An Interview With Kira Jeffrey | Charlotte, NC | Kira Jeffrey Photography
How long have you been a photographer?
I started taking photo classes in high school and fell in love with it. I went to college and graduated with a degree in photography in 2021. However, upon graduating, I realized that I had no idea how to turn my degree into a career. I took a break from photography to do random jobs such as part time bank telling and part time day care assistant until, a year and half after graduating, an opportunity fell into my lap to shadow a successful commercial photographer. I worked with her for about 4 years and learned a lot of how to “run” a photography business (besides just taking pretty photos). When I had my son in 2016, I started to branch out on my own and that is where the idea of Kira Jeffrey Photography came to be!
Why Bump to Baby Photography?
I’ve always felt that my passion in life outside of photography is for babies. When my little brother was born (I was three at the time) my obsession with babies was born too. I started trying to focus on capturing newborns and with that, maternity and milestone/cake smashes fell into place! I love capturing the journey of a couple or family before welcoming a new member as much as the fresh baby stage and as much as watching that baby grow their first year – it’s a special blessing I cannot even explain. It is such a miracle journey and I am so happy to be a part of it alongside my wonderful families!
What steps do you take to ensure the safety and comfort of newborns during your sessions?
Firstly, I have had training and education in order to learn the important safety lessons when it comes to handling newborns and posing them. It is SO important to be aware of what is safe and unsafe for a baby as far as posing for photos. A baby’s safety is top priority before ANY photo and if a pose cannot be completed safely, it will not be done.
There is also knowledge of how to read a baby. My sessions are baby led – this means that as much as I strive to capture certain poses or setups, I always follow baby’s lead and never force them into something if they do not seem comfortable. Digestion (gas bubbles), tight hips or joints and body proportions are all examples of situations that make certain poses less than ideal for the baby at that time.
Can you share any highlights or special moments from your experience as a photographer?
I think one of the best things that really hits me are the reviews and comments I get after a session. When I can tell someone spent the time to genuinely write something from the heart about how much my service and photos mean to them, it makes every stressful part of the job worth it. I feel so honored to capture such a special time in people’s lives and welcoming these new little beings into the world. Some of the things clients have expressed to me mean more than they know and I will never forget.
Are there any specific aspects of your service that you believe set your company apart from others?
Honestly ME! I think that everyone has a unique personality and professional expression and I just really love what I offer and how I connect with my clients. I think that selling myself as their trusted guide throughout this experience is one of the things that I do best. I really try to get to know my clients prior to a session to customize each session to that specific client instead of just having a set rule for every session. I absolutely LOVE making my clients happy in the end, it brings me so much joy when I get feedback that everyone enjoyed the experience and my reviews reflect that.
Do you have any exciting projects or collaborations in the works?
YES! I just started focusing on an educational branch of Kira Jeffrey Photography to help teach and guide other inspiring photographers to be successful at newborn photography like myself. I am planning on launching a new course this spring that will serve as a step by step guide to all of the secrets I have learned over the years along with tips and tricks so that anyone invested in learning the right way of doing things has the opportunity to do so with me as their coach along the way! I am so excited for this opportunity and I am really looking forward to what will come of this new endeavor. Stay tuned for more and if you’re interested, click one of the links below!
Can you walk any prospective clients through your booking process and timeline for booking?
I always recommend booking as soon as possible and my own maternity will impact my already limited spots!
For Maternity Sessions, I recommend booking around 28-32 weeks depending on each clients’ preference and comfort.
Newborn Sessions are scheduled usually around 10-20 days after birth. I like to ensure each family has time to settle in together to life at home and find a little balance with the newest addition before coming out for a newborn session. I don’t schedule newborn sessions until after baby has arrived Earthside. Therefore, I only take a certain amount of due dates during each time frame to allow a few options for each client when their baby arrives. As we all know, newborns are very unpredictable, but I am used to it all and always want to ensure each client is comfortable and happy every step of the way!
Once you decide you want to book, I have a detailed questionnaire to fill out which helps me get to know each client’s vision and preferences for the session to ensure we are on the same page for the outcome of the photos. I require a 25% retainer payment and signed contract to lock you in for a booking. Two weeks prior to a due date, if I haven’t heard from a client I will reach out and start communicating again to check in to see any updates on baby’s timeline and to remind them to reach out when baby arrives! The sooner that clients let me know baby has made their grand entrance, the more session date options I will have available for them to choose from. Once a date is picked, I share my session prep guide to help everyone prepare for the big day as best as possible and some tips to ensure baby is sleepy and ready for their close up!
Will your pregnancy affect your upcoming schedule? How can clients ensure they secure a spot?
Unfortunately, it will and it has! I will be taking my maternity leave for the month of April meaning that I will stop taking late March due dates and I will be taking VERY limited due dates for the end of April with the idea of slowly working my way back into the studio in May. I really only have space for 1-2 more babies in the next few weeks before I stop taking any more due dates. It has been SO hard to turn away past and new clients, but I know I will be thankful to have some downtime with my little one to welcome them into our family.
My May/June schedule will be very limited, so making sure you book ASAP will be key in make sure we can work together!
Finally, what is something that your followers might not know about you?
I have picked up sourdough in the past year and have loved getting back into baking and creating in the kitchen. My husband is a fantastic “chef” and prepares most of our meals (which I am so blessed for), but baking has always made him nervous. Now I’ve been making bread for our family for the past few months along with so many other things that sourdough can be used for (bagels, pies, cookies, pancakes, etc.) .
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