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

Amanda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

For a long time, I think I fell into the category of what is considered the “industry standard” for family, maternity, and lifestyle newborn photographers, but my sweet clients had so many struggles that still weren’t being resolved. I knew something had to change if I was really going to serve my clients well.

The most important change involved one of the biggest struggles mamas were having when booking a session – outfits! Oh the stress of choosing the right outfit would bring for these sweet clients of mine. It’s pretty normal to receive an “Outfit Guide” from a photographer, but that still leaves all the work in the hands of mom. Instead, I offer a size inclusive client closet to all mamas who book with me! Think long, flowing, soft dresses that fit many body types and photograph beautifully. When my clients come in to try on dresses and choose their favorite, we will also sit down and plan the entire family’s wardrobe together. No guesswork, no running back and forth to the store for returns. And mama will know she loves the way she looks long before session day.

Ready for the cherry on top? All mamas that book with me will get a clean beauty conscious hair and makeup artist sent straight to their home the day of their session. When I tell you my clients don’t have to lift a finger, I truly mean it!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Starting my photography business was definitely not something I ever dreamed I would *actually* get to do. My story is similar to a lot of creatives in the sense that I always loved taking photos. But the real meat of why I turned my passion into a business years ago stems from a deep longing in my heart.

From the time I was a little girl, I always longed to be a mother. I was the oldest sibling of 5 and would constantly ask to feed my siblings, change their diapers, and take care of them. That turned into being the neighborhood babysitter, working in childcare throughout my time in college and becoming a professional nanny for multiple families in my early 20’s. Being a mom was innately inside of me. When my husband and I got married in 2012, it was only about a year into our marriage that we decided we were ready to start a family. But the months flew by and still no positive pregnancy test. Then those months turned into years and those years turned into a decade. And as I type this, we are still waiting on the miracle of beginning our family. It’s been a long road full of medical mystery and expenses. But one thing that never stops burning in my heart is seeing the beauty of motherhood all around me.

I believe the depths of my longing has brought me a unique gift as a motherhood photographer. I tend to see the moments that these sweets mamas might not think to capture. Not because they are ungrateful, quite the opposite actually. It’s because they are so focused on preparing for a photo session with the ones they love, that they forget their favorite moments are actually in the in-between. Whether holding their baby close when they are feeling nervous, or twirling their toddler in a circle to see them giggle, I want to tell the real story of their family. It’s the in-between moments that tell that story best.

When mamas choose to work with me, it’s one of my greatest honors! They will never get these moments in time back and it truly is my joy to capture them. From beginning to end, I want my clients to feel like this whole experience is FOR them. They aren’t being put through a system, they are being cared for and tended to. The photos we capture will tell the story of their family and the legacy they will leave to their children’s children.

When the time comes for my clients to view their photos for the first time, we make it a very special moment. It IS a special moment. Together we will choose their favorite images and select how they can keep them in their hands as a physical momento to hold forever. I offer everything from custom framed artwork, styled in a carefully selected spot in their home, all the way to heirloom albums made of high quality linen, velvet or leather to display in their living room for generations to come.

There is nothing ordinary about motherhood. It truly is a miracle. I want every mama to know their motherhood is worth honoring. And that’s exactly what we will do, together.

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

The best source of new clients has always been client referrals. I would like to accredit that to the time and effort I’ve put into my client experience. I always want to over communicate and leave the door open for questions or concerns throughout every step of working with me. Because I value my current and past clients and their referrals so much, I will be offering an amazing client referral program beginning in 2023. My business wouldn’t be where it is today if it wasn’t for the incredible clients I’ve had the honor of working with and I never want to take that for granted.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect for me is seeing the tears of joy streaming down my clients faces as they see their photos for the first time. Of course we all love the smiling photo where everyone is looking at the camera, and it’s always a priority to capture that photo, but their favorite photos usually happen in the midst of mothering. Seeing the joy it brings them when I took the time to know them and capture that in photo form, it means everything to them, and in turn, to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amandatallonphoto.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/amandatallonphoto
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandatallonphoto

Image Credits
Amanda Tallon Photography, CB Photography