We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful AYAKA SHIOYA. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with AYAKA below.
Alright, AYAKA thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
I have two big missions.
One of them is that I want new moms to experience the power of photography.
I gave birth to twins in Australia and began raising them.
It was not easy, especially since my family lived in Japan and my husband’s family was in Puerto Rico, so they couldn’t easily come to help. I developed diabetes during pregnancy and had to inject insulin myself every day. Also Since I was pregnant with twins, it became increasingly difficult to move around and even drive a car on my own from seven months of pregnancy.
There are many difficult memories, however when I look at the newborn photos, I remember the moment I first held my children, the smell of my girls, how tiny they were, how much we were happy to meet them. Even though it was tough time, sparkling memories come back to me in an instant.
I believe that is the power of photography!
In today’s world where it’s easy to take photos with a mobile phone, why do we choose to hire a photographer and pay a high price to have our photos taken? It’s because the actual photos in frames hold more power than just being pieces of paper.
When my children were going through the tough ages of 2 and 3, I used to wake up in the morning and look at the newborn photos displayed in the living room. They reminded me of the joy I felt when I first held my daughters, and it helped me start each day with renewed energy.
It’s a power that can’t be achieved by photos stored on a mobile phone or in a USB drive.
I want to keep taking photos that can be displayed in many mothers’ homes and can help them go back to their very first feelings to their babies during tough times, and bring smiles back to their faces.
Second mission is..
Me, who was born and raised in Japan, starting and running my own business in a foreign country was not an easy task. But it’s not impossible! I want my daughters to have the courage to try something new, no matter where they are and no matter what language they speak. I want them to become women who are always learning and willing to give it a try. Teaching my daughters through my own experiences is my mission as a mother.
AYAKA, 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 have been working as a newborn photographer since 2017. As a photographer, I want to spread the idea of actually printing and displaying photos in homes.
In my area where many photographers only sell just digital images, I feel that selling actual prints is not an easy task.
Even though it’s not easy to sell actual prints when many photographers only sell digital images, the moment when customers actually hold the prints is a very proud moment for me as a photographer. It’s also an exciting moment when I think that these photos will become treasures for this family in the future.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Taking IPS class. As a photographer, I have focused on learning how to take good photos, but I have come to realize that simply taking good photos is not enough. I want to use my skills and knowledge to create tangible, lasting memories for my clients by encouraging them to print and display their photos.
I realized that in order to achieve this, it is important to have knowledge of sales and to understand how to effectively convey the value of the products to customers in order to encourage them to make a purchase.
Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I had to close my business. When the pandemic hit, I was just starting to see an increase in bookings from clients who were my target audience. So, the thought of having to close down the studio was very frightening.
Despite the challenges, I chose to focus on what I could do instead of what I couldn’t do. I decided to focus on learning about business, instead. 
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alittlegoose.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alittlegoose.photography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alittlegoose
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/ayaka-shioya-304954176
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-little-goose-newborn-photography-elk-grove