We recently connected with Alice Malia and have shared our conversation below.

Alice, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I started learning about photography in Paris, back when I was in college, when I took a class on black and white film. As soon as I stepped into the dark room and saw my photos come to life in a new way, that was it for me. I was instantly obsessed, and that obsession has stayed with me since. While I have gone back and forth between film and digital, the first spark of joy has never dimmed.

Knowing what I know now about the craft, I don’t know that I would do anything different, because I believe that we all take the paths we’re supposed to. If we learned everything quickly and without mistakes, we wouldn’t learn the skills in the same meaningful way. However! I do have advice for photographers who are starting out, and this is it: before all else, put your camera in manual, and learn about light.

Without light, there is no photography. Learn about natural light first – soft light, hard light, backlight, diffused light, etc – and then once you’ve mastered that, learn how to use artificial light sources – flashes, strobes, and their accessories (which are endless). The best photographers understand how light impacts their images, no matter what the subject matter is, and they use it with intention (in other words, it’s not just a happy accident that the light looks so magical)!

It’s easy to get distracted by the topic you want to photograph and the niche you want to focus on. There’s no reason you can’t work on that at the same time too, but for someone who is starting out, you’ll capture the photos you really want to make by understanding how to use light above all else. Then, once you have a strong grasp of how and where to find the light (or make it yourself), your photography will hit the next level!

Alice, 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 family photographer in Olympia WA, specializing in documenting the joy and connection between parents and kids. I have a boutique approach, centering around beautifully designed heirloom albums and wall art to last for generations. My sessions are designed to be super fun for everyone, with age-appropriate activities and low-stress preparation. My vibe is for families that love to play together and get messy, and to capture those real, lasting memories of childhood.

Like so many photographers, I started out photographing everything I could. I was always the friend with the camera and the first to document everything. When I started my business, I cast a wide net, trying to market myself for just about everything (weddings, families, newborns, pets, architecture, brands, products, etc).

That changed once I had my own children. When my oldest was born, I fell in love with him completely, and I knew I wanted to focus my time and art on capturing this incredible chapter of life for myself and for other parents as well.

After a few years of talking with fellow moms and clients, I started to figure out what they didn’t want: stiff, overly posed photos, with awkward, forced smiles.

That’s why I lean into an approach to family photography that I call “the messy years.” Let’s face it, kids have the best time when they’re allowed to be messy. Their smiles are bigger when they’re allowed to get their dress dirty, playing the way they want to play. They’re happier putting their hands in the sand. They light up collecting sticks and pinecones and bringing them to you with a bit of dirt and moss still stuck to them. When we let kids explore and lead the session through developmentally appropriate activities, they can’t help but be joyful!

A key component to “the messy years” approach is guiding parents to let go of their expectations for their children to have “good behavior” at the session. When parents focus on just being present with their children, however they’re feeling or acting, the photos come out gorgeous every time.

I have spent so many years obsessively working on my craft (I’m still always learning and growing even now), and it’s pretty amazing to see my work become lasting memories for each family that I work with.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The majority of my business comes from word-of-mouth referrals and from Google searches. When I moved to Olympia, I learned as much as I could about SEO and implemented what I had learned to make sure people could find me in Google searches. Once I started gaining a client base, I focused my efforts on retaining them by making sure they always had an excellent customer experience, going above and beyond whenever possible.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing the same families year over year and hearing about how their photos have become a part of their daily lives. Parents will often tell me about how their children love to look at the albums I’ve made for them nightly, or how they are so grateful to have these memories documented while their kids are growing at light speed. I’ve also photographed several people who have passed away, and while it’s a sad subject, their families have told me how meaningful it is to them to have high quality photos of their loved ones to remember them by.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alicemaliaphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicemaliaphotography/

Image Credits

Alice Malia Photography