Today we’d like to introduce you to Debra Helmberger.
Hi Debra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Helmberger Photography has been in business for almost 11 years as a very small photography studio while I taught photography for three local district high schools over 22 years; Farmersville, Melissa, and Frisco. While working in Farmersville, several of the high school seniors asked me to take their senior portraits. I was also the yearbook adviser, so in exchange for the session, they would make a donation to the yearbook class. A couple of years later, Helmberger Photography was started. At first, weddings and high school seniors were the majority of the photo sessions. I discovered that even though I was good at events, weddings were not my strength.
My strength is portraits. There is nothing better than to show someone the beauty in themselves. They seldom see what the world sees. The 2019-2020 school year was my last year as a high school teacher. And now Helmberger Photography, while still a small business, is not quite as small as it was. We specialize in women’s portraiture. We also pause our women’s portraiture for three weekends in November and December to offer time and portrait sessions with Santa. 2020 was our 3rd year to offer 30-minute sessions with Santa and this year, the limited sessions were booked quickly. We plan to open the Santa sessions for bookings starting in July of 2021 for the 2021 Christmas season.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like all businesses, there have been struggles. The struggle with photography is that there are so many of us in the field and we all have our unique style and business model. Educating potential clients of what Helmberger Photography offers is so important. When clients book me for a session, they know that our goal is to create images, to create portraits that will be loved for decades and by generations. One of my most cherished possessions is a portrait of my grandmother when she was 8. She’s dressed in white with flowers in her hair. If she were still alive, she would be 102 years of age. That portrait is 94 years old and hangs in my living room. My children see it and now my children’s children see it. They all know who she was and have a way to connect with her because of that portrait. That is what Helmberger Photography does. Our goal is to create portraits for your family forever.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In February 2020, we held a small introductory exhibit of the “We Are Every Woman 2020” project. As 2020 winds down, we have had almost 50 women participate in the project. The “We Are Every Woman 2020” project began when I asked friends to pose for me so that I could show them their inner strength and beauty. It is a project that celebrates the beauty, wisdom, and strength of women. We celebrate by creating portraits during a celebrity style photo session. Our signature image is really several images pieced together. Towards the end of the session, we wrap our subject in material and pose her. Then my assistant throws the material so it is floating and swirling around the subject. In post-production, the images are pieced and blended together. The result is an image of boldness, beauty, and strength. They are quite lovely and each is unique to each woman.
For those who are interested in participating but want more information, they can find it on the website at helmbergerphotography.com or they may join the WE ARE EVERY WOMAN VIP group on Facebook. Here they will see insider information and can ask questions to those who have participated or to me directly. In January or February 2021, we plan to hold an exhibit with all of the images of the “We Are Every Woman 2020” project. The timing of this project, of course, depends on the current situation. And we have already begun booking sessions for the “We Are Every Woman 2021” project. This project celebrates the beauty, wisdom and strength of women by giving them a place to be seen and heard. Too many women get lost in their daily lives while taking care of those around them. This project is for them to take a moment just for themselves.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
There are so many childhood memories to choose from, but some of the most relevant are the days that I would have my grandparents pose for me while taking their photos. I would have them sit on short walls in the park or stand by play equipment while asking them to turn their head to the left or right. I was in 4th grade at the time.
Pricing:
- We Are Every Woman session $295, additional images, digital files, and products may be purchased separately. Booking sessions for the 2021 project now.
Contact Info:
- Email: studio@helmbergerphotography.com
- Website: www.helmbergerphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helmbergerphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HelmbergerPhotography and https://www.facebook.com/groups/1560575397477044
Image Credits
Debra Helmberger
