We recently connected with Michole Forks and have shared our conversation below.
Michole , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Taking care of customers isn’t just good business – it is often one of the main reasons folks went into business in the first place. So, we’d love to get a conversation going around how to best help clients feel appreciated – maybe you can share something you’ve done or seen someone do that’s been really effective at helping a customer feel valued?
As a family photographer in Oakland, I’ve found that genuine appreciation for my clients creates the most meaningful connections. One of my most heartfelt client appreciation moments happened with a family I’d photographed for three consecutive years.
After our third annual session at Mount Diablo State Park (one of my favorite East Bay locations for its gorgeous trees and sweeping views), I created something special beyond their gallery. I surprised them with a handcrafted mini-album chronicling their family’s evolution through our sessions together.
The album showcased not just my favorite portraits, but also the candid, unscripted moments that truly told their story the belly laughs, tender embraces, and playful interactions that emerged from life’s unscripted moments. These authentic moments are what my photography philosophy centers around: capturing what makes each family truly special, whether in their home or surrounded by nature.
When they opened the album, the mother teared up immediately. She expressed that while she treasured the digital galleries, having these moments curated and presented in a physical form felt like receiving their family’s emotional journey as a gift. She could literally hold their story in her hands.
What made this gesture particularly meaningful was that it demonstrated I wasn’t just a service provider capturing images, but someone who genuinely witnessed and valued their family’s growth. It transformed our relationship from photographer-client to something more meaningful.
The practice of creating these surprise legacy pieces has since become something I offer to families who return for multiple sessions a way of honoring their trust in me to document their evolving story year after year.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
For those who haven’t yet discovered my work, I’m Michole Forks, a family photographer based in Oakland, California. My journey into photography wasn’t the traditional straight path it evolved organically from my background in visual storytelling and my deep appreciation for authentic human connection. My photography style embraces what I call “guided authenticity.” Rather than heavily posed portraits, I create environments where families can interact naturally while I document the unscripted moments, the belly laughs, tender touches, playful interactions, and quiet connections that truly tell a family’s story. I offer family photography sessions throughout the East Bay, including maternity, newborn, and milestone documentation. Beyond the standard digital galleries, I’m passionate about helping families create tangible heirlooms, custom albums, framed wall collections, and keepsake prints that transform digital moments into physical treasures your family will engage with for generations. Photography is an investment in your family’s legacy. While capturing beautiful images is important, my ultimate mission is to help families preserve the feeling of chapters in a family’s life the connections, emotions, and relationships that make your family uniquely yours.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
What truly established my reputation in the Bay Area family photography market stems from something many might not expect my background in education before I ever picked up a professional camera. My educational background taught me to prioritize the experience over the outcome. I structure sessions around children’s natural rhythms rather than my photographic agenda. This might mean scheduling around nap times, building in breaks, or adapting on the fly when a child needs something different than what was planned.
When I transitioned to photography, my first clients were naturally the families I knew from school communities. These parents already trusted me with their children in the classroom, which made them comfortable inviting me into their homes and personal lives as a photographer.
These initial school relationships created a ripple effect through word-of-mouth referrals. Parents would share their experience with fellow parents, often highlighting how their typically camera-shy child felt at ease during our sessions or how I captured personalities they recognized rather than stiff poses.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most profound reward of being a family photographer lies in creating tangible time capsules of human connection that transcend the moment itself. When a parent tears up seeing their child’s spontaneous belly laugh preserved forever, or when grandparents hold an album containing four generations together, I’m witnessing the transformation of fleeting moments into permanent touchstones of family history. There’s something deeply moving about knowing these images will likely outlive me, that decades from now, a child I photographed as a toddler might show their own children these portraits, sharing stories about the grandparent or great-grandparent who once held them with such tenderness. In a world where so much is temporary and digital, creating these physical artifacts of love and connection feels like a meaningful contribution that extends far beyond my time with each family, becoming part of their evolving story long after our session ends.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.micholiano.com/oakland-ca-family-photographer/
- Instagram: @micholiano
Image Credits
Micholiano Photography