Reflections: The 2021 Rebrand
How I’m Growing My Business to Serve Mothers Better
I have some big news for you!
During the pandemic, I’ve been planning a rebrand of my business to make your future photo sessions with me even better. My business journey is all about walking alongside you on your motherhood journey. Read on to hear what exciting changes this rebrand has in store for you.
Welcome to Reflections
I share this blog with so much excitement. Like many of us, I’ve spent this last year reflecting on the things that really matter: my calling, love, my family and service. While my empty studio during the pandemic made me a little sad some days, I also spent a lot of time in there doing this reflective work for my business. It turns out that my business had some things it needed to whisper to me in the quiet of these moments.
As I spent time in my studio editing, praying, planning, listening for guidance and wisdom I heard this simple, clear message time and time again:
* I offer maternity, newborn and family milestone photography to fill your home with effortless family memories.
Yes. If you don’t already know me, I am deeply in love (and well-acquainted) with the journey of motherhood. I strive to help mothers feel treasured and cared for by offering them luxurious photography services.
Because of this:
* My photography services now include hair, makeup and wardrobe for mothers.
And I also believe that caring for mothers means saving them time and stress – which is why I’ve always included Image Reveal sessions to help you choose the photos for your albums and wall art.
* But now I also include photo installation in your package (so you don’t have to worry about making time to design and create a professional gallery wall)
“As soon as you meet Karen you feel so comfortable and welcomed into her studio. She makes the process of planning, booking, wardrobe super easy and stress-free! ”
What This Rebrand Means for You:
Let’s do a quick summary of how things will look starting July 2021!
What is Changing?
My Business Name: I have shortened my business name to Reflections to better reflect my mission for you: to save you time, and preserve your memories.
Full Family Wardrobe: I want your photography experience to feel luxurious from beginning to end. That’s why I’ve expanded my curated wardrobe collection to include apparel for the whole family (Dad just needs to bring his own neutral-coloured pants).
New Toys for the Studio: I’ve brought in some adorable new toys for your kids to play with in the studio (that also add a sweet, simple touch to baby and sibling photography)
Wrap-Around Services: Now included in your photography package is: hair and makeup for mom, wardrobe for the whole family, and professional photo installation by me!
Exciting Additions to My Product Line: I can’t wait to show you the new options you have for albums and frames! Larger album sizes are now available and new frame styles too!
What is Staying the Same?
The same timeless photos to cherish in your family forever
The same friendly service to make you feel comfortable in front of the camera
The same relaxing studio so you and your family to bask in the moment
Everything you know and love, just with even more ease, convenience and luxury for you to enjoy.
“Karen’s enthusiasm, patience, creativity and professionalism shone through the entire shoot. We were absolutely delighted. The entire experience was very relaxed and resulted in great natural shots – exactly what we wanted”
Why a Rebrand?
Growing a business is sometimes like raising a child.
For me, my journey through the stages of motherhood has taught me a lot about how to grow a business over the years. After all, motherhood, photography and business are all acts of creation.
Infancy:
Much like my children when they were babies, my young business needed to be nurtured and nourished. For both, there was a dependency on me in the beginning stages of business– my nourishment, my energy and my resources. I was on high-alert, waking in the night to every sound, eyes on the back of my head scoping out for any potential danger. Mama Bear was on the prowl and every protective instinct I had was there to keep my little saplings safe.
Childhood:
As time went on and my business (and children) grew, I started to notice that they both needed a village. Just as my children needed role models, teachers, youth leaders and friends, my business needed a network of support beyond me too. So, I began reaching out to other women in photography, or other women growing businesses. We all surrounded each other, and helped each other nourish our businesses.
Growing Up:
And as my children grew, so did some of the investments I had to make – paying for sports, art camps, field trips, car insurance and then college. But during that time, they also learned how to start earning some financial independence as well with their own skills. Similarly in my business, I enrolled in a business mentorship program, I invested in my studio space, a wardrobe collection, new equipment … the list goes on! These investments led to entirely new discoveries of how I could operate my business and serve mothers in extraordinary ways.
Letting Go:
And then, the hardest part of mothering anyone (or anything) – letting. go.
But wow, the messy beauty of it when you finally do release some of those parental attachments. You watch your babies become young adults. Yes, you do have to watch them make mistakes sometimes and learn things for themselves just like you had to. But oh, the wisdom they get out of this! They start teaching you things, and it’s incredible. They start forming thoughts, and developing impressive talents and blooming into a version of themselves you haven’t seen before. It’s strange and wonderful when this happens because it feels like you’re meeting your grown-up child for the first time, despite being right there their entire life.
My Business Today:
Now 15 years old, my photography business has evolved into its own entity, much like my children. Thanks to each stage of growth that came before it, this year, my business had some things to teach me.
When the lock-downs happened and I couldn’t operate my business the way I had been, I learned how to adapt to a global pandemic by making adjustments in my studio and taking photoshoots outside. When I absolutely couldn’t shoot at all during the most intense lock-downs, my daily work on my business led me back to the source – the two passions God gave me for starting a business in the first place:
The art of capturing motherhood and bringing more beauty into every family story
The deep desire to serve and care for mothers along their maternal journeys
My business has come into its own this year. It was like she wanted to dress herself, and told me the name she wanted to go by. She wanted to interrupt my plans with her own ambitious ideas. She wanted to remind me of what is most important in life and motherhood and photography.
