I had the opportunity to interview Jillian Kirby of Jillian Kirby Photography recently and enjoyed getting to know why and how she became a maternity and baby photographer!
Tell me about yourself
“Well, I am a wife to an awesome football-crazy guy and a mom to two kiddos. I live only minutes from my studio in Langley and love doing what I do! I turned my hobby in to a profession after I quit my past career working in Psychology with Corrections Canada…. that’s right! I went from working in Psychology at prisons to baby photography. A bit of a leap!” (We’re so glad you did Jillian!)
Why did you chose photography?
“I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, I just didn’t know what that would look like for me. I didn’t have any award winning ideas that were going to solve the world’s problems but I did have a passion for photography! When I left Corrections to focus on my babies, it really gave me a bit of free time to learn and engage in my hobby again. I would take photos of my kids and their friends on playdates and then send the shots to the parents. Next thing I knew I was out in parks doing family photo-shoots every single weekend! My hubby finally put his foot down and made it clear that if I was going to be spending this much time away from my family, I’d better be bringing home some $$ to show for it!”
What is your favourite part of being a photographer?
“Oh that’s so easy. My favourite part is meeting all these gorgeous families. And then watching them grow and have more babies and expand from a loving, expecting couple to a family of 4, 6 and even 8 in some cases!!!”
What do your clients say when you’re finished working with them?
“Oh it’s music to my ears…. “That was easier than I thought.” And for my new mamas, when they say “This is the most relaxed I’ve been since the baby was born.” I live for those comments!”
How long have you been a photographer?
“I’ve been shooting since I was in high school but I’ve been a professional child & baby photographer for almost eight years now!”
Why should a mother invest in professional maternity and/or newborn photography?
“Because it’s a time in your life that is gone in an instant and so easy to forget. We’re so sleep deprived, and recovering and living in a blur and it’s such a short time in our life that sometimes, by the time it’s over, we remember very few details. That’s where I come in! I capture all those little details, and help you remember exactly what your belly looked like, exactly what the tiny curl on the back of her head looked like in a gorgeous and artistic way! Having these moments captured artistically will keep you coming back to look at the photos and treasure them for years to come!”
Come and meet Jillian Kirby at our upcoming Bump Social!
I’ve only just found this post and think it’s a fantastic idea. Only the other day my 6yr oldd son was putitng his apple (cut into quarters) back together. I never thought to actually take it further and make the apple into a more difficult puzzle. Guess what’s happening to his apple today! Thanks heaps for sharing.