Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexandria Mooney. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alexandria, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

At the end of 2018, I quit my full-time teaching job – something I had been doing for 11 years – to pursue my dreams of being a full time birth and family photographer. This was a terrifying risk, because I was giving up the only full time job I’d ever done as well as insurance coverage, a stable paycheck, and so much more. But I knew I could not continue teaching – my heart and soul was in photography. So I took this risk, this huge leap and decided to follow my passion, be my own boss, and make my own schedule and rules. It was a huge financial risk to our family, but it turned out to be the greatest, most amazing career decision ever.

Alexandria, 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?

I spent many years dabbling in photography as just a hobby – capturing friends and families memories. This hobby eventually grew into a side gig, and then after a gigantic leap of faith in quitting my full time teaching job, because my career. I spend my time capturing birth stories, babies and families for some of the most amazing people I have had the privilege of meeting. I have worked incredibly hard to build up my client base and create a brand that sets me apart from many other photographers in my area. I pride myself on having a quick turnaround time – I hate waiting for things, especially my family photos, so I try and get my clients’ images back to them in a fast, efficient manner.

A big part of my job is capturing those once-in-a-lifetime moments for families through documenting their birth stories. I have won quite a few awards and accolades with my photos and I truly feel like each and every one tells a story – the most amazing, truly only happens once, story. And sometimes, those babies I capture never get to come home. That is a huge part of my job and story, because after we lost our son Clark in 2018, his birth photos are all I have of him. So I pay it forward in his name and do the same for others who are faced with the same devastating situation we were. I provide complimentary bereavement photos for families in need.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My son Clark, who was stillborn in 2018, is the driving force behind my business and what I do. His photos are all that we have of him, and it has really made me realize how important and needed photos are for people. They all tell a story, and sometimes those stories are some of the last that get to be told. So I want to provide families those same forever memories in their photos that we were so lucky to have captured with our sweet boy.

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

Hands down the best way to grow my client base has been recommendations, referrals and word of mouth. Social media and online presence is wonderful, but the real ‘meat and potatoes’ of my job comes from the people I have had the privilege of working with, and in turn their recommendations about my photography to their friends and family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alexandriamooneyphotography.com/
• Instagram: @alexandriamooneyphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexandriaMooneyPhotography
• Other: IG: @birthstoriesbyalexandriamooney IG: @capturesforclark FB: https://www.facebook.com/BirthStoriesbyAlexandriaMooney FB: https://www.facebook.com/capturesforclark