HELLO
I am Cara Gilbride and I am the lead photographer and owner of Callalily Studios in Stamford, Connecticut. Born in Brookyln, NY and raised in Queens, NY, I call myself a city girl with a beach spirit. Thanks to the influence of my mother, an art teacher, and my father, an architect and entrepreneur, I was able to develop an appreciation of art and great design. As the oldest of four siblings, and many nieces and nephews, I always had a child to photograph.
I first became passionate about photography during my teenage years, and although it gave me a chance to earn extra money, I pursued a different full time career. Even during those years, I rarely put down my camera freelancing when I could. In 2016, I took the plunge and became a full time photographer. Since making that decision, I have enjoyed every minute of my work – and the wonderful clients I have been able to make happy.
How COVID changed business
I am saddened by the loss of life and love that we experienced during the COVID years. During that challenging time, I was able to work and provide my clients with memorable and intimate experiences both in and out of the studio. The small backyard weddings were as full of love as the larger weddings I photographed prior. In fact, as a result, brides have become more creative and now design their own wedding day- straying from the standard wedding format of the past. Pregnant and new mothers maintained coming to my studio at a time I thought they would not. I committed to the safety and health of my clients and we were able to have successful sessions documenting a moment that goes by so fast for new parents. With so many families spending more time at home than ever before, I’ve found that coming in for a family shoot and documenting their lives became a priority and even a source of fun. These experiences have reaffirmed to me – and to my clients — why community, friends and family mean so much to all of us. I believe that we will all keep this feeling of ‘togetherness’ well into the future. We have all learned that time is fragile.
Business Clients
Drawing on my previous experience in the corporate world, and my work capturing photos in the workplace, I’ve learned how important it is for any business to communicate their culture, brand and their team, through photographs. I have seen how photographs can help business owners remind their customers that they are committed to stability, and even for some, growth and expansion. We’ve helped clients celebrate team members through headshots they can be proud of, and have taken product photographs for those building an online retail business.
We are more than just Photographers
I consider Callalily Studios a ‘marketing first stop’ to help promote the community within and around CT. We currently can provide Photography, Videography and Production, Hair and Make Up, Stylists and Professional Models. We serve Families, Non Profits and Businesses large and small. We have an extensive range of art products such as Albums, Custom Framed Prints and Large Canvas and Acrylics. We look forward to welcoming you to our studio and introducing you to our team!
How to work with us
We can easily be contacted by email, but a call is usually the best because it will give you a chance to discuss your project in greater detail. Every individual and family we’ve worked with over the years has had a unique vision in mind, and we look forward to making this a reality. If you’re not quite “ready for your close-up,” I hope that you will sign up to receive my newsletter or follow me on social media. As health concerns will always remain important to all of us, I can personally assure you that we observe safety precautions to make sure that our client’s photo sessions are a pleasure, and entirely stress-free…and even fun!
THANK YOU
Cara
