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

Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I never wanted to name my business after myself. I felt it was far too generic of a name for a business! When I decided to dedicate myself completely to getting it off the ground, I was also trying hard to pull myself out of the trenches of postpartum depression after the birth of my first child. My son became my muse–capturing his smiles and giggles meant everything to me. I wanted my business name to let all who booked with me know that their session would be full of laughter and play, documenting the happiness in their family. It is forever my mission!

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 was born and raised in Harvest, Alabama and graduated from The University of Alabama in Huntsville with a BFA in art. After a short photography study abroad session in England, I earned an MFA in painting and drawing from the University of Memphis in 2016. I have been an artist and creator for as long as I can remember. I feel happiest and most myself when I am making. In graduate school I would create sculptures (mainly dolls covered in wax and paint), light and photograph them, and make large oil paintings based on the photographs. My thesis show of my paintings was one of the proudest moments of my life.

After I graduated, my husband and I moved to NYC and I started working at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. While there I became pregnant, but miscarried soon after. It was only two months later that I became pregnant with my son and that is when I decided that I wanted to become a stay at home mom. During my pregnancy we moved into a smaller apartment in Brooklyn to save for a house, and it was in Brooklyn that my son was born. Before his 1st birthday we were able to buy our first home in Bloomfield, NJ. Throughout this time I was battling postpartum depression and trying to navigate this new life that I had agreed to– and by that I mean that when I agreed to stay home with our son I had NO idea how hard it would be. While he was the best thing I had ever done, at the same time I felt that I had suffered a great loss. A loss of who I once was and the ability to care for myself and have time to create. I felt stuck and exhausted and lonely. I struggled with deep anxiety about considering anything that would take time away from my son, like painting or photography, but even small things like going to dinner with a friend. If I took time away for myself I felt too guilty and would come rushing back home, feeling like I had failed my family and that I should never desire time for myself again. Those feelings turned into resentment because I had allowed myself to feel so smothered.

In the Summer of 2019 I reached out to my community and began forming a village of mom friends who ultimately changed my life. Being in the presence of other women and moms facing the same struggles, loneliness, and burnout validated everything I had been feeling. I expressed my desire to start a photography business and they encouraged me to get it off the ground. I started small, photographing my friends and their children. When the pandemic hit in 2020 it forced me to slow down and experiment with my shooting and editing style. I would set up lemonade stand scenes or small backdrops for my “pandemic pod” in my home. I had so much fun and I knew that I was also providing such special images and memories for my friends. By the summer of 2020 I was pregnant with my daughter and throughout my pregnancy I worked and learned what my strengths were and what type of sessions I wanted to focus on.

As hard as it was sometimes, I never wanted to give up staying home with my children. Forming a photography business that I could run from my home in spare hours of the day was flexible and felt like the best of both worlds. Over the years I have gained the support of so many of my neighbors and community members who continue to let me capture their families! And I am blessed that they continually recommend me to their friends and family. I am beyond proud of my growth, both as an artist and a business owner.

I want my clients to know that I take great pride in being their photographer. I learn more every day and continue to improve my images and it means so much that they continue to trust and grow with me. These images are the art that they put on our walls and I know how much it means to them. I am honored!

Being a business owner is tough. I’m a one woman show and I continue to learn what my limits are, when to say no, and when to take a risk.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Past and current clients recommending me on social media!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Providing excellent customer service and understanding my clients needs and lifestyles, along with providing them with high quality images for a great price.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://happyphotosnj.com
• Instagram: @happyphotography_sj
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happyphotographysj