Whew! I can’t believe this little business of mine is still going strong! After almost 10 years in the business and 7 years photographing preemies, I can definitely say it’s been a fun ride. It’s taken a lot of work and sacrifices, but with that has come a lot of smiles. 😀 Running a small business isn’t for the faint of heart, especially when you throw in a pandemic! It certainly complicated things, but I also didn’t mind the forced slow-down. I know many businesses struggled, but some of us won’t ever take a step back unless we’re forced! Like many families, mine got to enjoy some extra togetherness in that season.
When I started photographing NICU babies in 2016, I went in with the simple goal of offering families a sense of normalcy. Just because you have a NICU baby doesn’t mean you can’t have beautiful portraits, too! I see it as a small way to bring some beauty into the NICU journey and to celebrate these precious, tiny humans.
I’ve enjoyed meeting so many wonderful clients along the way, and they have truly made my business what it is today. Without all of you, it wouldn’t exist! I’m at the stage now where I don’t see many of my newborn clients as often because their kids are getting older, and they just don’t take photos as frequently. However, I have been reconnecting with many NICU families “out in the wild” and that has been so fun! I don’t always recognize them until we make the connection that I photographed their family in the NICU. I have also had the pleasure of many NICU families turning into regular clients!
I celebrate a lot of small, private wins, but some of my big wins over the past decade of photography include: being published in a magazine, starting my NICU Portrait program, and building my photography schedule around my life schedule. As you can see on the left, I have also managed to donate canvases to decorate the walls of the family room in a local NICU. While those may not be milestones for others, I see them as major achievements! Everyone runs their business a little differently. That’s the beauty of owning a small business!
Here’s a little reminder about how far camera phones have come over the past decade. 😆 This was one of my first “primaries” after I started working in the NICU in 2012! As one of his primary nurses, that meant that when I was working, I was caring for him (and 1 or 2 other babies).
I still remember how scared his parents were after his rough delivery. They were such a sweet family, and we still keep in touch!
As someone who has always loved everything tiny, it has been a gift to be a NICU nurse for 10 years and to bring my passion for NICU babies and photography together for the past 7 years. I can’t wait to see what exciting things the next years of my business and the NICU Portrait program hold!
P.S. I can’t make a post about my NICU Portrait program without a special thank you to Bee Mighty, who sponsors them!