EPISODE 16: Taylor Nibbe Owner of "Birch Laine Photo" Gives Us Tips On Taking The Best Family Photos
September 26, 2024 • 25 mins
EPISODE 16: This week the Mom Squad speaks with one of Corrina's dear friends who just happened to have photographed her husband Patrick, on "Pogie the Yogie." Say hello to Taylor Nibbe owner of "Birch Laine Photo" The ladies learn all about how to go about finding the perfect photographer, figuring out how many family photos should we be taking of our kiddos, how to get our kids to act natural in front of the camera and the beauty of Wedding photography, expenses, and more! It's time to make memories!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the mads Own Mom Squad podcast, a production
of iHeartRadio. Hard working real mama's having real conversations. Now,
sit back, relax, and get ready to talk mom life
with Christa and her squad.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's Grena.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Today is all about you bringing in fabulous women on
tour show.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
You know, that's what I like to do.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
That's right, I did.
Speaker 5 (00:22):
I brought a really fabulous woman in here, Taylor Nitty.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
I wanted to make sure I said you last day.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I got it.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Okay, well she's here.
Speaker 5 (00:31):
We actually met Taylor and I in an entrepreneur group
for women, and I.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Got to know her about.
Speaker 5 (00:37):
What was even funnier about is we knew each other
prior to meeting in this group of women.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
She had taken my husband's photos. Okay, and I just
happen to be there. I think I don't know you were,
And you looked at me and you're like, we know
each other.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
I took your husband's photos, and they're like, well, who hasn't.
Speaker 6 (00:55):
Actually it's a model, I mean, come on, my gosh.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
And so she's here because she's a photographer.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
She does lifestyle wedding photography, which is you know, we're
always getting our photos taken professionally throughout life and our
journey and especially as we become moms.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
So I thought this would be a great time to
talk about it, especially in.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
The fall winter when we're thinking about school photos, you're
thinking about family photos, you're thinking about those holiday cards
that need to go out, which I'm a sucker for.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
And so I brought on Taylor, and.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
We're going to talk a little bit about first all that.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Because I have so many questions.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Yeah, but first tell us a little bit about you
and what you do, and then how you got into
it all.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah. Yeah, first off, thank you for having me here.
This is so much fun.
Speaker 7 (01:39):
And I kind of just ended in photography unexpectedly. I
actually went to school for social work and sociology and
that's what I got my degree in in college. I
ended up in working in child protective services right after college. Yeah,
so that was kind of where that just led right away,
and I was there for four years. I did two
(02:01):
years down in Illinois and two years up here in Wisconsin,
and I was hitting a little bit of a burnout
towards the end and knew that I was not wanting
to continue pursuing that long term or at least within CPS,
I know that there was something else that I was desiring,
and with hitting burnout, I really just started to explore
some other options. And when I graduated from college, I
(02:23):
with a little bit of that freedom, I started to
travel a lot, and so through my traveling, I just
really got a passion for it. And then I started
to just enjoy taking photos when I traveled, and I
got like a biginner camera and just started playing around
with that kind of stuff. And when I have actually
a few people in my life that are in photography.
(02:45):
My sister's one of the biggest ones, and then a
few of my best friends who all are within the
photography realm, and so I was always exposed to it
and influenced, you know, by them with their photography, and
just really loved being around it. And there was one
time that I had friends who needed some branding photos
and they just needed something simple.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
So they'd asked me to take these photos for.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
Them, and I was like, yeah, I know a camera,
I know my way around it, I know what I'm doing,
and I would love to that sounds fun, sure, So
we just did some photos in their house and outside,
and I ended up, you know, keeping some of those
photos just to play around with editing and stuff, and
I honestly really enjoyed it, and I was like, well,
this is interesting, this could.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Be a path that I go down.
Speaker 7 (03:24):
I was at the time exploring some careers within the
travel industry, thinking that's what I because I really love
to travel. But at the time I kind of switched
that mindset a little bit of like, well what if
I can kind of do both the travel route and
also start up this photography thing that I never really
thought travel.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Yeah, we were talking about science.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yes, yes, yeah, that's amazing. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (03:50):
It was very unexpected, and I think, you know, I
grew up my sister was always into photography, and so
it was like that's her thing, that's what she does.
I never even thought about going into that realm because
it was just always her thing.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah, and so when.
Speaker 7 (04:02):
I, you know, had done these photos with these friends,
I really started to think about it. And I went
to my sister and I was like, would you hate
it if I started this as well or explored it?
Speaker 4 (04:13):
So you became her competition.
Speaker 6 (04:15):
I just keep her on her ches, keep her on
her child.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Yeah business.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
I did not take her business, so she did not
have an actual photography business at the time. She was
you know, she's always done it very much, you know,
as a hobby. She I think at one point had
tried to go you know, business route with it, but
at the time she didn't have a business, and she
was very supportive of me trying it, and so she
was like.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yeah, of course, like go for it. And I was
just supporting women absolutely.
Speaker 7 (04:42):
Yes, I was worried about stealing her thunder, but this
these entire last five years, she's probably the one that's
been the most supportive.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Of my business.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
That's awesome.
Speaker 7 (04:50):
It's yeah, it's it's really cool, and it's really just
been a blessing. And so yeah, I just kind of
started it, and you know, it was early twenty twenty,
so not what people would think the best.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Time to start, probably not, you know, Yeah, but I had.
Speaker 7 (05:06):
A friend, one of my best friends, who was so
so kind and I was like, you should come help
me with weddings, and wedding photographers are always often needing
second photographers to help them on wedding days. So she
hired me that summer of twenty twenty for a few
weddings and said, come work with me. I'll show you
the ropes, and I was like, all right, let's do it.
And so I didn't even know at that point what
(05:27):
kind of photography I wanted to get into, but I
was very excited to do these weddings with her, and
from there, I mean the rest is history. I did those weddings,
and then people started, you know, hearing more than I
was doing photography, asking me if I was doing wedding photography.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
So I was like.
Speaker 7 (05:40):
Yeah, and I just decided to give it all I
had and go go, just dive straight in. And I
quit my job in July of twenty twenty, and social.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Wort that yeah, yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Can I touch on something too, And I think it's
that's a powerful thing to share with women, is that
you took a chance on yourself. It's a it was
a scary decision, very you took the leap.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Of fear and this is where it got you. And
I think that's super important your heart.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
I was actually just gonna say the exact same thing
you guys just said with that. I think that Taylor,
your story, I think is even more inspiring than your classic.
