We were lucky to catch up with Brianna Anderson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Brianna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?
Being a small business owner, of photography no less, is definitely not a new idea. Neither is specializing in maternity photography. A quick Google search or Instagram search could probably pull up thousands! But I knew that maternity was definitely my niche. I had a passion for it, which translated into a fresh vision for it, I just needed to translate THAT into a brand. If art inspires art, then I was definitely inspired by fashion ads and whimsical editorials. I would pull inspiration from perfume ads (Ralph Lauren and Chanel are a classic, romantic favorites), and fashion editorial spreads in magazines. I was drawn to the poise, the confidence, and the subtle sex appeal. So why can’t we do that with pregnant women?! Of course we can!
So my vision was born; to move away form the “classic and traditional” style of maternity photography, and push my work more towards the more moody, sexy, gritty, romantic, utterly feminine vibe.
I studied poses, and what translated well on camera, and developed the way I wanted my clients to move. I worked really hard at being more descriptive and communicate well with my clients during a shoot, so that I could provide them with instruction and confidence. I started running into the same roadblock- women felt self-conscious of themselves, and found it hard to feel sexy and free at their shoot. I know they WANTED to feel that way- and maybe even longed for it! But It’s hard to take a woman out of her shell and give her the confidence to see herself the way I see her. I work hard to communicate well with my clients, and build up her esteem during our shoot, so she can let herself relax. The styling is also very important- I want to show off the feminine/sexy side of maternity, and definitely keep it away from predicable or cheesy ;) I developed a Style Guide that I give my clients to help inspire them and move them towards new and fresh ideas. I see a lot of the same dresses trending in maternity pictures, and I try to encourage my clients to think outside the box!
After a few years making these changes, I had definitely moved into my brand. Sun-soaked, warm, romantic, free, feminine, moody, sexy & CONFIDENT! That’s what I want for my clients, and that’s what I want for my business brand.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I had a career as a NICU nurse, before eventually deciding to leave the hospital and be home more with my kids. I quickly learned that I feel happier and more fulfilled when I am also pouring into my creative side, so my photography business quickly took off. I dabbled in a little bit of everything, but I think I always knew that maternity was definitely my strong suit. So I decided to specialize in just maternity… and that’s where my vision and brand really took off. Instead of trying to keep up with trends or be a “jack of all trades” in my work, I was focussing on just one particular clientele and I had never been happier. Maybe its because I loved being pregnant myself. Or because I absolutely love being a mom. Or the fact that I was a NICU nurse for so many years and spent my career taking care of babies and their mamas. For whatever reason, I knew God had given me a passion for moms, and my art was the perfect way to celebrate it.
I think what sets my work apart, is my vision for women. I want their images to look romantic and editorial. I want them to look powerful and confident. I want to set myself apart by sharing a fresh perspective on maternity photos! And I am most proud when I get a text or email form a client who just saw herself in her pictures and is obsessed. Some women literally cannot believe it’s them in the picture. They feel so confident about how they look- and that means the world to me!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My mission is to constantly be producing work that pushes my own creative boundaries. Sometimes I Get stuck “in a funk” where I feel stuck creatively. I strive to keep seeking out ways to pose, style and present my clients in a way that they’ve never seen themselves before in pictures! I want people to rethink their idea of maternity pictures when they work with me :).
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I am a self-proclaiming hermit when it comes to social media. I just never got excited about it when it first came out, and so I never truly learned how to capitalize on my business with social media. I’m taking baby steps at jumping on the bandwagon ;), but I wish I had learned how to do all that sooner! Now I feel like I’m just too old to learn new tricks! LOL
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