Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Hall.
Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today?
When I was 15, I picked up my dad’s 1970s Minolta film camera and fell in love with photography. It wasn’t long before my friends began asking me to do sessions for them. After high school, I attended Baylor University. I worked as a photographer for the newspaper with plans to study Photography, but I had a change of heart before even taking my first class. Instead, I pursued Architecture, considering it a more stable career path. Looking back, I laugh. My advice is that you should always follow your dreams.
After graduating, I spent seven years designing fire stations and enjoying the field of Architecture, but when my oldest son was born, I could not put down my camera. I wanted to capture every detail of my sweet baby boy so I’d never forget the fleeting moments — his tiny toes the little wisps of curly blonde hair, his little smile. That’s when I decided to stay home with him, learn everything I could about photography, and pursue my dream career.
Now, as a mama to three, I continue to document our lives and strive to create beautiful photographs for my clients. Every picture tells a story and showcases the love and joy shared between families.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My business started organically after my son was born. My friends saw the pictures I took of my son, and they started asking me to photograph their children. Heather Hall Photography gradually grew through their referrals. I am so grateful for these friends who supported me in the early days. Having friends that cheer you on is such a blessing.
It wasn’t always a smooth road. As I grew, I struggled with the business side of things. I was creative, but I felt like I needed an MBA to create a viable business. I knew I had some inefficient systems, so I found an online business management platform to help me streamline things behind the scenes. It’s important to me that all of my clients–or HHP (Heather Hall Photography) families, as I fondly call them–have a wonderful experience from the first time they contact me through the delivery of their photos and beyond. I want to make things as easy as possible for busy mamas. My HHP families can schedule sessions through my business management platform. Then they will receive emails immediately following their bookings with important information about planning their shoot, including my well-loved style guide. To further fill in the gaps from my lack of an MBA, I have read business books, listened to many marketing podcasts, and hired a business coach. I never want to stop learning, and I now genuinely love not only the art of photography but also the business side of running Heather Hall Photography.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a luxury newborn, family, and motherhood photographer serving families in Dallas by documenting their most cherished moments. I consider myself an artist at heart and use light as my “paint” to create my signature Heather Hall Photography style, which is elegant, timeless, light, and ethereal. I carefully consider every element in an image, from the location I am photographing to the natural light at the time of a session to the clothing choices of my HHP families, to make sure that it aligns with my style and vision so that I not only capture the love and essence of each family but also create a piece of art.
As a mom to three, I know that families are busy, so I guide my HHP families through every stage of session planning, from wardrobe selection to preparing their children. I want my clients to have a fun, stress-free experience that results in beautiful, joy-filled photo artwork for their homes. I am often told I am “great with kids” and “a baby whisperer.” These compliments mean the world to me. A mom once told me that her children were so excited for me to take their photographs because I am “so fun,” and I’ve had a few children gift me toys and artwork they created.
Over the past few years, I have expanded beyond newborns and families and into branding and commercial work, which now makes up 50% of my business. As an entrepreneur, I love helping companies sell their products through photography and watching them succeed in their endeavors. When working with businesses, I have a pre-session planning meeting where we go over the goals of the shoot and consider everything from the company’s ideal client and how to reach them to where the images will be used to composition notes such as negative space for text. No stone is left unturned. I have worked with notable companies such as The Proper Peony, Susan Saffron, Fenwick Fields, Fixture Gaming, Beyond Pediatric Dentistry, Aspen Claire, and more.
Whether photographing families and newborns or working with commercial clients, I use my experience to create a simple, stress-free experience.
What does success mean to you?
My faith and family drive my definition of success. I want to serve my family so that they know they are treasured, loved, and accepted by me for the entirety of their lives. Can you tell I’m sentimental? This is why I love photography so much. Each image I take holds a story of love and captures a fleeting moment. As time goes by, photos remind us of the love we’ve shared over a lifetime with the people we treasure. One day, I want my husband and young children to look back at their photos with me and see the love in my eyes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heatherhallphotography.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/heatherhallphotos
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/heatherhallphotography
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-hall-1734171bb/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/heather-hall-photography-dallas
Image Credits
Heather Hall Photography
