Today we’d like to introduce you to Shayla Cropp
Hi Shayla, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The story of Wild Heathen Images began at a pivotal moment in my life. After spending five years in corporate America working in marketing, I found myself repeatedly trapped in toxic and draining work environments. The day before my 27th birthday, I sat at my desk in Jersey City—six months after moving away from everyone we knew for my husband’s big job opportunity—overwhelmed by existential dread. Just weeks earlier, I had confided in my husband about my desire to quit and start my own wedding photography business. Photography had always been my favorite pastime, and I longed for a career that would allow me to travel, work on my own terms, connect with like-minded people, and unleash my creativity—everything my corporate job lacked. That morning, I made a decision: I wasn’t going to enter my 27th year feeling stuck and miserable. I refused to spend my birthday crying at that desk. So, I took the leap.
What I didn’t know then was that the next year would be the hardest of our lives. In the midst of building this business from the ground up and my husband laser focused on succeeding at his new job, we found out his mom had cancer. Shortly after, my dad had to undergo major heart surgery. Everything felt like it was crumbling at once. Suddenly, we were navigating overwhelming grief, uncertainty, and stress, all while trying to hold onto some sense of normalcy. But in that chaos, Wild Heathen Images became more than just a business—it became my anchor. It gave me purpose in the darkest moments and reminded me why I took that leap in the first place: to create something meaningful, something lasting.
For 1.5 years, I hustled in the city, pouring everything I had into this dream. And then, life shifted again. My husband got laid off from his job, so we made the decision to move back to Florida to be closer to family—because if there’s one thing that year taught us, it’s that nothing matters more. Lucky for us, he found a great job that brought us to Tampa. Thankfully, after everything, both his mom and my dad are doing well now, and we’re beyond grateful for that. With this fresh start, my business evolved into something even bigger: a destination wedding photography brand that allows me to travel across the U.S. and beyond, capturing wildly authentic love stories that never go out of style.
The name Wild Heathen Images emerged from deep introspection about who I am, where I come from and what I wanted my brand to represent: free-spirited, adventurous, and authentic couples who value warm, nostalgic, and timelessly elegant photos that are anything but boring. Today, I’m living my dream, telling love stories for couples who share that same energy—proving that even in the hardest seasons of life, there’s still space to create something beautiful.
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?
At the beginning of my business journey, I invested in a three-month mentorship program that led to the launch of my brand and website. Even though I took pride in doing everything myself, I quickly realized I wasn’t entirely happy with how it turned out. I wanted something more professional—something that truly captured the vibe I was going for. So, I decided to hire a web designer to completely revamp my brand, and now, I absolutely love where it’s at.
Throughout this process, my confidence was a rollercoaster. One day, I’d feel on top of the world, and the next, I’d be doubting everything. But the biggest challenge wasn’t the work itself—editing, planning shoots, and serving my couples were all fun and fulfilling. The real challenge was overcoming my scarcity mindset, pushing through self-doubt, and redefining my expectations.
It took a lot of personal growth and daily effort to truly believe in what I was creating. But that journey—of self-discovery, resilience, and trusting the process—is what ultimately shaped Wild Heathen Images into the brand it is today. And now, for the first time, I feel completely aligned with my brand and messaging. It reflects who I am, and more importantly, it’s attracting the kind of people who truly resonate with my vision.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As the creative force behind Wild Heathen Images, I specialize in capturing love stories that are vibrant, authentic, and full of life. My passion lies in being a visual storyteller—an alchemist of authenticity—who seeks the extraordinary in seemingly ordinary moments. I thrive on documenting candid, unscripted interactions that make your heart skip a beat and bring unique love stories to life.
Our Mission: Wild Heathen Images preserves the untamed passion and adventurous spirit of couples in love by capturing soul-stirring imagery with creativity, connection and kindness.
What sets me apart is my commitment to getting to know each and every couple on a personal level, creating a custom experience tailored to their vision. My couples know my passion lies in creating an experience that exceeds all expectations and can fully trust that they won’t be treated like just another client. I prioritize building organic connections, ensuring that my couples feel seen, relaxed, and completely themselves in front of my camera. This approach allows candid moments to unfold naturally, resulting in images that are both creative and real, not something forced.
I’m most proud of the trust my couples place in me to genuinely capture their most cherished moments. Their kind words and satisfaction fuel my dedication to this craft. There’s nothing better than knowing I’ve helped couples breathe easier during a transformative period of their lives that typically comes with its fair share of headaches. I do all that I can to eliminate stress throughout their photography experience while delivering beautiful images that they’ll cherish forever.
Ultimately, I’m all about tossing the rule book out the window and capturing real and raw moments. My goal is to provide more than just photos, I aim to create memories infused with genuine connection, creativity, and good old-fashioned fun.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My Husband, Clint Cropp – He is my rock who always supports me at my best and worst, and he’s the reason I was able to quit on a dime and go into photography full time. We’ve been together since high school for nearly 15 years.
Claire Hunt Photography – My mentor for the first 3 months of my business and a great friend to this day. Her Book It program was incredibly helpful, and she is an excellent mentor with a heart meant for service.
My parents – Both entrepreneurs / self employed. I watched them both grow their businesses successfully growing up. They gave me such huge internal drive to chase my dreams, along with the interpersonal skills and attitude to achieve them. They taught me not to settle for average, to work hard if I want to go far, and to never give up on myself. They also taught me strength is found through adversity, because nothing truly worth it comes fast or easy.
The photography community in NYC and NJ that allowed me to join them and gave constant support, reassurance and advice. The photographers who let me work with them as a 2nd shooter or assistant while I was still learning the ropes. Without this group, I would not be where I am today. And now I’m finding support in the Florida photography community.
And finally, all of my friends who let me practice my photography skills on them as I worked to discover my style. They were the best cheerleaders throughout the journey.
Pricing:
- Full-day Weddings: Between 4-6K
- Destination Weddings: Start at 6K
- Elopements (partial day): Between 2-4K
- 1-Hour Session: $500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wildheathenimages.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildheathenimages/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Wild-Heathen-Images/61551243805546/
