Name: Amy Pazur

Representing: Moments & Co., LLC

# of Years Experience: 9

My spare time is spent as much as possible with my family! We do fun trips and fun activities. My older daughter wants to become a photographer and even sets up her baby dolls with backdrops to photograph them. My husband is a roller skater and we do that together as a hobby when we can fit it in. I do photograph other genres besides newborn. My business is set up to bring joy to growing families – maternity through birthdays, but I sometimes stretch outside of those areas as well!

Start it the right way! Anyone can pick up a camera a snap a picture, in fact most of us started that way. But starting like that also means it often takes longer to grow, can make it harder to change, and harder to bring in people that love and appreciate what you do. Do your homework! Learn your camera, learn the rules of photography, but even more importantly, learn how to run a profitable business!!!

I started my business by picking up a camera, but I did it the right way with my legal set up. I never wanted to run my business any other way, other than legit. But I was having babies the first 5 years of my business so I didn’t put the time into it that I do now. Since then I have learned, studied, grown, and changed the way I do business and am so much happier where my business stands now! The main thing for me was focusing on my business and learning how to photograph correctly. I joined a mastermind, studied in person with a mentor, and changed my pricing, and I have done nothing but grow ever since! I can’t recommend it enough.

I believe at some point in business, every photographer has to face the dreaded price hike. I am currently in my second phase of this and it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in business, it is always hard to weather the storm. The main thing to remember is that if you believe in it, it is probably right, you just have to give it time to work!

For me to take care of them every step of the way. I love my clients and I love being able to give them what they want and enjoy the experience along the way. I’m here to make their life easier and provide something they can enjoy long past the time their child has grown out of their arms.

Name: Tara Graham – Newborn Photographer

Representing:

# of Years Experience: 12

I am a mother to a 6-year-old boy with my “husband” – we are not officially married, but we are high school sweethearts. This summer you can also find me on the baseball diamond helping coach my son’s team. I have always loved kids, and got into family and newborn photography long before becoming a mama myself. I started out as a wedding photographer and that naturally led to babies and families, and I found I enjoyed having more weekends free, especially after my son was born. Mainly, I photograph maternity, newborn, and family, though I also do a bit of headshot and personal branding work as well.

With newborn photography it can be so easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying allll the props. If you really want to have a successful business, treat it like a business and be strategic about your spending. You can do a lot with very little. Buy the bigger ticket items in one neutral colour, and incorporate other colours into your images with your less expensive wraps, bonnets and tiebacks.

Use some of that money you saved to invest in education. Check out the APNPI Academy, mentor with your favourite photographer, work with a business coach, whatever area will help you most for the place you’re at, and where you want to go.

I am currently using the Canon R6 mainly with these lenses, in order by favourites:
Canon 35mm 1.4
Canon 85mm 1.4
Canon 50mm 2.5 macro
Lensbaby Sol45

In my camera bag you will also find extra batteries and memory cards, my 5DM3 for backup, a 580EX speedlight, lip balm, SPF, a few crystals, beaded necklaces, and snacks.

I love my home studio, but my heart belongs to the outdoor sessions. Even for newborn! One of the best things to come from the pandemic for me, was taking my newborn sessions outside during the warmer weather. I just love golden hour, and all the wonderful textures and colours found in nature. And I try to bring some of that into my studio sessions as well. That said, I did do a studio revamp recently, and I love having fresh sample images up, a cute client seating area, and I especially love my limewash feature wall!

I feel like this is going to give away my age, but I actually went to school for photography, and I was there during the cross-over from film to digital, and got to experience both, which I think is pretty unique, and something I’m grateful for. I also worked in a high-end portrait studio in Toronto, a commercial studio, and a wedding studio, before getting the courage to branch out on my own. I have attended various conferences and watched lots of online courses, and done in-person workshops with Stephanie Robin, Twig and Olive, Erin Elizabeth, and Alli Peck.

I worked for a few different photography studios out of college, before going full-time on my own and telling my husband we were moving so I could have a home studio. For many years I feel like I coasted, making just enough to pay my share of the bills and buy a few props. It wasn’t until I started investing in personal development and taking responsibility for creating my own life that my business took a big leap. I have actually had my best years during the pandemic, despite being restricted on when we were allowed to work. I started working ON my business instead of in it, and really narrowed in on a style and worked towards a consistent and cohesive brand. I have actually had my best years during the pandemic, despite being restricted on when we were allowed to work.

Name: Dania Cueto

Representing: On Cue Photography

# of Years Experience: 10

I am a home schooling mama of 17 years, of 4 kids. (oldest is now in college to be a pediatric nurse, so really only 3 left)
I started my schooling out of high school to be an OB nurse because I was told I could never have children. Obviously, they were very wrong, but I figured that if I couldn’t have them, them I was going to deliver them. Babies have always been my passion, and what I always wanted. Since I was very young, I always knew I wanted 4. So, why not deliver them then? Life happened and I ended up meeting my husband and having our 4 before I ever graduated college. I never finished college and with my corneal degeneration, I knew that I would never be able to finish.

