We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Heidi Haase. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Heidi below.

Heidi, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?

As of right now, I still manage my own social media. Aside from wanting to avoid the costs of hiring a social media manager in the early days of Heidi Hi Photography, I realized that I wanted to be able to establish the brand of my business myself as it grew. Although I am not very active on social media personally, I knew how crucial it is for a small, creative business to have a social media that draws people in and gives a clear picture of what the business is all about. My goal has been to create a social media presence that showcases my photography work, gives potential clients a chance to “meet me,” and reaches people who may not know about my business otherwise. So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the results of the content I have been creating for social media–quite a few of the weddings I’ve been booked for have been through my social media or at least influenced by clients seeing my work on social media. And personally, I’ve found that I actually enjoy editing videos of my work and planning out which pictures I want to share on social media.

Ultimately, I think that the decision of whether or not to manage your own social media heavily depends on what type of business you are in, how developed your brand is, and how comfortable you feel with creating your own social media content. If you are willing to put in some effort to learning how to utilize social media, I think it’s worthwhile for any small business owner to give it a try–you might end up really enjoying the process of building your brand in that way!

Heidi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Heidi, and I am the owner of Heidi Hi Photography. Outside of photography, I also love music, songwriting, thrifting, crocheting, and road trips! I was in 7th grade when I first took a class on photography, and that opened up a passion for showcasing beauty through the art of photography. Although I continued to do photography for fun and with friends throughout high school and college, I didn’t seriously consider doing photography on a professional level until after I had graduated college and started working an office job. I had taken some candid portraits of friends and loved that those pictures helped them see how beautiful they truly are, just as themselves.
One day soon after, I found myself thinking, “what if I did photography?” I fully believe it was God’s timing, because within a week or two I got a text from an unknown phone number asking if I could photograph their wedding. I was able to figure out that the text was from a childhood friend whose phone number had gotten lost in the shuffle of new phones over the years. I accepted the job and recruited my boyfriend to be my second shooter as he had experience photographing weddings. I wanted to give this opportunity my all and to ensure that I could deliver excellent work, so I spent the months leading up to the wedding doing more photoshoots with my friends, upgrading my gear, and refining my photography style. Shooting this first wedding (and getting to do more photography as I prepared) confirmed that photography was a huge passion for me and a field I could thrive in. I created a website to advertise my photography services, which continued to grow as more and more clients booked me for weddings, family photos, and portraits.
My goal is to provide my clients with photos that truly feel like them. I prefer less posed pictures and more natural, candid pictures that allow couples and families to interact in ways that are authentic to who they are. I tend towards the “documentary” style of photography that allows my clients to stay in the moment and reveals the beauty of their everyday life. I still believe there is a place for posed photos (and usually have my clients do one or two “formal” photos in each photoshoot) but candid pictures will always take the cake for me. I love helping my clients to see how beautiful they are, just as they are.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Growing clientele can be tricky as a photographer, especially when your business is in the beginning stages. For me, the most effective way I’ve reached potential clients is through social media. Before I had paying clients, I would ask friends to model for photoshoots so I could build my portfolio and have content to post. This gave me a way to advertise and showcase my style of photography. The other most effective way to grow my clientele has been through word-of-mouth. I strive to give every client I work with a fun and personal photoshoot, followed by an excellent photo gallery that they will love. With each client that has a positive experience, they are more inclined to tell others about my business and share the photos on their own social media.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I love seeing people light up when they see my work. Whether that is quickly showing them how lovely their pictures are mid-photoshoot, surprising a bride with polaroids from the wedding that same day, or sending a gallery with candid photos the client may not have even known I took, I am always touched by the joy my photography brings. I also love how photography gives people a new perspective on themselves. It has a unique way of blending art and its appreciator; clients get to see themselves and their lives as art–beautiful and worth treasuring.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://heidihiphotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidihi.photography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Heidi-Haase/61557098003545/

Image Credits

All images by Heidi Hi Photography