WAY BACK WHEN...

Stella Marina Scordellis owner and founder of SMS Creative Photography, has always had a passion for photographing people and preserving moments - this goes way back to her roots. The youngest of six children, coming from a big close knit Greek-Cypriot family where family life, celebrations and food were the focal point.

Stella's father Larry, was a true pioneer in search of a better life for his five brother’s and two sister’s – he came to the UK from Cyprus in the late1930s and started his new found life selling chestnuts on the corner of Oxford Circus. His hard work, determination and showmanship soon paid off, enabling him to buy restaurants of his own – creating jobs for his family and others to work in to so they could forge their own lives too.

Stella's parents bought her her first camera at the age of 12, a Pentax, to photograph customers and events at the restaurants and at the various christening and weddings the family went to on outings. At the age of 15, as well as working in the family restaurant on a Sunday, she also worked on a Saturday at the local wedding and portrait studio– Handford Photography in Croydon, Surrey. A couple of years later she served a three year apprenticeship at the commercial department of the studio, doing a day release course – City and Guilds in photography, including dark room black and white printing. Having learnt her craft, her passion soon became ingrained and instinctive.

Moving on to a few years later, Stella had a strong desire to have her own family and married young and had three children soon after. Unfortunately the happy ever after wasn't to be, as she found herself homeless with three small children to provide for on her own. This was her cue to fulfil her childhood dream to set up her own portrait studio to provide for herself and her children. The rest as they say is history …

Stella's entrepreneurial spirit didn't let her down, when in 1997 she set up SMS Creative Photography, with the idea of creating photographs to keep others’ family heritage alive. By paying attention to her customers needs and providing a personal service with particular care to craftsmanship and detail, she and her team have grown a thriving business.

In 2013 Stella established a new part to the business - photographing lifestyles and personal collections worldwide - her sister website 'Stella' tells you more.

Her philosophy now, as it was when she started – to deliver photographs to convey an emotion that can be appreciated and valued for many, many years to come.

‘To capture the present – creates the past for future generations to enjoy’.

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