Her name is Reflections:
And just like each of my children, I am so utterly in love with what my business has become and the people I get to serve through it.
She’s been with me for years and today it feels like I’m seeing her in a whole new light.
Why Reflections Photography
Helps every mom with The “Letting Go” Stage:
As a mother of four, I know that this “letting go” stage is the hardest, yet most important – and it doesn’t just happen once. I’ve needed to let go through every stage of each child’s development. From letting go of nursing them to letting them go off to college, photography can help you transition gracefully through every stage in your role as a mother.
When my clients come to capture each new family milestone at the Reflections studio, they can rest easy knowing that their memories have been preserved.
It’s a lot easier to let go of your kids and let them become the people they need to be when you aren’t worried about forgetting (what they looked like, acted like, sounded like and what it felt like to be in their presence).
“It is very difficult in this digital age to remind yourself to keep and print those photos that really matter...Because of [Karen’s work], we have beautiful prints and albums that will someday be given to our children.”
4 Easy Steps to a Relaxing Photo Session at Reflections:
I know how busy you are as a mother and how draining motherhood can feel some days.
So I want this rebrand to be a promise to you – that getting your family photography done at Reflections will:
Feel comfortable
Save you time
Provide you with professional photo heirlooms
“Her communication with me leading up to our session was always very informative and pleasant and she made every effort to help prepare me and my family for our shoot in every way; from offering us access to her studio wardrobe, to discussing our style and expectations for the type of photos and moments we were hoping to capture. ”
Here’s how I make you feel relaxed and cared for from beginning to end:
1) Easy Planning:
My goal during the planning process is to connect with you on a personal level and reduce the number of decisions you need to make (because the last thing you need is more decisions to make Mama!). I’ll get to know you so I can design a photoshoot experience that will suit the needs of you and your family. One of the biggest ways I can make the planning process easier is by providing your family’s wardrobe! I have an extensive collection of gorgeous apparel for all ages (Dads just have to wear neutral-coloured pants).
2) Luxury Care:
Every single mother deserves to be cared for and I make sure that’s how you feel when you work with me. I’ll send you a little self-care thank you gift when you sign up so you can relax the night before your photo session. On the day of your shoot, I’ll send a hairstylist and makeup artist to your house to get you ready so you feel beautiful and relaxed when it’s time for photos!
3) Comfortable Photo Sessions:
I’ve designed my natural light studio in Grimsby to be a calming oasis for you and your family. On one hand, it’s neutral colours and minimalist design helps keep a bright and airy look for your photos. But it’s also a safe and kid-friendly environment, with a collection of books and toys for your children to play with and enough space to move around freely. The last thing you need during a photo session is to worry about your kids, so you can rest easy knowing this is a welcoming space for them to be themselves. This makes for the best natural photos and candid shots!
4) Professional Photo Products:
After your photo session, we’ll connect again within a week for your Image Reveal session! During this time, we’ll look through all the final photos from your session and decide which ones you would like to print. I offer handcrafted (in Canada) heirloom photo albums, as well as professional wall art and frames. And now at Reflections, wall art and gallery wall installations are now included in your photography packages when you order framed prints.
Family photography shouldn’t add more stress to your plate. You’ve got enough on your mind Mama, let’s just focus on preserving your memories of this beautiful time in your family story.
When you work with Reflections, I do much more than take your photos – I’ll plan your session, provide luxury care, invite you into my natural light studio and provide you with expert photo installation.
“We recently had family photos done and we are ABSOLUTELY in love with them. The photos look like a scene from a dream. The whole experience from beginning to end was really great and so fun! So grateful to Karen and her wonderful wardrobe choices. Definitely helps alleviate the stress of finding matching outfits.”
Conclusion:
You deserve far more than a USB memory stick of digital files at the end of your photography session.
At Reflections you get:
Luxurious care
Memorable family moments together
A welcoming studio space
Someone to make you feel comfortable and beautiful in front of the camera
Someone to help you curate, design and install a collection of photos for your walls and albums
My new look at Reflections is my way of saying – I am here for you. You focus on the moment and I’ll preserve your precious memories so you have them forever.
Client Testimonial
The feeling of being so welcome into the studio was refreshing. Karen was very personable and made my wife and I feel comfortable by asking us what our expectations were for the photoshoot. By doing this we felt like we could really express ourselves. The studio environment was super clean and inviting. My wife was truly impressed by the extensive wardrobe choice and made her feel extra special. During the photoshoot Karen was very encouraging, seamlessly guiding us through each pose while somehow capturing candid moments. We both would one hundred percent recommend Karen for capturing your special family memories.
- Jesse Farr
Want to shop the studio wardrobe?
Hi there!
I’m Karen, a professional, trained photographer in the Niagara Region of Ontario, specializing in maternity, newborn, baby and family portraits. Hundreds of mamas just like you have come to Reflections to capture the stories of their family’s growth.
As a mama of four, I understand the busy-ness of everyday life. I’m here to help you slow down time, even just for a moment, to embrace the beauty of that busy, full life.
