Today we’d like to introduce you to Zion Bliss.
Hi Zion, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Indianapolis, IN, and moved to Central America with my family at the age of three. I was raised in Costa Rica and Panama before moving back to Indiana in 2012. My passion for videography and photography started at a very young age, and I explored many different genres before discovering my love for real estate and architectural photography.
My father was an architect and builder, so from early on, I was immersed in the housing industry. My mother eventually became a successful realtor in Indianapolis, and one day, her team administrator asked me if I could take some listing photos for them because their photographer was unavailable. I knew nothing about real estate photography, but I took the job anyway. I watched as many YouTube videos as I could and eventually went all in, learning everything I could about real estate and architectural photography.
I started taking jobs for my mom and her team as they needed them. My photos back then were not the best, but not the worst either. There was a small company in Indiana that dominated the luxury market, they were well known to be the best, and I looked up to them. They had a way with their photography and lighting that I struggled to replicate. It looked so good, but I could never quite get the look that they had on my own.
One day, I saw that the company was hiring. I applied, and after several interviews, I got the job. I wanted to learn everything I could. I worked for the company for three years. Over that time, I photographed a wide range of properties, from rundown, uninhabitable properties to Tony Stewart’s $30M estate and everything in between. I also traveled around America for some of our clients, photographing apartments, hotels, and commercial spaces. I eventually became the lead photographer of the company and was doing anywhere from one to five shoots daily.
The time I had at this company taught me so much about the industry, and I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from some great photographers. But I always had an entrepreneurial spirit at heart and knew that I’d eventually want to go out on my own. I decided to leave my job in Indiana and move to Austin, TX, in June of 2024. I knew with the skills and techniques I learned, I could excel wherever I decided to go.
The lighting techniques I use have been refined over the years, blending styles from some of the best photographers in the industry while optimizing for efficiency during day-to-day real estate shoots. This approach allows me to create beautiful, consistent, magazine-quality imagery for any home.
My goal with my company, Signature Style Imagery, is to change the game in real estate media. We will continue to innovate our methods and solve the unique challegnes that realtors face. Our clients can always depend on us to create the best media to represent them and always stay on the cutting edge of the latest technology and methods. We believe that we should work side by side with each individual client, listen to their specific needs, and translate those needs into the best possible visual outcome. Each realtor has their own way of standing out, and it is important to let that shine through in our work as well.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I can’t complain, but I didn’t know what to expect either. I knew it would be difficult to move across the country and build a business with no connections, especially in a competitive market like Austin. It was a very humbling experience to go from being known as the best in one place to coming to a city where my name didn’t mean anything. That said, I’m fortunate to have a great product and a lot of experience in this industry, which I think clients can sense.
So far, things have been going very well in my opinion, and I credit that not only to having a unique product that others don’t offer but also to being a dependable, hardworking person. My clients know what to expect when they book with me, they know the media will be delivered on time, they know the quality of the photos, and they know that if they have any issues, I’m just a message away. This reliability goes a long way in real estate, realtors are busy people who need as little friction as possible, and my goal is to provide them with as much peace of mind as I can.
The most difficult part has been getting my name out there. Nowadays, there are so many spam solicitations, ads, emails, and calls that it’s tough to reach people. It’s also challenging to break into the natural rhythm of a realtor’s day-to-day life. Many already have photographers they’ve been using for years and don’t even think about changing their media. In my situation, I’m targeting higher-end, luxury agents, which adds another layer of difficulty since they’ve usually been in the industry for a long time and have strong relationships with their vendors.
Fortunately, real estate is very much a word-of-mouth industry, so once the ball starts rolling, it tends to spread naturally. I’ve been lucky to have clients who were willing to give me a chance, and it seems like my work is beginning to catch on in the Austin area. My ideal clients are top realtors who are always looking to innovate and stay on the cutting edge for their clients. These are the people who appreciate the unique approach I bring, and I believe that as they see the results, they’ll be drawn to work with me. By focusing on quality and reliability, I’m confident that my approach will continue to resonate and gain traction as I do more shoots..
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I do real estate media. I make my clients stand out because I have a unique approach to my work, and I specialize in a lighting method for my photography that I’ve developed over years of refinement, it creates magazine quality imagery very efficiently. Most of my family is in the housing industry, so Ive been around this industry my whole life. I’m always looking for ways to innovate, and better serve my clients. I am committed to creating the best possible media for each of my clients.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Not that I can think of.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.signaturestyleimagery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signaturestyleimagery?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Image Credits
Zion Bliss, Signature Style Imagery
