the business

Strawberry Blonde photography was technically established in 2010. At that time I was a young mama with a 3 year old and a new baby who loved to create and wanted an outlet to meet an encourage other mamas. I loved sewing and photography so I set up my first display including both alongside a few photos I had taken of family members and friends who encouraged me. I had a sign up sheet for free mini sessions and I ended up with a few pages full of new “clients”. I knew I needed all of the experience I could get learning how to work my camera, edit images, and relate to people while figuring out what posing and lighting looked best. I was thrilled to be photographing these people, using my camera, creating and having the chance to learn hands on. While I was starting to understand my camera a little better, I quickly figured out that sewing for other people was not for me, it required concentration and time alone which was nearly impossible while having two babies who wanted to be underfoot as long as I was in eyesight.

It wasn’t long after that initial marketing event that I had photographed several new families and figured that I should get a business license, tax i.d and all of the other business things I’d need. I called into the local office and got everything squared away. I was ready to end the conversation when the friendly voice on the other end of the line asked if I was running a sewage or septic business. I laughed out loud and asked why in the world he would think that. He very matter of factly told me that he came to his obvious conclusion because of the name “overflow”. So, what I had intended as a reference to my heart being full and this little business coming from an “overflow” of my heart was perhaps a bit misleading. I decided in that very moment that it was time for a name change. I figured I better make things simple, my name followed by photography. I clicked right over to Etsy and purchased my first logo/watermark, complete with butterflies, so many colors and even some fun paisley.

This little business began to grow from word of mouth and new clients were pretty consistent. I went to marketing events and stayed up late most nights learning and editing. I went to conferences, made new connections, took notes any time I heard something interesting and soaked up every photography related thing that I could find on YouTube and google. I still didn’t know what my style was and honestly didn’t think of myself as a “professional photographer” but more of a hobbyist who got paid for doing what I dearly loved.

In 2013 I went through a divorce and came to the conclusion that I needed to change my business name…again. After investing so much into marketing and materials, I was less than amused at having to update everything for my business in the midst of my life being a hot mess. At this point I had developed some standards about whatever I business name decided on; I wouldn’t use my name again, I wanted something that would be easy to remember, that would not mistaken for a septic service, or any other service that wasn’t in my wheelhouse and most importantly i needed something that I would never have to change again.

Around this same time, two of the sweet friends I met through a jasmine star photography event were moving on from their joint photography business because one of them was moving to another state. Their business name was strawberry blonde photography and I remember wishing I would have thought of it the moment I met them. I knew it was a long shot and I certainly didn’t want to be rude or presumptuous so I called both girls and asked for their permission to take on the business name. I was so thankful and excited that they both agreed to hand the name over to me and I was ready to move forward with a business name that was representative of me and wouldn’t ever change (until I go gray at least)! One of those two sweet friends also happened to be an artist and a graphic designer and she graciously helped me create my new logo, website and even cute notecards to send to my clients!