Like I went to school for photography, and I always
knew I wanted to do it, which is awesome too.
If somebody knows, like that's their dream, that's what they
want to do, that's amazing. But to go one way
and end up the complete opposite way is really really
inspiring as well. And I mean, now, you know, being
(06:33):
a mother of five, I have like five thousand pictures
on my phone. Yes, but do I ever like go
and get them done?
Speaker 7 (06:40):
Never?
Speaker 6 (06:40):
I don't think I've done it like my older three kids.
I've done it a few times, but I'm so guilty.
But like, in your opinion, how often should we be
getting these pictures taken? And is it really worth it
with little kids to bring them in if they're like
fighting the clothes, fighting the poses, Like is it worth
it to you?
Speaker 7 (06:56):
To me?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Yeah? So I have a lot of parents too.
Speaker 7 (06:58):
When they come you know, I need to book a
family session that kind of ask all those same questions
and that have those worries of like what if my
kids aren't behaving and you know, if they don't smile,
or if we're sitting for this picture and they're trying
to go off and run around.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
And you know, what I really.
Speaker 7 (07:12):
Like with family photography and doing family photos is the
candid moments that you do get to capture with family FAI.
So what I try to tell parents is to not
worry so much about that because at the end of
the day, like the photos that are the way you're
going to get like the best photos is just allowing
your kids to be who they are and so not
trying to force them into certain poses, into certain smiles.
(07:33):
And I know a lot of people are like, we
just want the one big, you know, nice smiling photo
for our wall for the holiday.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
You know, yes, yeah, but the funny, the funny ones
are the best.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Though this is my perfect family.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
Yeah, no, I know. But the funny ones are the
ones where they're like, somebody's doing something goofy. In my opinion,
those stick out to me way more than those classic
you can get sure, you can.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Get it off.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (08:00):
That's the thing is if you're allowing these kids to
just be who they are and just run around or play,
or maybe you're doing an activity that they really like.
Maybe you take them out of the park for a
picnic and you guys also have a picnic, or you
take them on bikes and maybe I'm there to just
capture you guys.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
On your like that we forget about you.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yeah, you kind of.
Speaker 7 (08:18):
That's the whole idea, is you kind of forget that
I'm there with the camera, and the kids forget that
I'm there with the camera because the kids are the ones.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
That know the cameras.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
Oh yes, yes, exactly, maybe just not as not as
in your face as much famous.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Oh yeah. I will say that we had family photos.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
We made the mistake of giving our kids snacks on
the way there to.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Like drag them and they had like chocolate on their face.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
That would be yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
And then like as you.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Were going with a photo, they just poop their paints.
Like do you take smelly photos? They can't smile, you
can't smell.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Yeah, I don't care, It's fine.
Speaker 7 (08:58):
That's the thing is a lot of the times you
try to use and I will say that the food
doesn't always work when the kid knows the cameras there
and something that is kind of funny. That's why you
have to allow them to just run around be themselves
and in those moments I'm capturing, you know, the life
between you guys as a family, like who you guys
are as a family, and not trying to make it
so stiff and post, and in between, we may be
(09:18):
able to get them to come sit on your lap
or stand in front of you for a nice photo
and then they go.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Off and they play and they do what they want.
Is that photo? It's just fun? Is that how you
help them? Families?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Especially because you know us moms want to make sure
our pictures are perfect. How do you help your kids
be okay, sit down gm.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
Or like the opposite of the school pictures because those
they're like, hey, you have to sit this way, turn
your head and they always look so uncomfortable, so stiff.
Speaker 7 (09:44):
So yeah, like that's I mean exactly that it goes
along with just allowing them to do what they want
to do and be themselves and like.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
When they're running around playing like it.
Speaker 7 (09:53):
And that's what's really fun about if you can find
an activity that you guys love to do as a family,
yeah to they kind of just get into that and
then they they play with that, and you know that
is what helps the kids, especially be natural too and.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Just be themselves.
Speaker 7 (10:06):
And then as a family, you guys are being really
just those candid moments are what.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I really love as a photographer.
Speaker 7 (10:12):
Yeah, you know, I I consider myself more of a
documentary style type photographer. I want to capture who you
are as people, who you are as a family, and
how you interact together. I don't want everything to feel
super posed, super stiff, super just like ingenuine. You know,
we're not here to just get five nice, stiff post
photos like I want the in between, candid moments.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yeah, the Christmas card always get one. I actually, it's.
Speaker 6 (10:40):
Almost like you've done this before.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Come on, it's such a natural at the end of
the day.
Speaker 7 (10:45):
The photos that I tend to see printed and post
you know, framed and hung on the walls are usually
those candid photos.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
That's what's on my walls, None of them.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
They're all random and the kids.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
Running around and you're playing with them, or you're you know,
you're laying with them on the ground, whatever it is.
Those are the one that people actually really love to
frame because.
Speaker 6 (11:01):
It's just there's a story attached to it too.
Speaker 7 (11:04):
Yeah, and so in my photography, I really like to
emphasize that, like the storytelling. I want you guys to
feel the emotion when you look at those photos.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
But I love it.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Did you know that there was.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
This whole article going around a couple of years ago
about a school photographer getting kids to smile by saying poo.
Speaker 6 (11:20):
Oh, that's perfect.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
It was just literally it's perfect though. Oh yeah, and
you would just go poop and then they would just yeah.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
Their eyes would all be open, their mouth yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Thing of like the say cheese yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
And I actually looked that up because I was curious,
like where did that come from? And it's because photos
for so long, up until like the forties.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
You didn't even smile, you didn't have yeah, and.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
You would have to be and so everyone looked really.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
Depraved, angry, very angry.
Speaker 7 (11:48):
Yeah, like five minutes they took this photo that yeah
minute smiles.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
So that cheese makes you show your teeth.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And then this is why, because I feel like you'll
about this.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
And then they started this whole thing called like to
say prune because and that's where the kis face came from.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Really small and so when you say prune, you have
to say it so like gently's, oh yeah.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
So funny, that is funny. I have no idea next
time thinking, and she's and prune sounds like an awesome combination.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
Like skinny no lips, Like that's why I have to
get my lips.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
No, you don't have to get your lips done.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Stop it. No, I'm just saying about those women that
do that in their photos.
