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

Abby, appreciate you joining us today. Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style. Do you have an interesting story from that stage of your career that you can share with us?

I had several internships while I studied at the University of North Texas, but my favorite was my photography internship at the Dallas Zoo. I’m primarily a portrait photographer (for humans!), so I thought that it would be a very fun challenge to photograph animals. I spent the summer before my senior year at the zoo most weekdays and I learned so much! I interned with Cathy Burkey and she took me behind the scenes to get up close and personal with the animals. It was so cool! One of my favorite memories is photographing the penguins in their enclosure because as I was photographing one of them, they took me by surprise and tried to peck at my camera! Not only did I add to my portfolio, but I also learned a lot about the animals and conservation.

Abby, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a boutique portrait photographer based out of Fort Worth. I began my photography journey at the age of five, and was the kid who brought her camera to school dances, field trips, recess, you name it. I really fell head over heels in love with photography in high school when I took my first official photography class. My high school photography teacher, Christine Pierce helped build a foundation for my art and I quickly knew that I wanted to pursue photography professionally.

In 2014, while still in high school, I started Abby Pfaff Photography. Over the last 8 years, I have learned and grown so much as a photographer and artist. I am so proud of how far I have come and I have my teachers to thank for it (shoutout to Christine Pierce, John Skees, Dornith Doherty, Paho Mann, Tom Leininger, Gustavo Plascencia, and Kristina Smith). I believe that there is always more to learn, and I am confident that I will spend the rest of my life honing my craft.

Over the years, I have photographed events, weddings, seniors, families, animals, boudoir and so much more. My most current craze is boudoir photography. I want to help people fall in love with themselves and celebrate their bodies. In a world full of self depreciation, I want to be the ultimate hype-woman! For Women’s History Month this year, my partner, Sarah Brill, and a good friend of mine, Elsa Ruggiero, hosted a fundraiser/boudoir photoshoot giveaway benefitting SafeHaven of Tarrant County. Our initial goal was to raise $500, but we managed to raise $1,000! I am so proud of my team and I am so looking forward to our next fundraiser in June for Pride Month.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I keep in touch with clients through social media and creating genuine relationships. I am so lucky to be in the photography field because clients often become friends- my newest being our boudoir giveaway winner, Cassandra! I had so much fun prepping for her photoshoot. We hopped on a zoom call and met up for dinner to discuss our vision for the shoot: from outfits to makeup to poses. It is so important to keep open communication with clients and make them feel comfortable- especially with boudoir photography!

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source for new clients is and probably always will be word of mouth. It is THE biggest compliment when my clients recommend me to their friends and family. My goal is to create such a fun, comfortable and memorable experience that they can’t help but gush to their friends and come back for more! I have so many people come to me and say that they are awkward in front of the camera and need a lot of help posing and letting loose. By the end of the session, they are often shocked at how much fun we’ve had and how effortless the shoot was.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.abbypfaffphotography.com
• Instagram: @abbypfaffphotography and @boudoirbyabby
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/abbypfaffphotography
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/abby-pfaff-photography-dallas?uid=mZgbIgzC1XlF3r6ju2QjIQ&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
• Other: www.abbypfaff.com

Image Credits
Abby Pfaff Photography