We recently connected with Baili Holland and have shared our conversation below.

Baili, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

“Successful” and what makes you successful is all a matter of opinion in the photography industry. When I first began with my business I was under the impression that a fully booked schedule is what made you successful, then when I hit that point and and the immediate feeling of success did not hit I knew I needed to reevaluate.

Although my schedule was fully booked I was grossly undercharging for my services, undercharging and overworking is not a good combination. When you are undercharging many clients are booking you based on price and not your work, and this will show after their final gallery is delivered and they often have suggestions of complaints.

In my opinion being a successful photographer means that you are able to put a cap on your bookings, charge not only your proper CODB but also what your believe your worth is, and enjoy the sessions and work you are creating.

Once I reevaluated and restructured my mindset and business, that feeling of success I longed for came to surface.

Baili, 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?

My name is Baili, pronounced “Bailey”, and I am a 25 year old wife and mom. I am born in raised in a sleepy little beach town on the east coast of Central Florida and I am a full time family & maternity photographer.

I have had a camera my entire life and always led “photoshoots” with my friends throughout middle and highschool. After having my first daughter in march of 2021 I naturally reached for my camera again to capture every single new thing she did. It was quickly noticed by my husband that I should pour some energy into thinking about being a professional photographer. Things started off slowly for me, my business didn’t just explode overnight. There were MANY early hours and late nights studying every possible youtube blog on photography. I have always been known as stubborn and likes to prove people wrong and for once this worked in my benefit (haha!).

I had a friend reach out when I first began tell me that I was overcharging at $50 a session, that stuck with me. If you have researched a professional photographer you know the prices range greatly, but $50 is as good as free in the industry, so naturally I had to prove her wrong.

Fast forward 3.5 years and I am proud of the photographer I am. I have worked hard to not only create beautiful images for my clients, but also a safe space. When someone stands in front of my camera I want them to feel loved and comfortable. I want them to create a positive memory with their loved ones, not the typical “lets hurry up and get through this”. I always say that I like to have a good time and take your photos while doing it. Creating a unique session experience is what I truly believe has set me aside from the hundreds of other local photographer’s around. Not just your photographer, but your biggest fan and newest best friend.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media is crucial in this day in age for any business. I started my photography page from scratch. I searched for photographers that inspired me, followed my lifelong friends, and hoped for the best for the longest time. Spoiler alert, that did not work. You have to pour your heart into your social media, you have to be relatable and be sure your audience knows who the face behind the screen is! I made it a huge point to start showing up on my story, doing polls and question boxes to engage those who were following me. I used photographer facebook groups to my advantage, and shared the heck out of my instagram handle! You have to be your own biggest fan, and be sure when someone thinks about a photographer you are who pops into their head. I promise you arent annoying anyone, and if you are they can unfollow you! They arent your target audience.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I was a young mother, and pregnancy makes your body feel so foreign. Working with so many maternity clients is by far the most rewarding part of my job. I get to spend an hour or so with these women making them feel beautiful, reassuring them to feel confident, and often times they open up about their journey. Receiving the thank you messages from my maternity clients for helping them feel beautiful again just warms my heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bailirosephotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bailirosephotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Baili.RosePhotography/