We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Summer Heideman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Summer, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
Most people would think that being a photographer is a fun, easy job – that a photographer just goes out shoots, slaps on a filter, delivers images, and calls it a day! I hate to say it but shooting and editing is just a small part of being a photographer and operating a photography business. Every photographer starts somewhere. Just because you have the full frame DSLR, mirrorless, or top-notch lens/camera and other gear – that does not make you a professional photographer or develop a career overnight. There is much more you need to know and learn, which takes time and investment.
First, just like every business, you need to have some level of business skills, including marketing, management, financial and accounting skills. But today with all the fast-growing social media trends, you need to upskill and learn apps such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and whatever else comes along.
As a photographer you wear so many hats! We are not only a photographer, but we are also a stylist/personal shopper, concierge, editor, web designer, social media marketer, content creator, administrator, accountant, social media manager, and much more! There is much work to be done before, during, and after your session.
When I first started, I had no idea about what it takes to become a full-time photographer. I did have a business plan, but I didn’t even know how to price my session, what my costs of doing business were, nor what skills I really needed to up my game.
In general, I see that many brand-new photographers price themselves based on what they see other photographers charge within their market area. That was how I used to think as well, but that is not the right way. It took me time to understand the true cost of doing business. For example, Newborn photographers charge the way we do because there are a lot of things involved in doing newborn photography. Investing in education is a top priority. And those newborn photography classes can cost anywhere from $500 to over $2K for a one-on-one mentorship. The props and gears we use in the studio are also costly and this is part of the investment over time. Some newborn props, (bonnets, tie backs, headbands, outfits, baskets, bowls) can be anywhere from $10 to several hundred or thousands of dollars or more. Beside education, gears and equipment, a photographer also has other business expenses including hosting gallery, website, editing program, marketing, license and insurance, and so on. The initial financial investment can be a big obstacle for many business owners. Also, with the fast-growing trends in social media marketing, sometimes I feel it is so hard to keep up. Today everyone is on Instagram and TikTok. You must post content every day to keep up with the competition and that can be very challenging. As a photographer, you need to learn to develop creative content to promote yourself on social media.
As a single parent, I need to be able to balance work and family time (my three children are my priority as well.) Yes, there are times I feel exhausted, but I really love what I do as a newborn photographer. My strong passion for artistic excellence pushes me to want to get better at it!
When I first got started, I did not have much money to invest. I learned a lot through watching YouTube, and other online resources. I did model calls to gain experience and to build up my portfolio. I also attended many local photographer groups/shoot outs – to connect and learn from others in the same business. At the beginning, I did everything from families, weddings, seniors, children, etc. After a year into this business, my love and appreciation for this craft grew and I found my niche. My passion for this art form continues to take shape. I have evolved into what I feel is a photographer dedicated to capturing the essence of life, from the stage of pregnancy, to having the baby, to seeing the growth of the family – all those precious moments. Beginning with helping the to-be mom feel beautiful in her own body during pregnancy, to seeing that precious moment when a mother is holding her baby, to the excitement of getting their first family portrait – that warms my heart and gratifies my soul. It solidifies my desire to be a professional newborn, maternity and family photographer.
I continue to invest in education, including many one-on-one mentorships with well-known photographers in the maternity and newborn photography industry. These have included Ana Brandt, Bianca Bubble, Angie Knutson, Claudia Aguilar, and Cherise Kiel. I have also attended in-person workshops, including the Milkyway Newborn retreat several years in a row and Kelly Brown newborn workshop. However, even with these educational opportunities and the knowledge I learned – it did not make me a professional newborn /maternity photographer overnight.
My goal is to be one of the top well-known newborn and maternity photographers in Arizona. With that strong passion in my heart, I continue to work hard to up my game!
My best advice to those who want to be a newborn photographer is that you will have to learn lot of essential skills and techniques, in addition to knowing how to shoot and edit. Because we are working with babies, “SAFETY” should be the TOP priority for all newborn and maternity photographers. Newborn photographers need to learn many things including newborn safety and anatomy, how to safely pose babies, what cues to look for if baby cries, etc. First, you need to keep in mind that not all babies are the same; so, you need to be able to watch for and understand the baby’s signals: why the baby cries, what the baby needs, how to calm and sooth the baby, and to never force or push the baby into certain poses. I always tell my clients that my session is “baby-led session”. I work at the baby’s pace, if the baby is not okay with certain poses, we will move on to the next. “Newborn Safety” is my top priority.
Over time, I have won some awards. I have been recognized and listed as the top newborn, maternity, and portrait photographer by Expertise.com several years in a row. Also, I would not be where I am today without my clients. All their reviews on Google, Facebook, and Instagram and their word-of-mouth recommendations are truly appreciated!
To all photographers, if you are new to newborn photography and this is something you are passionate about, as I am, I suggest you start with investing in newborn photography education, take workshops, and sign up for
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 am Summer, a photographer and owner of Summer Elizabeth photography. I specialize in Newborn, Maternity and Family photography. I am based in Phoenix and I serve clients throughout the Valley of the Sun. I am formally trained in both photography and newborn safety.
