We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica And Dillan Wilding. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica and Dillan below.

Jessica and Dillan, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

That would have to be the maternity and newborn photos we recently took for my sister. It was incredibly special because it allowed me to preserve those cherished memories during such a transformative time in her life. Having captured her maternity and newborn moments the year before, I was amazed at how much we’ve grown as photographers in just that short time.

The images we created together were not just beautiful; they were full of warmth, love, and connection. The vibrant tones in the photos, along with the precious interactions between my sister, her son, and her husband, made the project even more rewarding. It wasn’t just about taking pictures—it was about preserving these fleeting moments of family and growth, and having the privilege to share those memories with my sister in such a meaningful way.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

We’re Dillan and Jes, a husband-and-wife team of family and lifestyle photographers based in the Austin area. We specialize in family, maternity, newborn, and senior photography, with a focus on using natural light and beautiful outdoor backdrops to capture the unique stories of each stage of life. Our photography style is warm and vibrant, centered on candid moments filled with laughter, joy, and connection. Our goal is to create timeless, emotionally rich images that truly reflect the spirit of our clients—real moments, real joy.

Photography has always been a passion of ours, but it wasn’t until our daughter was born that we rediscovered our love for capturing the everyday magic of family life. We found ourselves snapping photos of every little detail—her tiny fingers, her sleepy smiles, and all the messy, wonderful moments that come with being new parents. As we shared those photos with family and friends, they began asking us to photograph their own children, and what started as a personal hobby quickly blossomed into a full-fledged business.

Now, we have the privilege of capturing the beauty of other families, just like ours. Our daughter often joins us on shoots, which helps our clients feel more at ease. As parents ourselves, we understand the unpredictable nature of family life—fussy babies, reluctant toddlers, and all the little messes in between. It’s one of the things that sets us apart: we don’t just photograph families; we live it. We’re comfortable handling those ups and downs, which allows us to focus on creating a relaxed, enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

What we’re most proud of is the trust our clients place in us to capture some of the most important moments of their lives. There’s something incredibly special about knowing our images will be cherished for generations. For potential clients and followers, we want them to know that when they work with us, they’re not just hiring photographers—they’re partnering with people who truly care about telling their story in a way that feels real and authentic.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

We’ve found that word of mouth has been by far the most effective way to grow our clientele. When our clients are happy with their photos, they often share them on social media and recommend us to their friends and family. This organic form of marketing has been invaluable for us—almost all of our new clients have come to us through personal recommendations from previous ones. It’s incredibly rewarding to see our work passed along in such a genuine way, and it speaks to the trust and satisfaction our clients have in us. We truly believe that a great experience, combined with beautiful, meaningful photos, leads to the best kind of growth—when our clients are excited to share their photos and tell others about us, it’s a win for everyone.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

One of our favorite marketing stories would be from our first mini sessions in the fall of 2023. We noticed a lot of parents were looking to take those classic “baby in a pumpkin” photos for the season, but many struggled to find the time and space to carve pumpkins, keep their babies happy, and get the photos in ideal lighting. We saw an opportunity to simplify the process by offering mini sessions where parents could show up with their babies, and we’d take care of everything else—photos, pumpkin setups, and all.

The catch was, we didn’t see anyone else offering something similar in our area, which made us hesitant. What if the babies cried when we sat them in the pumpkins? What if they didn’t fit into them as expected? Plus, we didn’t have any previous mini session photos to use for marketing, which raised the question—would people actually book with us without seeing the final product? Despite these doubts, we decided to take the risk and posted a simple graphic on Instagram and Facebook that Jes created in Canva. We also reached out directly to previous clients, as well as friends with babies and toddlers, to help spread the word.

To our surprise, the response was overwhelming. We sold out every single slot—16 mini sessions in total—and the photos turned out incredible! We ended up capturing some truly priceless moments: adorable baby smiles and a few little ones who thought the pumpkin might make a tasty snack. The success of the mini sessions came down to a few key factors. First, we had identified a niche that parents were eager to explore, but no one else was offering locally. Secondly, we leveraged our existing network—our connections with fellow parents, friends, and past clients—to spread the word quickly and organically. In marketing, having a solid foundation of relationships can be just as powerful as having a great product or service.

This experience taught us that sometimes taking a risk can pay off, especially when you’re leveraging an untapped need and using the power of word-of-mouth within a community. For fellow photographers, I’d recommend identifying gaps in your market and thinking creatively about how to serve those needs. Also, don’t underestimate the power of your personal network in helping you amplify your message.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wildingphotographyatx.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildingphotographyatx/#
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildingphotography/

Image Credits

Wilding Photography