Speaker 6 (12:31):
I'm like, oh, like real palty and yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I'm like I want that sexy look.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
So we talked a little bit about finding the right
photographer and it's obviously you.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Know, when there's there's a lot out there.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, family and oversaturated market.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Yeah, for families looking.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
For photography or lifestyle or wedding, Like, what is the
best way to go about it?
Speaker 7 (12:49):
Do you have to interview you guys? Yeah, that's no,
that's a very good question. And the thing is photography
is a very saturated market. There everybody in their mom
these days, and it's not an asking but picks up
a camera and there like, let's.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Do photography right.
Speaker 7 (13:02):
And I love that people explore their creative side and
I love that people find the art in it.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And the thing about.
Speaker 7 (13:07):
Photography that's really cool is every photographer's photos and art
is different because it's about who they are too as
an artist, and so there is no right or wrong
way to do it. There's no right or wrong way
to like, you know, take a photograph what you see
as art. It's like telling a painter, they can't paint
that because that's right, but they everybody sees art differently,
(13:28):
and so that's what I really love about photography, and
that's what I've really grasped on too with just my
business and being a photographer is allowing myself to be
creative without the pressure of what society says looks good.
And so finding a photographer kind of going into that
is you really have to find somebody. First of all,
you're looking through their stuff. You want to find somebody
who's work and art you really like. So what you
(13:49):
see on their page, what you see on their website, like,
that's what your finished product is going to look like.
You know, if you see that consistent art through their
Instagram or their website and all their stuff looks like that,
that's what you're gonna get and if you love it,
that's to start. The second thing to finding a photographer
is really getting to know, like knowing.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Who they as a person.
Speaker 7 (14:06):
So if you see them on Instagram and you you know,
they show I'm really bad at showing my face on
Instagram stories, but you know, just getting to know them,
and it's kind of interviewing them but talking to them,
making sure you can talk to this person when I
have the say, wedding inquiries, I really stress, you know,
having a zoom meeting with my clients before they book me,
so we can get to know each other. They can
(14:28):
see me, they I can see them, we can talk
to each other.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
We know, you know personalities.
Speaker 7 (14:33):
You really want to find somebody you connect with, because
at the end of the day, like you're also paying
for an experience. You're not just paying for a finished product.
You are paying for an experience. And that experience starts
from day one of booking that photographer all up until
like those photos are delivered to you. So like that
entire process. Yeah, so, and that's what you're like, you're
(14:53):
investing in is experience with this photographer. And so really
when you are looking for a photographer, making sure you're
choosing somebody that you connect with, that you can relate to,
and that you get along with, and especially like for
wedding days, I'm I'm with you for eight to ten hours.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
On the most important days.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
We gotta like each other.
Speaker 7 (15:14):
And if you have somebody who maybe maybe you're really
extroverted and you really love to talk and you know,
chat with people, and if your photographer is more introverted
and just kind of keeps themselves, which is fine. Like,
maybe you guys are personality wise the best fit, because
you want to have somebody who's really just you know,
you're able to talk.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Because I get anxious when people are introverted way where
they don't talk. I'm like, that just makes me so anxious.
Speaker 7 (15:38):
Yeah, and it's great, and there are some people who
love that that's the right fit for maybe somebody who
else who is introverted and is like, it's okay, let's
just h we fit and we talk and we get along,
and you know that there's.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
A personality that's right for everybody.
Speaker 7 (15:50):
And so that's a big part about choosing a photographer,
which I really try to emphasize to people, is ensuring
that you're picking somebody that you know you're going to
have a good experience with from booking to like delivered
photos and I think to higher process.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Sure, yeah, because I definitely would scare my photographer away
if they were like, oh my god, this loud ginger kid.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
But if you're quiet and you're not, you're not.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
No, I'm not either.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
The photographer would be like, oh I heard myself.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
I gotta go. I think we would be a good thing.
Speaker 7 (16:25):
I think you guys would be just yeah, I love
that and I.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Have the fun and you're being able to.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
Definitely well, I mean weddings, the wedding like photography part
to me would be that's where I'd get my anxiety,
Like how is that? What's it like?
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Is do you?
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Is it awkward?
Speaker 6 (16:40):
Is it fun and exciting? Or is it all of
those emotions?
Speaker 2 (16:42):
And you know on the wedding?
Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah, for you ads the photographer, is that your one
are your favorite things?
Speaker 7 (16:48):
I just I am very much an extroverted person and
I so this is kind of weird. It actually relates
into the social work a little bit. Is I love
working with people and I love connecting with people. I
love talking to them, I love getting to know their
and really just understanding how each of my clients is
so unique and different.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
From each other.
Speaker 7 (17:05):
And that goes into the photography too, right, Like that's
gonna play into how I take your photos, Like and
if I know you as a person or families, if
I know your family and what you guys love to
do together and we talk about that kind of stuff,
like that's gonna help me get photos that you guys
really feel resonate, you know, with who you are as people,
and so for wedding days, I just I thrive. I
you know, I think that there. I always say there's
(17:26):
two types of photographers in this world. Ones who won't
even come close to weddings and ones who just can't
stop shooting weddings, And I just I love it, and.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
I it's not awkward at all.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
No.
Speaker 7 (17:38):
I That's why I really stress having a zoom call
with my couple beforehand, and I'll really stress that they
also book their engagement session with me. They don't always,
which is fine, But when I'm able to work with
them ahead of time, ahead of the wedding day and
an engagement session, it allows me to really get to
know them in person, and then we work together, you know,
before the wedding day. So it just allows for a
(17:58):
more comfortable, you know, meeting on the wedding day. But
I just I'm very extroverted. So I show up on
the wedding day and I have to have your best friend.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
I think that would be awesome.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Yeah, Okay, I'm here, let's go, let's talk.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Let's touch on that, Like, what is one of the
craziest experiences you've ever had.
Speaker 7 (18:14):
Oh gosh, you know, I wish I had some crazy
stories for.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
You could make one up, we wouldn't know.
