Motherhood is a tender time. From pregnancy to birth to infancy and family life, Lily Johnson of Burgh Babies creates a safe and nurturing environment for mothers to have their journey lovingly documented. She recently had a conversation with host Nikki Closser on The Portrait System Podcast about how she transitioned from a corporate job into being a birth doula and how her photography career grew from there. 

Johnson gained early experience in the photography industry while still in high school with an internship as a second shooter for weddings. In college, she remained active in photography as a hobby. After college, Johnson worked many jobs before deciding to leave a corporate position to start her own business. Her next step was to be a birth doula before beginning to offer birth photography. From there, her business organically branched into serving other areas of motherhood, starting with maternity and motherhood. 

As a birth doula, Johnson has to be on call and be ready when her clients are. It is an intense and emotional atmosphere, where a photographer has to be in the moment and prepared for anything – including low-light shooting and medical emergencies. Johnson’s experience in the birthing room gives her special insight into motherhood. She says that even when a client first comes to her with a newborn, and not as a doula client, she often finds herself hearing the mother’s birth stories and helping her process that intense experience often for the first time. 

[Read: Boudoir and Motherhood: Photographing Feminine Power]

Johnson says, “The service experience feels like a big hug, and you leave feeling really connected to us. It ends up being a huge gift to be in vulnerable spaces with people.” 

Particularly for women who are postpartum and coming in with newborns, Johnson keeps her studio stocked with everything a new mother might need, including newborn diapers and a changing table. The level of care she provides ensures that most of her clients come to her through word of mouth and referrals.  

To learn more about Lily Johsons’s motherhood portraits, visit Burgh Babies. You can also see more of her work on Instagram.  

The Portrait System Podcast helps portrait photographers navigate the world of photography, business, money, and much more. Hosted by Nikki Closser, the podcast is powered by The Portrait System, a comprehensive, online educational platform that teaches all aspects of running a successful portrait photography studio. If you’d like to be a guest on The Portrait System Podcast, send them a voice message. 

Get More Clients: Effective Marketing for Photographers

The Newborn Series

Newborn and Maternity Lifestyle Photography by Elena Blair

Artistic Lighting for Maternity Portraiture – by Lola Melani

The Art of Draping Bundle