to hold on to in their photos.

For my wedding couples especially, I want the experience to feel personal and comfortable. Not everyone naturally feels confident in front of a camera, so I guide my couples through the process, help with posing when needed, and also give them space to simply be together. My goal is to capture both the beautiful, polished portraits and the genuine moments that happen in between.

At the end of the day, I want my clients to feel like they were cared for, not just photographed. I want them to look back at their images years from now and remember not only how they looked, but how deeply they loved, laughed, celebrated, and felt in that season of their lives.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

Don't be afraid to ask questions, invest in learning, and surround yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed. At the same time, don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle. Everyone's journey looks different.

Having a purpose behind what you're building will help you keep going when things don't happen as quickly as you hoped.

Start with what you have, do it well, and keep showing up. Growth takes time, but consistency has a way of turning something small into something meaningful.

What was one feedback from a happy customer/client that you won't forget about?

My clients have shared some of the sweetest and most meaningful words with me over the years, and I am incredibly grateful for every review, every kind message and the sweetest notes. I am grateful for every kind word, but being invited back into their lives is what means the most.

There are quite a few families who come back to me every year to photograph their special moments. I have had the privilege to photograph four weddings in the same family, and that is the kind of trust I do not take lightly. It tells me that they didn't just love their photos. They trusted me with their memories.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I would love for my business to continue expanding its reach while still maintaining that personal connection with every person I photograph. More than anything, I hope to build a business that has longevity—a business that people remember not only for the photographs they received, but for how they were treated and how they felt throughout the experience.

If years from now families are still reaching out to me to document the next chapter of their lives, I think that would be one of the greatest signs that I've built the kind of business I've always hoped for.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

People often think that a photographer should not be expensive, because they only show up, the camera takes the photos, and they are expected to deliver the next day. There is a great deal of work that happens behind every shoot. Pre-planning the shoot, the shoot itself, and the editing, in which I curate each and every image, take a lot of time. It's simply not handing over everything the camera captures. It's about thoughtfully choosing the images that are worth perfecting and making sure each one represents my work and my clients well.

What has been one of your biggest struggle building your business and how did you deal with it?

One of my biggest struggles in building my business has been learning to believe in the value of what I bring to the table. It takes time, and my journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's. It is not measured by bookings but rather by a returning client or a family who trusts you with their milestones. I have plenty to learn and accomplish still, but I have learned to appreciate the journey instead of constantly looking at how far I still have to go. It's more about growing, not just as a photographer but as a business owner and as a person.