Speaker 7 (18:22):
I surprisingly I have not had any like wildly out
there stories for wedding days. There was one wedding I
photographed with a friend to one of the bridesmaids and
one of the groomsmen were swingers.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Okay about it? Sure, yeah, but get it out. Very
interesting experience works. You know, they're very out there, sure affectionate,
and they don't you had to go photo.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Okay, get that bad, right, But yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
It just was like the whole it was an interesting experience.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
So that is kind of cool. Nobody's like nobody's tripped
going like down the aisle or thing like, no major things, No,
that would be That was my next question. That was
my next question.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
They've all made us the aisle, They've all said, I do,
that's good. Nobody has trips, So, you know, off the
top of my head, I'm trying to think of like
the craziest thing that I've experienced.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
But you know, no, that's that's great. No, that's that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I mean it's amazing.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
I'm thankful to know that like I have not you know,
encountered anything wild.
Speaker 6 (19:26):
That's good, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Yeah, kind
of unevengeful in that sense.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Okay, So I know this is this works so important
to you and I love that and booking photographers.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
It's expensive, right.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
So can you talk a little bit about what goes
into it and why the price is so high or because.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
You know, you go to these weddings. Yeah, things, And
I mean we're not we're not at that face.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
Our kids are so young that we're not really talking
about wedding weddings for our children and you know, in
that right place. So we have a while, but it
seems to because more responsive and I think we all
have girls, right, And isn't it the girl the.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Yeah to pay?
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Yeah, so that's typically you know, who knows what it'll
be like in.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Society, has you know, gotten a little bit relaxed with.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
You know, and it's a big chunk of the wedding part.
So what goes into all this and why is it
so expensive?
Speaker 7 (20:28):
And that's such a good question because I think most
people they see you show up at the camera, you
take the photos, and like that's what they see.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
The hour if you.
Speaker 7 (20:37):
Know, photo shoot an hour that you spend with them,
or the wedding day, like the eight hours that you
spend with them. People don't see the behind the scenes work,
the stuff that I have to pay for, the hours
that I'm putting in behind the scenes. So I understand
photography is a huge investment, and we.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
As photographers, we understand that.
Speaker 7 (20:54):
We know that, we know that, like you guys are
paying a good amount of money for these photos. And
the thing about it is that at the end of
the day, it is an investment. And I really like,
first of all, I really like distress at the end.
You know, in fifty years, when you're talking with your kids,
your grandkids, you're you know, these what are you going
to show them in fifty sixty, seventy years.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Like you're going to have photos for them?
Speaker 7 (21:17):
And so I know it sounds cliche, and I know
it sounds cheesy, but it's so. And that's kind of
goes back to picking a photographer with like, you know,
certain styles or whatever. Is I am very much a
storyteller photographer. It's how I like to describe myself. And
so those images are really going to be telling those
stories in fifty years, like that's what you're having when
you're when you're you obviously can talk about it, but
(21:39):
showing the picture along with those stories is huge. And
then if we're getting down to us little logistics of it,
you know, there's a lot that goes into Like I
have a business, right, so anybody knows that starting a
business is takes money, takes work, takes time. You're going
to open a storefront, like people know that there's expenses
with that, right, So if you open a storefront, people
(21:59):
can see a physical building, they see things that you've
paid for. So with photography, like the things on the
back end that go into is you know, I've spent
a lot of I've spent money on education so that
I can come prepared and I and I'm experienced and
I can give you a good experience and good photos
and a good finished product. So I pay for education,
I pay for a lot of the behind the scenes
as so like my website, I have to pay for
(22:21):
the website that I used to deliver your photos. That
costs money. You know, all of my gear, my gear
is one of the most expensive parts about it. And
I'm you know, we're constantly upgrading it and or we're
buying new gear.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
We have to buy a card drives right, oh yeah.
Speaker 7 (22:36):
Right, so it's like needing new hard drives and your
new memory cards, needing new batteries, needing, so you're constantly
upgrading things.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
And yeah, so like you said, behind the scenes, the
amount of hours that is going into meeting these photos.
Speaker 7 (22:49):
And so that's kind of where I was going to
lead is like the next part is then it's the time.
So right time is money, and we know and the
hours that people don't see behind the scenes that it takes.
So I prepping so when it comes, let's just say
for a wedding, for example, so many inquires with me.
So I'm sitting down, I'm replying to that email. And
I usually take time when I reply with my emails
because I want that I have them tell me a
little bit about themselves in their infrey form, so when
(23:11):
I reply, I can kind of relay that back to
them that I've listened to what they've told me, that
I'm paying attention to that and I care about that.
So I'm you know, replying to emails and then you
know the next step is to plan a zoom call
and then we're having a zoom call and we're talking
about all the details of their day. And then I'm
going and I'm making sure that I have all of
that organized for each wedding. And then you know, there's
(23:31):
comes time to just like all that communication between for
the wedding and then I do their engagement session. That's time,
and then I'm editing those photos and then the wedding
day and then and then editing all of the photos
for the wedding, So the editing piece too, Like I
would say on a wedding day, I would spend probably
a typically about thirty to four hours for just one wow.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
So out there you go that right there, But find.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
You if we're interested in talking you because you travel
all over and I do want a cross country yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
So I've last year at photographed a wedding in Italy, which.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
All right, yeah you yes, So where can we get you?
So I'll travel anywhere and everywhere. You can find me
on Instagram, I'm birch Lane Photo. That's just b I
R c h L A I N E and the
P H O t O and then the same for
my website it's just birch Lanephoto dot com. So you
can find me at either of those places. If you're
(24:26):
interested in a session with me, you can acquire through
my contact page on my website. I usually get back
to all ngorees, you know, within like twenty four to
forty eight hours.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
So yeah, that's where you can find me. That's wonderful.
Love And I love the name. Yeah, I love that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 7 (24:40):
I think most photographers go with you know, a lot
of you see at photographs out there, it's a first
and middle name or first last name, and it's great.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
And I just didn't love that. For me, it was
like Taylor Nity Photography or and it's definitely yeah. Sorry,
I didn't go that route.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
And I we have a family place up in the
north Woods, and so that's where the Birch place came
from because its ties.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
In from that name.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
And then Lane is actually just to play off my
middle name. My middle name is Elaine, and so.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
I just I love that.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Yeah, Wilane Taylor.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
I'm talking about something that we all kind of do,
but we just don't know that much about we see,
and I appreciate you giving us more of an insight
into the behind the scenes for family photos, wedding photography
photos and you also do branding and lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Thanks so much, thank you.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Yes, this is the Madtown Mom Squad podcast, a production
of iHeart Radio. You're Every episode of Madtown Mom Squad
podcasts available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Music, or wherever
you listen to your favorite podcasts.
