As a young mom, Angelica Sam wanted baby photos for her sweet little girl, but she was unable to afford a professional photographer. So instead, she bought a camera, started photographing, and never looked back.

Today, Angelica is a published photographer and educator hosting newborn and maternity workshops worldwide (including at our 2023 Online Newborn Retreat!) and she’s here to share her story and her top tips for getting those cute baby photos, even when those babies don’t want to sleep.

Angelica also explains how she gets creative and incorporates her clients props and ideas to make meaningful photos for her families, why she’s become more firm with her personal boundaries and prioritized her self-care, and how she’s found confidence in her business. And if you just can’t get enough from Angelica, she’ll be teaching at our 2023 Online Newborn Retreat as well, so be sure to look for her there!

What’s in this episode:

• [02:43] How Angelica got her start as a photographer and lessons she’s learned along the way, including how she build her confidence with newborns
• [05:24] The details of how Angelica runs her studio, from her client closet to the prep guide she sends to keep her sessions running smoothly
• [08:32] Angelica’s secret for keeping newborn sessions on track even when baby won’t sleep
• [11:39] How Angelica incorporates her clients ideas into her photography to create the most meaningful photos for her families
• [12:42] How the pandemic changed the way Angelica set boundaries around her personal time
• [16:21] Angelica’s new course on mindset and creating financial security in your business

Don’t miss this amazing conversation of how Angelica went from shooting her own baby photos to becoming a published photographer and educator!

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher

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Meet Angelica

Angelica is a first year of life photographer and educator.With practically a decade of experience in photography and entrepreneurship, she’s accomplished a thing or two in regards to building an experience that leaves you feeling comfortable, relaxed, and completely in love with all things session related, whether that’s through a newborn session or a 1-on-1 mentorship (lookin’ at you newborn photographers!) We’ll flourish if you’re on your third cup of sweet tea, travel is your love language, or you bust out in song when you eat! 😉

Connect with Angelica

Angelica’s website

Visit Angelica’s Instagram

Are you ready to hear another inspiring story from a newborn photographer? Check out this episode from Kristen Cook

Transcript

[00:00:00] Angelica Sam Again, I just go back to wrapping and capturing those natural poses. There’s babies do not have to be asleep to get a beautiful gallery and quite frankly, parents love it when their babies are awake. They love those facial expressions. I love to grab what we call the baby mug shot. So yeah, I am all about just continuing with my workflow, whether that baby is awake or sleep. 

[00:00:29] Lisa DiGeso Welcome to the Art and Soul Show, where we dive into heart opening chats on photography, business, life and that messy in-between. I’m your host, Lisa DiGeso, a mom, a photographer and entrepreneur. And I’ll be sharing honest conversations and advice for photographers with insight on mindset, entrepreneurship and creativity. The goal of this podcast is for you to be able to gain insights and strategies that will get you real results. Because, let’s face it, having a photography business can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. This is the place you can go when you need a boost of encouragement, a kick in the pants and inspiration to pick up your camera. This is the Art and Soul Show. 

[00:01:12] Lisa DiGeso Hello, my beautiful friends. Welcome back to the show. I’m super excited to dive into today’s conversation with Angelica Sam. She’s a published photographer and educator located in Houston, Texas. She specializes in newborn, maternity and family portraiture. She’s an ambassador for APNPI and has a passion for sharing her knowledge and safety practices among the newborn photography community. She hosts newborn and maternity workshops around the world. She appreciates the people she’s met, the stories told, the hours kept, and the capturing of some of life’s greatest milestones. She is an incredible human. She’s come and taught with us for the Milky Way a few times. And I just had the pleasure of getting to know her over the years. So welcome. Welcome, friend. 

[00:01:57] Angelica Sam Thank you. Thank you. Thank you guys so much for having me. It’s a pleasure working with Lisa every single time. 

[00:02:03] Lisa DiGeso So tell us who you are and what you’re passionate about. 

[00:02:05] Angelica Sam Oh, my gosh. So I am just a mama with a camera who decided to turn this into a business and just couldn’t imagine where it could have taken me. But yeah, I am a portrait photographer who specializes in newborn and maternity. I am a wife, like I said, Mama, all the things and I am a hot mess. Most mostly. 

[00:02:27] Lisa DiGeso Same friends. There ain’t no perfection going on here. 