I picked up a dslr 10 years ago when our oldest was a competitive gymnast, with no intentions of making it a business, I just wanted those amazing shots of my child flipping her 5 foot 10 inch 140 pound body around the floor and those bars, holding on with nothing but the fingertips lol. We had 3 friends getting married that same year who could not afford a photographer, so they asked me to take them. I was terrified, explained I had never done this kind of thing, but would if they wanted them done so they could have something. After shooting those 3 for FREE, I realized I loved it, and went back to school for photography. I stuck with mainly weddings for 8 of my 10 years, took 2 years off, and returned in 2020 with a main focus on newborns, where I always knew I wanted to be.

I do have corneal degeneration, and due to how much and how quickly it has progressed, I do not qualify for surgery anymore. There is nothing they can do for my eye sight, and I will, quickly, be considered legally blind. I shoot in manual with everything, except my lens, it does the job for me as I can no longer see well enough to do it on my own. I cannot see some of those slight lighting obstacles like the slight uplighting, or some shadows. Because of this, getting my QNP was very difficult. I struggled, and on my 3rd attempt decided it was my last attempt. I pulled my husband in, and while he had no clue what this meant, we attempted to figure it out, and chose different images with a HOPE that it was right this time. Not sure exactly what images to replace, I left some of them and just added more than needed, hoping for a good result. I obviously ended up with my QNP on that 3rd attempt, but I owe it to my husband for sitting with me, and encouraging me, he is my biggest asset.

I love COLOR! I love contrast! I love elaborate sets.

Being Spanish, the more color, the more elaborate the better. Sadly, that is not something that most ask for, but it is what I love and what I will strive for in my business!

Tiffany Alexander Jones, Rye-Tan Photography out of VA.

She encouraged me to try to become a Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep volunteer. I never thought I would make the cut, but thanks to her encouragement, I went for it, and on the first attempt was accepted. She has the same style that I love, and she is such an encouragement to me. If I ever have an issue, she is right there to help!

Do not start this without safety and hands on training!
Make sure that your business is registered and a legit business, paying insurance, and taxes, and have contracts! Working with the most precious and prized belongings of another human being, that is so fragile, is not something to mess with. As a Mom, I am always in protective mode, and I expect the mamas who see me, to be the same way. This is not something that is worth risking your livelihood over to save a few bucks! SPEND THE MONEY AND DO IT RIGHT!

I have 2 Nikon D810s. Again, I was a wedding photographer, and so I had a 2nd shooter and I provided the equipment (well, it is my husband, so that helped lol).
My favorite lens for those macro shots is currently my 70mm 2.8. I am currently shooting with a zoom lens for the other shots, 24-70mm. But I have rented a couple lenses, and the 35mm 1.4 is my next purchase. GORGEOUS bokeh.

I have a couple of spots. For Maternity outdoor, my favorite is a little gardens in our local area, Wellfield Gardens. Not a lot of photographers use the spot because of the fees involved with shooting there as a pro photographer, but for me, it is well worth it! My 2nd favorite is my studio. I shoot in studio for maternity during the colder months, especially if there is no snow, its just drab and not very pretty out. For my newborn, milestones, and cake smash, I prefer my studio to be honest. Having control of the environment and lighting is amazing, and guarantees results that parents love.

I received my education at New York Institute of Photography, all online.
I have taken one hands on training with Bianca Hubble, and several online courses. From The Milky Way Newborn Retreat, to Kelly Brown. I have had a class scheduled with Ana Brandt in person for quite some time, however, due to a Tsunami cancelling a 2 day retreat in Hawaii, and Covid cancelling the classes, I have yet to get the training, but once it opens back up and is rescheduled, I certainly will.

My biggest challenges are still the same, from the beginning to date. Weddings were easy to get into. Attend bridal shows/expos, and they just fall into your lap.
The newborn industry has been far harder. Between an over saturated market in a predominately Amish area, and changing my genre during the year of a pandemic, it has not been easy at all to gain clients. Most of my sessions in 2020 were not for profit. I needed to get my maternity client closet shot so that expectant mamas knew I provided the gowns and what they looked like. The manufacturers did not want anyone using the images on their website. So, I bought a pregnant belly, put my oldest daughter in it, and used cell shots for the dresses and shot them on a mannequin as well. I did model calls for all of those, and as a thank you, I gifted the newborn session to them. Not all of them took it, but I ended up with a total, between model calls and paid sessions, 22 newborns in 2020. Now, I am offering those newborns a huge discounted rate on their one year cake smash so that I can get those in my portfolio. I still haven’t quite figured out how to reach a mass clientele for this specific genre, but I have not stopped trying, and I am still reaching out.

One thing that I hear the most from my clients when they provide feedback on my facebook page is: I am very gentle, I know what I am doing, they feel like they know from the word go, and I take my time to get the right shot. I have sung to my little clients to get them to sleep if need be, and I am very patient when it comes to the little bundles. I provide everything for the shoot so that they don’t have to! From the wrap, to the outfit, to the backdrop to the props. I provide a changing table, stocked with newborn diapers and warm wipes, and a bottle warmer. I do NOT force anyone to bring or use a pacifier, although if they are willing it does help. I was once a nursing mama, so I will never force anyone to do something they are not comfortable with, just as I will never force a baby to do anything they are not comfortable with. This is my passion, I love babies, and will always treat every newborn as though it was my own! Babies are a gift from above, and every baby/child that I look into their eyes, it is like looking into the face of God. I take that very seriously and treat them like the precious gift they are.