This is the mads Own Mom Squad podcast, a production
of iHeartRadio. Hard working real mama's having real conversations. Now,
sit back, relax, and get ready to talk mom life
with Christa and her squad.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's Grena.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Today is all about you bringing in fabulous women on
tour show.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
You know, that's what I like to do.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
That's right, I did.
Speaker 5 (00:22):
I brought a really fabulous woman in here, Taylor Nitty.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
I wanted to make sure I said you last day.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I got it.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Okay, well she's here.
Speaker 5 (00:31):
We actually met Taylor and I in an entrepreneur group
for women, and I.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Got to know her about.
Speaker 5 (00:37):
What was even funnier about is we knew each other
prior to meeting in this group of women.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
She had taken my husband's photos. Okay, and I just
happen to be there. I think I don't know you were,
And you looked at me and you're like, we know
each other.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
I took your husband's photos, and they're like, well, who hasn't.
Speaker 6 (00:55):
Actually it's a model, I mean, come on, my gosh.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
And so she's here because she's a photographer.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
She does lifestyle wedding photography, which is you know, we're
always getting our photos taken professionally throughout life and our
journey and especially as we become moms.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
So I thought this would be a great time to
talk about it, especially in.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
The fall winter when we're thinking about school photos, you're
thinking about family photos, you're thinking about those holiday cards
that need to go out, which I'm a sucker for.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
And so I brought on Taylor, and.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
We're going to talk a little bit about first all that.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Because I have so many questions.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Yeah, but first tell us a little bit about you
and what you do, and then how you got into
it all.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah. Yeah, first off, thank you for having me here.
This is so much fun.
Speaker 7 (01:39):
And I kind of just ended in photography unexpectedly. I
actually went to school for social work and sociology and
that's what I got my degree in in college. I
ended up in working in child protective services right after college. Yeah,
so that was kind of where that just led right away,
and I was there for four years. I did two
(02:01):
years down in Illinois and two years up here in Wisconsin,
and I was hitting a little bit of a burnout
towards the end and knew that I was not wanting
to continue pursuing that long term or at least within CPS,
I know that there was something else that I was desiring,
and with hitting burnout, I really just started to explore
some other options. And when I graduated from college, I
(02:23):
with a little bit of that freedom, I started to
travel a lot, and so through my traveling, I just
really got a passion for it. And then I started
to just enjoy taking photos when I traveled, and I
got like a biginner camera and just started playing around
with that kind of stuff. And when I have actually
a few people in my life that are in photography.
(02:45):
My sister's one of the biggest ones, and then a
few of my best friends who all are within the
photography realm, and so I was always exposed to it
and influenced, you know, by them with their photography, and
just really loved being around it. And there was one
time that I had friends who needed some branding photos
and they just needed something simple.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
So they'd asked me to take these photos for.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
Them, and I was like, yeah, I know a camera,
I know my way around it, I know what I'm doing,
and I would love to that sounds fun, sure, So
we just did some photos in their house and outside,
and I ended up, you know, keeping some of those
photos just to play around with editing and stuff, and
I honestly really enjoyed it, and I was like, well,
this is interesting, this could.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Be a path that I go down.
Speaker 7 (03:24):
I was at the time exploring some careers within the
travel industry, thinking that's what I because I really love
to travel. But at the time I kind of switched
that mindset a little bit of like, well what if
I can kind of do both the travel route and
also start up this photography thing that I never really
thought travel.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Yeah, we were talking about science.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yes, yes, yeah, that's amazing. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (03:50):
It was very unexpected, and I think, you know, I
grew up my sister was always into photography, and so
it was like that's her thing, that's what she does.
I never even thought about going into that realm because
it was just always her thing.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah, and so when.
Speaker 7 (04:02):
I, you know, had done these photos with these friends,
I really started to think about it. And I went
to my sister and I was like, would you hate
it if I started this as well or explored it?
Speaker 4 (04:13):
So you became her competition.
Speaker 6 (04:15):
I just keep her on her ches, keep her on
her child.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Yeah business.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
I did not take her business, so she did not
have an actual photography business at the time. She was
you know, she's always done it very much, you know,
as a hobby. She I think at one point had
tried to go you know, business route with it, but
at the time she didn't have a business, and she
was very supportive of me trying it, and so she
was like.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yeah, of course, like go for it. And I was
just supporting women absolutely.
Speaker 7 (04:42):
Yes, I was worried about stealing her thunder, but this
these entire last five years, she's probably the one that's
been the most supportive.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Of my business.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
That's awesome.
Speaker 7 (04:50):
It's yeah, it's it's really cool, and it's really just
been a blessing. And so yeah, I just kind of
started it, and you know, it was early twenty twenty,
so not what people would think the best.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Time to start, probably not, you know, Yeah, but I had.
Speaker 7 (05:06):
A friend, one of my best friends, who was so
so kind and I was like, you should come help
me with weddings, and wedding photographers are always often needing
second photographers to help them on wedding days. So she
hired me that summer of twenty twenty for a few
weddings and said, come work with me. I'll show you
the ropes, and I was like, all right, let's do it.
And so I didn't even know at that point what
(05:27):
kind of photography I wanted to get into, but I
was very excited to do these weddings with her, and
from there, I mean the rest is history. I did those weddings,
and then people started, you know, hearing more than I
was doing photography, asking me if I was doing wedding photography.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
So I was like.
Speaker 7 (05:40):
Yeah, and I just decided to give it all I
had and go go, just dive straight in. And I
quit my job in July of twenty twenty, and social.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Wort that yeah, yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Can I touch on something too, And I think it's
that's a powerful thing to share with women, is that
you took a chance on yourself. It's a it was
a scary decision, very you took the leap.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Of fear and this is where it got you. And
I think that's super important your heart.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
I was actually just gonna say the exact same thing
you guys just said with that. I think that Taylor,
your story, I think is even more inspiring than your classic.
Like I went to school for photography, and I always
knew I wanted to do it, which is awesome too.
