Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Weiderhold.
Hi Abby, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Photography has been my absolute favorite hobby since I was a little kid. What started with disposable cameras turned into digital cameras, which turned into me finding my passion for photography in high school when I enrolled IB film photography. As a Junior, I was awarded “Best in Show” at the end-of-year art festival, an award typically reserved for Seniors. That did not help me make friends but did help me realize that maybe I had talent, lol.
Fast forward to 2022, my husband and I had been married for 6 years and I was a stay-at-home mom to our 3 young kids. After spending over $500 for a family photo session, which was a huge financial investment as a single-income family, I had an idea to re-learn everything “photography,” and learn from the ground-up how to use a mirrorless camera and utilize digital editing — two things I had never done before. My goal was to be able to start a business and offer family photography at a more financially accessible price point, for families like ours who want the photos, who want the memories, without having to make a large sacrifice.
I spent hours watching videos on Youtube, camera in-hand, learning my camera and how the settings work together to produce different results. I started asking friends if I could meet them at local parks so I could take some pictures of their families free-of-charge. Each time, I implemented what I had learned online to shoot fully manually. Having full control of exposure is something I really learned and appreciated with film photography, and was something I felt strongly about continuing. This hands-on, real-life practice helped me understand different lighting, and learn positioning with the sun/sunset/shadowing. (Nobody likes pictures where everyone is squinting.)
Before long, I was getting paid for sessions, and that business stayed pretty steady (or what I consider steady as someone who does photography part-time). After my first year, almost all of the families I had photographed were now repeat clients.
My session offerings evolved from outdoor family sessions to include Maternity, Fresh 48, Newborn Lifestyle (these happen in the comfort of a client’s home and are super low-stress. A fun way to really document families in their current stage of life, in a space they love that is meaningful), as well as Headshot Sessions.
Every March-May, I offer Motherhood Mini Sessions to give moms the opportunity to actually be in the pictures (IYKYK).
Before every Christmas holiday, I offer Holiday Mini Sessions. This past year, if my clients brought canned food items, they received a discount on their session cost and I donated all items to a local food pantry. Because my end-goal is never just about me.
In 2025, I completed 39 sessions. 17 were for repeat clients. I shot a client appreciation event and 2 corporate headshot sessions. So far in 2026, I’ve branched out into Branding Sessions which have become one of my favorite things to do. *But* I will never tire of Newborn Lifestyle Sessions!
For me, my business priorities do not revolve around making money. My biggest goal year after year is giving families and business professionals positive, fun experiences with a product they will love. When I set my annual goals, I think about it in terms of “how many people can I help this year?”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall, it has felt pretty smooth. I have had setbacks and challenges, but I look at everything as a learning experience. I try not to make the same mistake twice and am someone who appreciates growth and the process of “getting there.”
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a photographer that got my start (and still primarily do) family photography. This year I have branched out into more business photography (headshots and branding sessions). I am known for having reasonable prices but still delivering great images, and for taking time to get to know my clients and their kids. Something I hear a lot is “you made me feel so comfortable.”
I send every photography client a questionnaire before their session. I want to know what my clients’ kids are interested in and what’s going to get them to really smile. I’m going to want to ask them what their favorite episode of Bluey is. If you are a family that likes fart jokes, I will have some on-hand. If you have inside jokes, I’ll ask you to share some during your session.
When families are enjoying their session and don’t feel stiff and posed (though I do give light posing suggestions but start with “do what feels comfortable/natural for you and I’ll make some small tweaks”).
Similarly with Branding Sessions, my client will receive a questionnaire so I fully understand their business and their vibe and can brainstorm poses, details, and anticipate prop needs before our session.
For me, it’s about capturing people authentically.
While I do offer Mini Sessions with specific setups throughout the year (Motherhood Minis, Easter Chick Minis, Fall Minis, Holiday Minis), will *always* offer a client Mini Session pricing. If a full family session is not in your budget, I am happy to do a mini session at any time during the year.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I like the diversity of my city. I love the beautiful parks and all of the different people I meet. Off the top of my head, I can’t really think of things I dislike (and if I have to think about it, it’s probably not that big of a deal in my book lol). I know if you asked my husband, he would say he’d love a big sports stadium/park like he was used to at home in Philly!
Pricing:
- Maternity: $250
- Newborn Lifestyle: $300
- Family: $300
- Branding: $800+
- Mini Family Session: $200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://abbylianephotography.mypixieset.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbylianephoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbylianephoto/
