We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Heather Shirey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Heather, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

In all honesty, I don’t like this question. I was a teacher for 11 years before starting my photography business and we were constantly being asked “what’s your why?”. And truly, my reasoning for becoming a teacher was that it seemed like an ideal career path for a woman who wanted children one day – your kids will always have the same schedule, summers off, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love teaching. I love to help others – it’s the enneagram 3 in me. But It turned out that education wasn’t actually the ideal career path for a mom. Which leads me to my why for starting my business. My family. They are my mission. They are the reason that I do everything.
I always had a camera in my hands throughout my childhood. First film cameras – you would find me every weekend developing a roll of film at Eckerds pharmacy. Even through high school, I was the one with the cool new digital camera at the football games and parties snapping away. That passion came from my mom – she was a professional photographer when we were kids. My dad even built her a darkroom above our garage. Anything artistic actually sparks my interest. But photography especially, evoke emotion in a personal and tangible way that many other artforms didn’t for me.
Fast forward to having my son in April 2020, during a pandemic when hiring a newborn photographer wasn’t truly an option. I decided to take his photos myself – which led me to taking his monthly photos and eventually a whole cake smash session. I was hooked! I continued just as a hobbyist for the next 2 years until I started taking on clients. I worked as a full time teacher and photographed families in evenings and on weekends for a year. In 2021 I got my LLC and in 2022 I left teaching. I get to stay home with my kids and make my own schedule and make beautiful portraits for families that I enjoy working with. That’s why I do what I do. My family is thriving and so is my little business.

Heather, 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 am a family portrait photographer. I like to say I specialize in working with toddlers and their families – because we all know the toddler runs the show! I do outdoor family sessions in the Spring and Fall, but I do the majority of my work in my studio in Tucker, GA. This is where I take many millstone sessions including heirloom, cake smashes, cap & gown, and mini sessions.
My goal is to build relationships with the families that I work with so that I can see them year after year. Because of this, I have lot’s of little toddler “besties” I work with now.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Working full time as a teacher for the first year and half of my business allowed me to funnel all of my photography income back into my business. I upgraded equipment, did lots of free shoots to gain experience and build my portfolio, and tested out different marketing strategies. Though I realize I was privileged to be able to do this, managing it without the pressure of having to make an income was pivotal in my success.

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

I know it’s cliche, but word of mouth has been my best marketing tool. My new families complete a questionnaire when they book with me and 80% at this point is a referral from a past or current family. This wouldn’t be possible without a positive client experience that I provide. Clear and timely communication, setting and meeting high expectations, and delivering quality products are all so important to maintain a high client satisfaction and therefore referral base.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.heathermariephoto.com
• Instagram: @heathermarie.photography
• Facebook: @hmariephoto21