If somebody knows, like that's their dream, that's what they
want to do, that's amazing. But to go one way
and end up the complete opposite way is really really
inspiring as well. And I mean, now, you know, being
(06:33):
a mother of five, I have like five thousand pictures
on my phone. Yes, but do I ever like go
and get them done?
Speaker 7 (06:40):
Never?
Speaker 6 (06:40):
I don't think I've done it like my older three kids.
I've done it a few times, but I'm so guilty.
But like, in your opinion, how often should we be
getting these pictures taken? And is it really worth it
with little kids to bring them in if they're like
fighting the clothes, fighting the poses, Like is it worth
it to you?
Speaker 7 (06:56):
To me?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Yeah? So I have a lot of parents too.
Speaker 7 (06:58):
When they come you know, I need to book a
family session that kind of ask all those same questions
and that have those worries of like what if my
kids aren't behaving and you know, if they don't smile,
or if we're sitting for this picture and they're trying
to go off and run around.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
And you know, what I really.
Speaker 7 (07:12):
Like with family photography and doing family photos is the
candid moments that you do get to capture with family FAI.
So what I try to tell parents is to not
worry so much about that because at the end of
the day, like the photos that are the way you're
going to get like the best photos is just allowing
your kids to be who they are and so not
trying to force them into certain poses, into certain smiles.
(07:33):
And I know a lot of people are like, we
just want the one big, you know, nice smiling photo
for our wall for the holiday.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
You know, yes, yeah, but the funny, the funny ones
are the best.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Though this is my perfect family.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
Yeah, no, I know. But the funny ones are the
ones where they're like, somebody's doing something goofy. In my opinion,
those stick out to me way more than those classic
you can get sure, you can.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Get it off.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (08:00):
That's the thing is if you're allowing these kids to
just be who they are and just run around or play,
or maybe you're doing an activity that they really like.
Maybe you take them out of the park for a
picnic and you guys also have a picnic, or you
take them on bikes and maybe I'm there to just
capture you guys.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
On your like that we forget about you.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yeah, you kind of.
Speaker 7 (08:18):
That's the whole idea, is you kind of forget that
I'm there with the camera, and the kids forget that
I'm there with the camera because the kids are the ones.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
That know the cameras.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
Oh yes, yes, exactly, maybe just not as not as
in your face as much famous.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Oh yeah. I will say that we had family photos.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
We made the mistake of giving our kids snacks on
the way there to.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
Like drag them and they had like chocolate on their face.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
That would be yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
And then like as you.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Were going with a photo, they just poop their paints.
Like do you take smelly photos? They can't smile, you
can't smell.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Yeah, I don't care, It's fine.
Speaker 7 (08:58):
That's the thing is a lot of the times you
try to use and I will say that the food
doesn't always work when the kid knows the cameras there
and something that is kind of funny. That's why you
have to allow them to just run around be themselves
and in those moments I'm capturing, you know, the life
between you guys as a family, like who you guys
are as a family, and not trying to make it
so stiff and post, and in between, we may be
(09:18):
able to get them to come sit on your lap
or stand in front of you for a nice photo
and then they go.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Off and they play and they do what they want.
Is that photo? It's just fun? Is that how you
help them? Families?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Especially because you know us moms want to make sure
our pictures are perfect. How do you help your kids
be okay, sit down gm.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
Or like the opposite of the school pictures because those
they're like, hey, you have to sit this way, turn
your head and they always look so uncomfortable, so stiff.
Speaker 7 (09:44):
So yeah, like that's I mean exactly that it goes
along with just allowing them to do what they want
to do and be themselves and like.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
When they're running around playing like it.
Speaker 7 (09:53):
And that's what's really fun about if you can find
an activity that you guys love to do as a family,
yeah to they kind of just get into that and
then they they play with that, and you know that
is what helps the kids, especially be natural too and.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Just be themselves.
Speaker 7 (10:06):
And then as a family, you guys are being really
just those candid moments are what.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I really love as a photographer.
Speaker 7 (10:12):
Yeah, you know, I I consider myself more of a
documentary style type photographer. I want to capture who you
are as people, who you are as a family, and
how you interact together. I don't want everything to feel
super posed, super stiff, super just like ingenuine. You know,
we're not here to just get five nice, stiff post
photos like I want the in between, candid moments.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yeah, the Christmas card always get one. I actually, it's.
Speaker 6 (10:40):
Almost like you've done this before.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Come on, it's such a natural at the end of
the day.
Speaker 7 (10:45):
The photos that I tend to see printed and post
you know, framed and hung on the walls are usually
those candid photos.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
That's what's on my walls, None of them.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
They're all random and the kids.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
Running around and you're playing with them, or you're you know,
you're laying with them on the ground, whatever it is.
Those are the one that people actually really love to
frame because.
Speaker 6 (11:01):
It's just there's a story attached to it too.
Speaker 7 (11:04):
Yeah, and so in my photography, I really like to
emphasize that, like the storytelling. I want you guys to
feel the emotion when you look at those photos.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
But I love it.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Did you know that there was.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
This whole article going around a couple of years ago
about a school photographer getting kids to smile by saying poo.
Speaker 6 (11:20):
Oh, that's perfect.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
It was just literally it's perfect though. Oh yeah, and
you would just go poop and then they would just yeah.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
Their eyes would all be open, their mouth yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Thing of like the say cheese yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
And I actually looked that up because I was curious,
like where did that come from? And it's because photos
for so long, up until like the forties.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
You didn't even smile, you didn't have yeah, and.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
You would have to be and so everyone looked really.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
Depraved, angry, very angry.
Speaker 7 (11:48):
Yeah, like five minutes they took this photo that yeah
minute smiles.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
So that cheese makes you show your teeth.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And then this is why, because I feel like you'll
about this.
Speaker 5 (12:00):
And then they started this whole thing called like to
say prune because and that's where the kis face came from.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Really small and so when you say prune, you have
to say it so like gently's, oh yeah.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
So funny, that is funny. I have no idea next
time thinking, and she's and prune sounds like an awesome combination.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
Like skinny no lips, Like that's why I have to
get my lips.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
No, you don't have to get your lips done.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Stop it. No, I'm just saying about those women that
do that in their photos.
