“I was just clicking the shutter while the magic was taking place in front of me,” Stephanie Cristalli said, describing the moment Shandace Lerma made one young girl’s day. Stephanie Cristalli is a photographer based in Seattle, Washington, who specializes in weddings.
In February of 2017, Cristalli was booked to take pictures for Shandace Lerma’s and Scott Robertson’s special day. Walking down Ballard Avenue in Seattle after the ceremony with the newlyweds, out the corner of her eye, Cristalli noticed a young girl gazing at the bride in amazement.
“I thought she was so cute, just staring at the bride,” Cristalli said.
Upon noticing the toddler, without hesitation, Lerma smiled and approached the girl, realizing that she thought Lerma was a princess from her book.
Holding “Woman in White” by Willki Collins, the girl had a smile from ear to ear as she was given a white rose from Robertson’s bouquet.
“Imagine meeting one of your idols on the street– that is what our daughter was feeling,” Kelsey Edwards, the girl’s mother, told Inside Edition. “It was a completely selfless instance between strangers, focused in the wonderment of a child, which was full of pure love, awe and admiration.”
“I was in awe about this story. It was as if that little girl was meant to be there to see this exact moment,” stated Kate Sidell, photographer at Picture People. Slidell has always been focused on photographing nature, but hearing about the moment with the toddler that Cristalli captured made Sidell want to expand her interests.
Cristalli was granted a camera, as a gift, before she left for Germany at 15. From then, her interest sparked. Attending Eastern Washington University, she studied Art with a photography minor. Cristalli praises Jeff Zaruba as the person who taught her everything she knows.
“Jeff Zaruba was my best teacher. He was super picky and would make me do things over and over again until they were perfect,” Cristalli said.
Along with her wedding photography business, Cristalli uses her photography to give back to the community. As volunteer work, Cristalli is a part of Soulumination.
“We take photos of children that might not live long, due to terminal diseases,” Cristalli said. “It’s a free service for any family that is interested.”
Professional photographers recognize that Cristalli’s talent and heartfelt enthusiasm are what make her such an accomplished photographer.
“Just seeing how passionate Ms. Cristalli is, I would want her at my wedding,” Christina Rennie, another photographer at Picture People, said. “It seems like she really knows what she’s doing and all her pictures look natural.”
While she is proud of the acclaim she receives for her photos, Cristalli loves being a photographer because it allows her to capture the natural moments of the human experience. Photographing people from all aspects of life is a way Cristalli connects with people.
“I get a lot of pleasure out of simple moments,” Cristalli said. “And taking photos makes me happy.”
