We were lucky to catch up with Eva Baker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Eva, appreciate you joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

I do things a little differently than the standard “shoot and burn” photography model most of us are used to. I run a luxury photography studio that offers a full-service experience from start to finish. I take the time to really get to know my clients through a pre-session consultation, include professional hair & makeup the day of their session, provide an extensive wardrobe for my maternity and newborn clients, and wrap it all up with a design and ordering appointment where I help create custom albums and gallery walls for my clients’ homes. Most of my clients are busy families, so my goal is to make the process easy, enjoyable, and stress-free while delivering beautiful, timeless artwork for their homes.

Eva, 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’ve been a photographer for roughly 15 years now, and had you asked me in high school, I would have never thought this would be the career I would choose. I majored in Managerial Economics and worked in Commercial Real Estate and finance for about 8 years after I graduated. During that time, I regularly craved an artistic outlet and started dabbling in portrait photography – something I’ve always been interested in. Fast forward a few years and my side gig/hobby turned into a full-blown business. It was time to decide my next steps and ultimately decided to quit my 9-5 to pursue photography full time.

Over the years I dabbled in a lot of different photography genres, starting out with weddings and outdoor family sessions, to now specializing in luxury newborn & maternity studio sessions. It took a long time for me to land in this space but found a true passion in helping busy families capture timeless images and heirloom-quality artwork for their homes.

Being a working mom of 2 busy kids myself, I know how chaotic life is on a daily basis, and how challenging it is to actually do something with the photos from your session… let alone booking a session and getting everyone there in one piece! That is why I created this full-service experience. My goal is to provide a seamless, guided experience from start to finish and truly believe your photos deserve more than to live on a hard drive. The experience I provide my clients not only honors their family’s story but helps them enjoy it every day—on their walls, in albums, and in their home.

At the heart of everything I do is the belief that our memories deserve to be seen and celebrated, not just stored away on a screen. I’m here to make that happen and to serve my clients with care, creativity, and ease every step of the way.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to unlearn is the idea that I needed to be “everyone’s photographer.” I’m a bit of a chronic people-pleaser by nature and when I was just starting out, that meant saying yes to every project that came my way no matter the style, the vision, or whether it aligned with what I truly loved. I thought that being flexible and accommodating would help me grow, but in reality, it left me feeling disconnected from my own creative voice.

Over time, I realized that the more I focused on what genuinely excites me—working with families in a full-service, intentional way—the more my business started to thrive. Specializing gave me clarity, confidence and a stronger connection with the clients I’m meant to serve. Leaning into what makes me and my work unique has been a game-changer, and now I’m so much more aligned with my purpose and the kind of experience I want to create for every client.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

One thing I think non-creatives might struggle to fully understand is just how much heart and personal investment goes into creative work, especially when your art is also your business. From the outside, photography might look like just “taking pretty pictures,” but for me it’s deeply personal. Every session I create is intentionally designed, emotionally driven and crafted with care to tell a story that matters.

Early on, I had to learn that running a creative business isn’t just about skill or talent—it’s also about setting boundaries, knowing your worth, and trusting your vision. That can be hard when you’re naturally a people-pleaser or when you’re trying to “make it” in an industry that often celebrates trends over authenticity. It took time for me to stop trying to be everything for everyone and instead focus on the work that truly inspires me.

I’ve learned that creativity flourishes with clarity and purpose. Once I embraced what made my approach unique, my work became more meaningful and my business more sustainable. It’s a balance of art and intention, and that part of the journey is often invisible from the outside looking in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.evabakerphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evabakerphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evabakerphotography
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/eva-baker-photography-walnut-creek?osq=eva+baker&override_cta=Request+quote+%26+availability

Image Credits

Eva Baker Photography