Speaker 6 (12:31):
I'm like, oh, like real palty and yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I'm like I want that sexy look.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
So we talked a little bit about finding the right
photographer and it's obviously you.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Know, when there's there's a lot out there.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, family and oversaturated market.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Yeah, for families looking.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
For photography or lifestyle or wedding, Like, what is the
best way to go about it?
Speaker 7 (12:49):
Do you have to interview you guys? Yeah, that's no,
that's a very good question. And the thing is photography
is a very saturated market. There everybody in their mom
these days, and it's not an asking but picks up
a camera and there like, let's.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Do photography right.
Speaker 7 (13:02):
And I love that people explore their creative side and
I love that people find the art in it.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And the thing about.
Speaker 7 (13:07):
Photography that's really cool is every photographer's photos and art
is different because it's about who they are too as
an artist, and so there is no right or wrong
way to do it. There's no right or wrong way
to like, you know, take a photograph what you see
as art. It's like telling a painter, they can't paint
that because that's right, but they everybody sees art differently,
(13:28):
and so that's what I really love about photography, and
that's what I've really grasped on too with just my
business and being a photographer is allowing myself to be
creative without the pressure of what society says looks good.
And so finding a photographer kind of going into that
is you really have to find somebody. First of all,
you're looking through their stuff. You want to find somebody
who's work and art you really like. So what you
(13:49):
see on their page, what you see on their website, like,
that's what your finished product is going to look like.
You know, if you see that consistent art through their
Instagram or their website and all their stuff looks like that,
that's what you're gonna get and if you love it,
that's to start. The second thing to finding a photographer
is really getting to know, like knowing.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Who they as a person.
Speaker 7 (14:06):
So if you see them on Instagram and you you know,
they show I'm really bad at showing my face on
Instagram stories, but you know, just getting to know them,
and it's kind of interviewing them but talking to them,
making sure you can talk to this person when I
have the say, wedding inquiries, I really stress, you know,
having a zoom meeting with my clients before they book me,
so we can get to know each other. They can
(14:28):
see me, they I can see them, we can talk
to each other.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
We know, you know personalities.
Speaker 7 (14:33):
You really want to find somebody you connect with, because
at the end of the day, like you're also paying
for an experience. You're not just paying for a finished product.
You are paying for an experience. And that experience starts
from day one of booking that photographer all up until
like those photos are delivered to you. So like that
entire process. Yeah, so, and that's what you're like, you're
(14:53):
investing in is experience with this photographer. And so really
when you are looking for a photographer, making sure you're
choosing somebody that you connect with, that you can relate to,
and that you get along with, and especially like for
wedding days, I'm I'm with you for eight to ten hours.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
On the most important days.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
We gotta like each other.
Speaker 7 (15:14):
And if you have somebody who maybe maybe you're really
extroverted and you really love to talk and you know,
chat with people, and if your photographer is more introverted
and just kind of keeps themselves, which is fine. Like,
maybe you guys are personality wise the best fit, because
you want to have somebody who's really just you know,
you're able to talk.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Because I get anxious when people are introverted way where
they don't talk. I'm like, that just makes me so anxious.
Speaker 7 (15:38):
Yeah, and it's great, and there are some people who
love that that's the right fit for maybe somebody who
else who is introverted and is like, it's okay, let's
just h we fit and we talk and we get along,
and you know that there's.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
A personality that's right for everybody.
Speaker 7 (15:50):
And so that's a big part about choosing a photographer,
which I really try to emphasize to people, is ensuring
that you're picking somebody that you know you're going to
have a good experience with from booking to like delivered
photos and I think to higher process.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Sure, yeah, because I definitely would scare my photographer away
if they were like, oh my god, this loud ginger kid.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
But if you're quiet and you're not, you're not.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
No, I'm not either.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
The photographer would be like, oh I heard myself.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
I gotta go. I think we would be a good thing.
Speaker 7 (16:25):
I think you guys would be just yeah, I love
that and I.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Have the fun and you're being able to.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
Definitely well, I mean weddings, the wedding like photography part
to me would be that's where I'd get my anxiety,
Like how is that? What's it like?
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Is do you?
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Is it awkward?
Speaker 6 (16:40):
Is it fun and exciting? Or is it all of
those emotions?
Speaker 2 (16:42):
And you know on the wedding?
Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah, for you ads the photographer, is that your one
are your favorite things?
Speaker 7 (16:48):
I just I am very much an extroverted person and
I so this is kind of weird. It actually relates
into the social work a little bit. Is I love
working with people and I love connecting with people. I
love talking to them, I love getting to know their
and really just understanding how each of my clients is
so unique and different.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
From each other.
Speaker 7 (17:05):
And that goes into the photography too, right, Like that's
gonna play into how I take your photos, Like and
if I know you as a person or families, if
I know your family and what you guys love to
do together and we talk about that kind of stuff,
like that's gonna help me get photos that you guys
really feel resonate, you know, with who you are as people,
and so for wedding days, I just I thrive. I
you know, I think that there. I always say there's
(17:26):
two types of photographers in this world. Ones who won't
even come close to weddings and ones who just can't
stop shooting weddings, And I just I love it, and.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
I it's not awkward at all.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
No.
Speaker 7 (17:38):
I That's why I really stress having a zoom call
with my couple beforehand, and I'll really stress that they
also book their engagement session with me. They don't always,
which is fine, But when I'm able to work with
them ahead of time, ahead of the wedding day and
an engagement session, it allows me to really get to
know them in person, and then we work together, you know,
before the wedding day. So it just allows for a
(17:58):
more comfortable, you know, meeting on the wedding day. But
I just I'm very extroverted. So I show up on
the wedding day and I have to have your best friend.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
I think that would be awesome.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Yeah, Okay, I'm here, let's go, let's talk.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Let's touch on that, Like, what is one of the
craziest experiences you've ever had.
Speaker 7 (18:14):
Oh gosh, you know, I wish I had some crazy
stories for.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
You could make one up, we wouldn't know.