[00:02:33] Angelica Sam We just make it work. 

[00:02:37] Lisa DiGeso Exactly. Now, can you share a little bit how you got your start as a photographer and maybe some lessons you may have learned along the way? 

[00:02:43] Angelica Sam Absolutely. So I actually got my start as a photographer by basically being a broke college student. I had my daughter pretty early at 20 years old, and so I was still in school. And I just wanted pictures that I saw babies and and moms with their kids that I just at the time could not afford. Me and my husband were just starting our lives together. And so it was just a time that financially it just was not feasible. So I went out and bought a Nikon entry level camera and I was just like, You know what? This is what’s going to have to work. At least I can capture these moments as they’re as they come up. And that turned into a year. And then I would just post them for friends and family. At that time, Facebook actually was just for college students. It was very funny that telling my age a little bit. 

[00:03:35] Lisa DiGeso So I’m like, what, 2007. 

[00:03:40] Angelica Sam But yeah, I would just post and then people would start asking, you know, Hey, can you take some pictures. And I was like, Sure. So yeah, basically started out as a hobby that turned into a successful business. And now I couldn’t imagine life without it. 

[00:03:56] Lisa DiGeso Yeah. Also Baby Snuggles. Yes. I’ve actually taken a year off of my photography, just pressing pause on my photography business and solely working on Milky Way this year. 

[00:04:07] Lisa DiGeso I miss babies so much. 

[00:04:11] Angelica Sam Yes, I can imagine. But I’m sure passion projects and all that is has been amazing too. 

[00:04:16] Lisa DiGeso Absolutely. It was so funny. We were out for dinner last night for my husband’s birthday and this family walked in with a baby and he’s just like, Can you stop craning your neck? Like. Just like you don’t. You can’t walk over and go see the baby. No. 

[00:04:29] Angelica Sam Don’t touch it. Don’t touch. 

[00:04:31] Lisa DiGeso It. 

[00:04:33] Angelica Sam Yes, I get the same thing all the time. No, stop looking. Look away. Let’s go. 

[00:04:39] Lisa DiGeso How long before you started to feel really confident in your newborn sessions? 

[00:04:43] Angelica Sam I would definitely say I. It took me about four years. I wish I could show some of my early work. It was definitely Mother’s love. I would just leave it at that because you love your baby. But yeah, I will say it definitely took me about four years to really get a consistent workflow where I was like, okay, I feel like I’m I’m going somewhere and I’ve got this new now. 

[00:05:08] Lisa DiGeso I know when we have our clients fill out the form and you realize that they are not this is not their first baby. They’ve got about a 14 month, 16 month toddler coming too. So do you have a trick to get those little toddlers to cooperate? 

[00:05:24] Angelica Sam So I always and when will let me say when clients book me. They did a questionnaire. And the questionnaire is going to ask them, like you said, about toddlers and family and parents and things like that. And so I kind of send them out of prep guide with like bring their favorite little snacks, their favorite little small toys. I have a little duster that I use specifically. No cleaning, just to kind of keep their attention. But I love the little puffs snacks. I will put that in their hand in a little second. I’ll sometimes put it on baby the top of baby’s head just to get a composite right quick, though, whatever needs to be done, they get the shot for mom and dad. 

[00:05:59] Lisa DiGeso I love that composite. I love that you mentioned composites because I think that’s so important. Yet, you know, and new photographers don’t always realize. 

[00:06:06] Angelica Sam That we’re not always putting a toddler right next to a newborn baby. You know. 

[00:06:11] Lisa DiGeso I’ve actually used a doll with a toddler before and then Photoshop the baby in after. 

[00:06:16] Angelica Sam Yeah, yeah. 100% have done that before. Teddy bears. Whatever I need, keep the baby safe. 

[00:06:23] Angelica Sam Yes. 

[00:06:25] Angelica Sam Sometimes those toddlers don’t like newborns too much, though. 

[00:06:28] Lisa DiGeso Oh, my gosh. I had one that bit his brother one time. 

[00:06:31] Lisa DiGeso Like. 

[00:06:33] Angelica Sam I don’t think I’ve ever had that, but I did have some one where I was like, he reached out, his hand back and was ready to smack the baby. 

