Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Balous.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Amber. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My interest in photography started when I was in high school. While in college, I bought a fancy DSLR, but had no idea how to use it. I left it on auto mode and only really broke it out while we were on vacation.
After the birth of my first son, I really wanted to learn as much as I could so that I could document our days and capture all the important milestones. I took a “mom-tog” class when he was 8 weeks old and learned the basics of photography. I studied and practiced as much as possible with my son. Soon after, friends and family started asking me to take photographs for them. My hobby just naturally grew into a business.
I started out photographing families and high school seniors, but while pregnant with my second son, I was drawn to maternity and birth photography. I knew after photographing my first maternity session that I had found my niche. I loved being pregnant and I loved documenting every moment of my pregnancies. I knew that I wanted to do the same for families. I wanted women to have beautiful portraits to look back on and to remember just how miraculous their body was while growing this little human.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. There’s an old saying that anything worth having does not come easy and there is so much truth in it. Owning a business is such hard (but rewarding!) work. I struggle to find balance between being a mom, wife, and business owner. Unlike a 9-5 job, I am “on” all the time. There is no clocking out for the day or just leaving it at the office and finishing it the next day. I’m up at midnight editing, responding to emails, and doing the behind the scenes tasks (bookkeeping, writing, organizing). At the same time, my first priority is being the best mom and wife that I can be. I have had to learn to set boundaries and use my time wisely.
Amber Balous Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
ABP is a full-service portrait photography company. We specialize in maternity, birth, and child portraiture. One thing that sets us apart from others is that we are full service. Your portrait session is an experience. We meet for an in-person consultation so that we can get to know each other and plan every detail of the session. We discuss hair and makeup, wardrobe, and start thinking about the wall art or heirloom albums that the client is interested in. Clients are able to feel beautiful samples and start thinking about items that they want in their home. After the session, I don’t just give digital images and leave you to figure out what to do with them. I go to client’s homes (or we can meet for coffee if that’s more convenient) and help them pick out wall art and figure out what sizes would look best. I want all of my clients to have heirloom pieces that can be displayed beautifully and passed down to their children and grandchildren. I would be doing my clients a disservice if I didn’t help guide them.
Pricing:
- Maternity Portrait Sessions start at $200
- Birth Story Sessions start at $750
- Child Portrait Sessions start at $200
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amberbalous.com
- Phone: 469-288-1236
- Email: amber@amberbalous.com
Image Credit:
Headshot – Lindsey Stuebinger Photography
Family Picture – Laurie Arriaga Photography
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