Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi Margocsy

Hi Heidi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

We began In Her Image Photography in 2009. The recession was in full swing and though it seemed outrageous to begin a portrait business when many businesses in our area were closing, we took a leap of faith. We both grew up with cameras in our hands and we each saw the world a little differently because of that. We share a deep passion for creating. It was when a woman we photographed said to us through happy tears “Thank you for making me feel beautiful” that the In Her Image seed was planted. Our primary focus was creating empowering and authentic portraits for women. That’s what we built our business on. Our clients were our number one marketing team, as they’d share their images with friends, family and co-workers and within a year- the business was self-pollinating. We were told numerous times that our business wouldn’t survive with such a specific niche. No weddings? No newborns? No engagement sessions? We stood firmly and proudly in our mission to empower women through positive imagery and never looked back. Over the years we’ve been blessed with incredible opportunities in both national and international press articles (NY Times Style Section/Forbes etc) written about us that helped us reach more clients. From personal branding (which is our specialty focus) to self-celebration, we’re proud to have photographed thousands of clients over the 15 year span of our business. Our clients are the driving force behind our business and we wouldn’t be here today -15 years into a thriving business, without them. In 2022, we decided to open our “women’s portraits” niche to include all gender identifying people. The gender landscape has been ever evolving over the years, and as members of the LGBTQI+ community, we felt strongly that our business should also evolve by being gender inclusive. Today, we are fortunate to travel the world with this work. Our images have been exhibited both nationally and internationally and we’ve been fortunate to win countless portrait and photography awards. Simply put, we create amazing portraits for extraordinary humans. We believe that all people should have the opportunity to see themselves reflected back in imagery that has them feeling truly seen and celebrated. This has always been our mission and we are so proud that we get to do this work out in the world.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

I think with all small businesses there will be struggles, but rather than stay focused on the struggle- we work on the solution. I would say that the recent global pandemic was our greatest hurdle. Our business was inadvertently closed for a very unexpected 8 months. As our portrait sessions were considered to be a “personal service” the lock down hit us pretty hard. There were definitely moments when we weren’t sure if our business could come back after such a long hiatus. We spent those months focused on the things we *could* do for our business while we weren’t able to have clients in front of our cameras. We reimagined our website and offerings, implemented new marketing strategies and kept communication and engaging on the forefront with our existing client base knowing that eventually, we’d be back and running. Everyone was going through a difficult time, so we felt a sense of community just knowing that we could be transparent with clients. It was actually, albeit a time full of fear and unknowns, a really unifying time for us. And when the world opened back up- we hit the ground running with 2021 being our busiest year on record! It seemed like our entrepreneur clients wanted to get back to their business just as much as we wanted to get back to ours, and our calendars were jam-packed with clients re energizing their own branding and marketing strategies with new images. Our clients recognized that to come back from the pandemic, they needed to be marketing their businesses the moment the world opened back up, and we were thrilled to be able to help them do that.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

We’ve been told that our experience from start to finish is what separates us from other photographers. We care a great deal about our clients feeling completely supported during the process. We recognize that for many, being photographed and seen in this way can be a vulnerable experience. It’s courageous to step into your power and allow yourself to be celebrated. So, whether it’s their first time in front of a camera, or their hundredth- we are passionate about creating an experience that is not only easy, joy-filled and empowering but is also one that enables someone to fully step into who they are. Being yourself is something we place great importance and value in. And when you’re in front of our lenses, we’re working to create an environment where you get to show up as yourself and have that be 100% entirely enough! We’re so proud of our community of clients who have been loyal supporters of our work over the years. It’s because of them that we get to do what we love out in the world, and that is creating images where people feel like the best versions of themselves.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?

Tara and I built this business together, and we have always been each other’s number one cheerleader. It’s not always easy to live, love and work with your partner but our relationship has strengthened because of the need to balance both work life and personal life. Has it been a challenge at times? Definitely. But it’s work we want to do both in business and in our relationship. I’m grateful every day that we’ve been able to grow through the struggles and thrive through the many years we’ve been in business. It’s rare for a portrait photography business to have this kind of staying power- but here we are 15 years later and still out here doing what we love. Our business longevity, success and continued evolution is 100% because of the people who believed in us and continue to believe in us. Our clients, our friends and families have always motivated us to keep producing images that tell people’s stories from a heart-centered place. That community is our driving force and they are who keep us motivated and pushing ourselves both as artists and business owners.

Pricing:

• Pricing and offerings found on our website at www.inherimagephoto.com/session-offerings1

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.inherimagephoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inherimagephoto
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inherimagephotography
• Other: Google Reviews https://g.page/r/CRo9zOEyQ-iZEBM/

Image Credits

Hair and Makeup by: Kat Louis, Cejana Ferreira, Star Jackson, Lindsay Battaglino, Yndia Georg-Belli, Danielle Frey, Marianella Brey.