Speaker 7 (18:22):
I surprisingly I have not had any like wildly out
there stories for wedding days. There was one wedding I
photographed with a friend to one of the bridesmaids and
one of the groomsmen were swingers.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Okay about it? Sure, yeah, but get it out. Very
interesting experience works. You know, they're very out there, sure affectionate,
and they don't you had to go photo.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Okay, get that bad, right, But yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
It just was like the whole it was an interesting experience.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
So that is kind of cool. Nobody's like nobody's tripped
going like down the aisle or thing like, no major things, No,
that would be That was my next question. That was
my next question.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
They've all made us the aisle, They've all said, I do,
that's good. Nobody has trips, So, you know, off the
top of my head, I'm trying to think of like
the craziest thing that I've experienced.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
But you know, no, that's that's great. No, that's that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I mean it's amazing.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
I'm thankful to know that like I have not you know,
encountered anything wild.
Speaker 6 (19:26):
That's good, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Yeah, kind
of unevengeful in that sense.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Okay, So I know this is this works so important
to you and I love that and booking photographers.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
It's expensive, right.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
So can you talk a little bit about what goes
into it and why the price is so high or because.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
You know, you go to these weddings. Yeah, things, And
I mean we're not we're not at that face.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
Our kids are so young that we're not really talking
about wedding weddings for our children and you know, in
that right place. So we have a while, but it
seems to because more responsive and I think we all
have girls, right, And isn't it the girl the.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Yeah to pay?
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Yeah, so that's typically you know, who knows what it'll
be like in.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Society, has you know, gotten a little bit relaxed with.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
You know, and it's a big chunk of the wedding part.
So what goes into all this and why is it
so expensive?
Speaker 7 (20:28):
And that's such a good question because I think most
people they see you show up at the camera, you
take the photos, and like that's what they see.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
The hour if you.
Speaker 7 (20:37):
Know, photo shoot an hour that you spend with them,
or the wedding day, like the eight hours that you
spend with them. People don't see the behind the scenes work,
the stuff that I have to pay for, the hours
that I'm putting in behind the scenes. So I understand
photography is a huge investment, and we.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
As photographers, we understand that.
Speaker 7 (20:54):
We know that, we know that, like you guys are
paying a good amount of money for these photos. And
the thing about it is that at the end of
the day, it is an investment. And I really like,
first of all, I really like distress at the end.
You know, in fifty years, when you're talking with your kids,
your grandkids, you're you know, these what are you going
to show them in fifty sixty, seventy years.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Like you're going to have photos for them?
Speaker 7 (21:17):
And so I know it sounds cliche, and I know
it sounds cheesy, but it's so. And that's kind of
goes back to picking a photographer with like, you know,
certain styles or whatever. Is I am very much a
storyteller photographer. It's how I like to describe myself. And
so those images are really going to be telling those
stories in fifty years, like that's what you're having when
you're when you're you obviously can talk about it, but
(21:39):
showing the picture along with those stories is huge. And
then if we're getting down to us little logistics of it,
you know, there's a lot that goes into Like I
have a business, right, so anybody knows that starting a
business is takes money, takes work, takes time. You're going
to open a storefront, like people know that there's expenses
with that, right, So if you open a storefront, people
(21:59):
can see a physical building, they see things that you've
paid for. So with photography, like the things on the
back end that go into is you know, I've spent
a lot of I've spent money on education so that
I can come prepared and I and I'm experienced and
I can give you a good experience and good photos
and a good finished product. So I pay for education,
I pay for a lot of the behind the scenes
as so like my website, I have to pay for
(22:21):
the website that I used to deliver your photos. That
costs money. You know, all of my gear, my gear
is one of the most expensive parts about it. And
I'm you know, we're constantly upgrading it and or we're
buying new gear.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
We have to buy a card drives right, oh yeah.
Speaker 7 (22:36):
Right, so it's like needing new hard drives and your
new memory cards, needing new batteries, needing, so you're constantly
upgrading things.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
And yeah, so like you said, behind the scenes, the
amount of hours that is going into meeting these photos.
Speaker 7 (22:49):
And so that's kind of where I was going to
lead is like the next part is then it's the time.
So right time is money, and we know and the
hours that people don't see behind the scenes that it takes.
So I prepping so when it comes, let's just say
for a wedding, for example, so many inquires with me.
So I'm sitting down, I'm replying to that email. And
I usually take time when I reply with my emails
because I want that I have them tell me a
little bit about themselves in their infrey form, so when
(23:11):
I reply, I can kind of relay that back to
them that I've listened to what they've told me, that
I'm paying attention to that and I care about that.
So I'm you know, replying to emails and then you
know the next step is to plan a zoom call
and then we're having a zoom call and we're talking
about all the details of their day. And then I'm
going and I'm making sure that I have all of
that organized for each wedding. And then you know, there's
(23:31):
comes time to just like all that communication between for
the wedding and then I do their engagement session. That's time,
and then I'm editing those photos and then the wedding
day and then and then editing all of the photos
for the wedding, So the editing piece too, Like I
would say on a wedding day, I would spend probably
a typically about thirty to four hours for just one wow.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
So out there you go that right there, But find.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
You if we're interested in talking you because you travel
all over and I do want a cross country yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
So I've last year at photographed a wedding in Italy, which.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
All right, yeah you yes, So where can we get you?
So I'll travel anywhere and everywhere. You can find me
on Instagram, I'm birch Lane Photo. That's just b I
R c h L A I N E and the
P H O t O and then the same for
my website it's just birch Lanephoto dot com. So you
can find me at either of those places. If you're
(24:26):
interested in a session with me, you can acquire through
my contact page on my website. I usually get back
to all ngorees, you know, within like twenty four to
forty eight hours.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
So yeah, that's where you can find me. That's wonderful.
Love And I love the name. Yeah, I love that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 7 (24:40):
I think most photographers go with you know, a lot
of you see at photographs out there, it's a first
and middle name or first last name, and it's great.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
And I just didn't love that. For me, it was
like Taylor Nity Photography or and it's definitely yeah. Sorry,
I didn't go that route.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
And I we have a family place up in the
north Woods, and so that's where the Birch place came
from because its ties.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
In from that name.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
And then Lane is actually just to play off my
middle name. My middle name is Elaine, and so.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
I just I love that.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Yeah, Wilane Taylor.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
I'm talking about something that we all kind of do,
but we just don't know that much about we see,
and I appreciate you giving us more of an insight
into the behind the scenes for family photos, wedding photography
photos and you also do branding and lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Thanks so much, thank you.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Yes, this is the Madtown Mom Squad podcast, a production
of iHeart Radio. You're Every episode of Madtown Mom Squad
podcasts available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Music, or wherever
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