My favorite thing about newborn and maternity photography is being able to capture this very special moment in an artistic and authentic way. My goal is to capture this precious moment of your life, so you have beautiful memories for years to come. I am flexible when it comes to working with newborn, maternity, and families. I am very detail-oriented and once you book a newborn session with me, I devote that day for your family. I do not book back-to-back sessions. When it comes to booking a newborn session, I like to take my time working with each baby, as each baby is different. For every client and every session, I commit to doing my best work. I go above and beyond to reach what I have set out to accomplish and to meet my client’s vision. I work diligently until a job is done to the best of my ability.
One of the most important aspects of my business is to provide an exceptional client experience before, during and after the session. I offer a full-service experience for my clients. This is accomplished through careful planning and preparation. : Everything from consulting with my client prior to their session about their vision, and their goals, to prepping them before the session, to coordinating their outfit, and prop recommendations are all part of my service. Finally, I assist in helping the client to decide on the best images and products for display in their home. No detail from beginning to end is ever left to chance.
It is my goal for you to feel at ease – from the way I soothe your baby, to the soft little props I place on their head. I promise that I will love on your little one as I would my own and capture their first moments as beautifully as you remember them.
I’m currently booking maternity, newborn and baby sessions in-home and on location throughout the Phoenix area. I would love to meet with you and talk about creating beautiful memories for your growing family.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I think one of the biggest challenges many people in society, many business owners and we, photographers face sometime during their photography journey is that we, as humans, like to compare ourselves to others. By comparing yourself and your work with others, it can be both positive and negative.
This self-comparison can drive your motivation and your ambition forward, working hard to reach your goals. Many of us have been through this! Often you end up questioning yourself: how can I get better at this, how does she have so many followers on her IG, how can I edit so my images look like her work, what cameras and lens does she use, oh my images are not as good as her’s, I cannot charge the price I wanted, etc.
Pushing yourself to work toward your goals is awesome, but once you get to the point that you allow those self-doubts and feelings to get to your soul, that’s when you start to feel like you are not good enough. You start feeling down, you feel like you shoot and burn, you feel that you are getting nowhere! A photog friend of mine, said, “Comparison is the theft of all joy!” It took me time to get over being so hard on myself and to stop comparing myself to others – instead I look at me. I start to see and appreciate myself, see my worth and my values. I see where I am today compared to when I first started. When I make a mistake, I learn from it. I have learned and advanced my skills and experiences over time.
I have overcome many challenges in life as a business owner and single mother – these have made me stronger. I have said this to many photographers I have met who are in similar shoes: you may not have 10K or more followers like others you see on Instagram and TicTok, your photos may not look like those you follow or try to be; BUT that does not make you any worse than others and that does not make you less of a photographer or business owner. I tell my friends, if the client is going to book you, you don’t want them to book you just because of how much you charge. You want them to book you because they love your creative work, your artistic styles, they see those values in your art. They love you because of what you create for them! Even now, I must keep reminding myself of these things! Self-doubt is real but when you can feel grace and get over it, you will start to feel the joy in what you do, and you will start implementing ways to improve yourself in a positive direction.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
There are so many rewarding aspects being a photographer. Photographers use their technical expertise and creativity to capture and create beautiful, memorable images, either to tell a story, to record a live event, or to preserve new and old memories.
As most of you know, I specialize in maternity, newborn and family photography. Working as a maternity, newborn and family photographer is nothing short of a privilege. In my own experience, it brings me a great satisfaction. Here are some reasons that make my job rocks!
I get to connect and meet many new wonderful clients and their families and some of them have become good friends. I help capture their family photos and see their family growth from year to year. There is no fiercer love than the love a parent feels for their child. I get to meet many expecting mothers for their maternity sessions and help these mommies feel beautiful in her own shape and skin during her special time in life. I get to meet their brand-new baby when they come to their newborn session with me. I capture fleeting moments in time. I witness the powerful love that exists between the parents and their new little bundle of joy. In the blink of an eye, a newborn starts to be more alert, gets chunkier and starts doing little things. Before you know it, you no longer have a newborn. So, I have the special privilege of capturing precious newborn moments and creating the family’s first portrait with their brand-new baby. I create something that freezes a special moment in time for many families year after year. It’s a huge responsibility but it gives me a lot of pride. I am so grateful for all my clients who have trusted and chosen me to be their family photographer. I love to see their reaction to their photos that they will forever cherish – this is probably one of the best parts of being a photographer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.summerelizabethphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summerelizabethphotographyaz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/summerelizabethphotographyaz/
Image Credits
Images credit: Summer Heideman IG: https://www.instagram.com/summerelizabethphotographyaz/ Web: https://www.summerelizabethphotography.com/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/summerelizabethphotographyaz/