THE BEGINNING

In November 1996 I signed a nine-year lease for a shop in Oxted, Surrey.

I remember feeling as though I were about to give birth – that fleeting, fearful sensation of desperately wanting something while being petrified of the responsibility and pain required to achieve it.

It was a dream I had since I was 15 years old, working as a Saturday girl in the local portrait and wedding photography studio in my hometown of Croydon.

Incidentally I was photographed at this very studio at nine years old.

I left school the following year, in 1976, to pursue a career in photography, taking on a three-year apprenticeship in the commercial side of the business. That wonderful experience gave me a comprehensive knowledge of commercial, portrait and wedding photography while I attended Croydon Art College on a day -release City & Guilds course. A fascinating era when film was loaded into the camera body and processed in a dark room!

WHY DO IT?

By 1996, I was 37 years old – a single mum with three children aged 11, 9 and 4. Their dad had left three years prior when a new woman caught his eye, and his finances took a nosedive, leaving us bereft.

In 1994, our beautiful, spacious detached home in Surrey was repossessed. The children and I were temporarily rehoused by the council in a two-bedroom, second floor flat in Oxted for 14 months until suitable permanent accommodation could be found.

This really was not the life I had in mind for my children and I. We were living on benefits totalling £40 a week without a cooker, relying on a microwave for our meals. That experience taught me self-reliance, resilience and resourcefulness – especially with three young children in tow whose lives had been turned upside down overnight. Managing a toddler, a reception-class child, and a first-year junior was no small feat, but I knew there had to be a way to provide for all of us independently.

HOW I DID IT

After much soul-searching and with the support of Tandridge District Council, we were rehoused in 1995 to a newly refurbished semi-detached three bedroom house backing onto farmland near Oxted. It was a dream come true overlooking fields filled with sheep. I knew that one day I wanted to buy this home – I just had to figure out how.

With my youngest in nursery, we began to settle into a newfound freedom. It was up to me – and only me – to take step by step action toward my dream of financial independence and owning a own home no one could ever take away from me.

My primary inspiration was my dad, Lazaros (Larry), who came to England from Cyprus in the 1930s at the age of 20. He spoke no English and had just £5 in his back pocket (a lot of money back then!) but had a dream to create a life for himself, his siblings and his future family. He achieved that with immense pride and vigour by becoming a successful restaurateur. From a very early age Dad’s restaurants served as my training ground for managing and communicating with people front-of-house.

Surely if my dad could do it with so much stacked against him, surely so I could too …..???

I enrolled in a weekly course called ‘Women on the Move’ which gave me the confidence and courage to gather my self belief to go forward. My main objective was financial independence. After all, what did I have to lose?

SUPPORT

I had the support and belief from my mum (my dad passed away in 1989) to gift me a few thousand pounds to start my own business. I remember her saying “No one is coming to rescue you, it’s down to you now’. Very wise words that still ring true today.

Isn’t life strange? I often shopped in Oxted, and one Saturday in August 1996, I decided to visit a local estate agent to ask if any shops were available to rent. Timing is everything. The agent said “Yes, we do Ms Scordellis, the photographic printing and developing shop is relocating. Would you be interested in taking the lease?”

How could I say no? It was perfect, the ideal high street location with strong footfall. In November 1996, I signed a nine-year lease for £6,000 per year. Now I had to make it work – there wasn’t a Plan B …eekk!!

With hands-on-help from family and friends I was able to focus on creating a brand. I didn’t have the confidence to put my own name above the door. What if it all went wrong? At least I would retain some anonymity. So I chose my initials Stella Marina Scordellis – SMS Creative Photography was founded and it was all systems go to launch it the following year.

MY “FOURTH CHILD” IS BORN!

On 10th February 1997 my “fourth child” was born, a joyous day it was too. It felt like my first day at school – filled with excitement and trepidation.

Slowly but surely, customers began coming through the door. They brought in beloved old photographs to be restored, had passport photographs taken and commissioned portraits of their children, pets, families and weddings.

Back then it was rolls of film loaded into cameras, with processing split across two separate locations, colour film in East Grinstead and black & white film in South Croydon. Delivering and collecting film after work became a weekly task. I must have been running on pure adrenaline, it was all go, go, go!

Rebranding in 2013 with confidence to put my name on the awning.

FAST FOWARD

As time went on the business grew one tiny step at a time. One customer led to another and another. There is something truly special about making a living doing what you love. I had found my niche and loved meeting new people photographing memories for families to treasure for generations to come. For which I am eternally grateful.

As my reputation grew, exciting new commissions followed. Including covering the QE2 World Cruise for a limited edition book in 1999 for world travellers. Photographing Boyzone and Cher opening the Harrods sales. Photographing Jeremy Clarkson for an exclusive book on Ferrari. Capturing Metallica and Iron Maiden and others at the Sonisphere Festival and photographing behind the scenes at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

By 2001 digital photography was becoming more prominent. If someone had told me in 1996 that I would one day see instant images on the back of my camera, I would not have believed them. What a transformation. Today my digital archives are stored in terabytes alongside a garage stacked with negatives from 1997!

The relationships I built with my wonderful customers opened doors to new exciting commissions including international assignments away from the high street. In 2012 to cater to this growing market - 'Stella' - my luxury lifestyle photography brand was born. Photographing classic and supercars exclusively for private clients and businesses. Collaborating with master British craftsmen, we created custom hand-bound books and wall art to document automotive provenance.

By 2013, I finally gained the confidence to rebrand and put my own name above the door.

WHERE AM I NOW?

In August 2019, after 22 years on the high street I made the decision to assign my lease to a local business woman. Things were changing for me – my children had long fled the nest and commissions were coming from other directions that didn’t require a physical shopfront.

Transitioning to remote work—which became the norm during the pandemic—gave me the freedom to travel, work flexible hours, and enjoy a more balanced lifestyle. I also gained the confidence and expertise as a public speaker delivering presentations about my work as a photographer that took me into schools, colleges and onboard cruise ships too. The variety was exciting and exhilarating!

GOING FORWARD

Today, I am often called upon to photograph new generations of the same families I captured decades ago, which fills me with immense joy. I also work with international visitors looking to capture special memories while visiting family in the local area.

Public speaking and mentoring have become integral to my work. Overcoming my fear of public speaking allowed me to educate and inspire others, and I take great pride in mentoring the next generation of photographers pursuing their own dreams. This link to Mentoring tells you more.

Above all, I am a proud grandmother to three adorable grandchildren whom I love spending time with.

ARTWORKS TO BUY

This link tells you more about automotive photographs to buy. Feel free to contact me directly if anything catches your eye.

WORDS OF THANKS

To my lovely mum (now passed away) and all my family and friends who believed in me and supported me. I could not have done this without your support and belief in me.

To the amazing people | employed over the years – without whom my business would not have flourished as it did.

Thank you, thank you especially to my three children for their continued support. Without you I would not have been brave enough (or crazy enough!) to discover what I was capable of.

Last but by no means least, to all of you, my customers, whom I have had the pleasure of photographing and working with. Thank you for entrusting me with your memories over the past 30 years. It has been an honour and a privilege.

Below are a few photographs to share.

Thank you so much!