[00:06:38] Lisa DiGeso Oh, no, he he bit the baby and he bit me. So it was just like. 

[00:06:45] Angelica Sam Oh, wow. Okay. 

[00:06:48] Angelica Sam Yep. Exactly. 

[00:06:50] Lisa DiGeso So do you supply items like a client closet or like. Like, what’s your process? 

[00:06:55] Angelica Sam Yes. So I do. I have a client cause it of over about 120 gowns for maternity. And whether it be accessories. I do provide jewelry. We have two make makeup artist on site. I have an array of newborn outfits and wraps all the things. We are a full service studio that basically we really like for our clients to just come in and enjoy the moment and we’re going to take care of everything. 

[00:07:18] Lisa DiGeso I love that it’s it’s such a peace of mind thing for clients when they know what to expect, too. And so they’re not because, you know, you often you’ll hear, okay, so I’ve booked my session, what do I have to go purchase now? And you’re like, Actually, nothing. Like just leave it to me. This is why you’re paying me so you don’t have to pay all that. 

[00:07:35] Angelica Sam Exactly. Exactly. And most of the time, they’re not going to wear that big poofy gown more than once or once. So does it make sense, though? Yeah. 

[00:07:44] Lisa DiGeso So do you have a favorite pose for your newborn sessions? 

[00:07:48] Angelica Sam Oh, my goodness. People ask me this all the time, and I really don’t have a favorite pose. I can say the most requested is typically going to be froggy and relax posing. I guess. I love the relaxed posing. I love to see just baby naturally laying there and capturing the little tiny features, whether that be the toes, the nose. So that would probably be my favorite. 

[00:08:10] Lisa DiGeso I love it. I think Chin on wrist is my favorite. 

[00:08:14] Angelica Sam Oh yeah. Like, I want to. 

[00:08:16] Lisa DiGeso Know why they just want, like. 

[00:08:18] Lisa DiGeso With baby. Just looks relaxed, that’s my jam. 

[00:08:21] Lisa DiGeso That’s my jam. So what is your go to workflow when a session starts to go sideways, like maybe it’s the baby or the dad or somebody. 

[00:08:31] Lisa DiGeso Look. 

[00:08:32] Angelica Sam Yes. We’ve had some dads. No, but typically I am a wrap girl. I have a full workflow for wrapping and different wrap techniques to make sure that I can still give a full gallery if a baby is a lot awake or super fussy. 

[00:08:47] Lisa DiGeso So how do you handle sessions when the baby refuses to sleep again? 

[00:08:51] Angelica Sam I just go back to wrapping whether that and capturing those natural poses. There’s babies do not have to be asleep to get a beautiful gallery. And quite frankly, parents love it when their babies are awake. They love those facial expressions. I love to grab what we call the baby mug shot. So yeah, I am all about just continuing with my workflow, whether that baby is awake or sleep. 

[00:09:15] Lisa DiGeso Like, honestly, if I could just have my entire business just being like, I love posed, but if I could do sessions of babies making funny faces like that is my jam. 

[00:09:24] Lisa DiGeso Like, yeah. 

[00:09:25] Lisa DiGeso I love them so. 

[00:09:26] Angelica Sam Much. Good. I do too. I do too. I just had a client who bought like six mug shots and she has them more. It’s so pretty how she has them displayed on her wall. 

[00:09:36] Lisa DiGeso I love it. I love it. So can you share your business model if you are all digital IPS or a hybrid and why you chose that route for yourself? 

[00:09:43] Angelica Sam So I am an ips hybrid model and basically that means I do do ips so I do sell in person. Number one thing that I always have to tell people is that I think ips, people think ips is so much work, but it really is literally just selling in person. No more, no more, no less than that. And so I do believe that also clients want their digital. I am a person that loves my digital, so I do not want to necessarily take them away. And so I love to incorporate the two models of giving digital while also selling products to decorate the walls of my client’s home. 

[00:10:24] Lisa DiGeso Now, how big would you say your average galleries are to. 

[00:10:27] Angelica Sam Typically, my gallery is about 35 to 40 images. 

[00:10:30] Lisa DiGeso Now, can you share a story maybe about one of your most memorable sessions? 

[00:10:36] Angelica Sam I’ve had so many memorables, I think probably the one maybe from this year. I had a mom who had a twin pass away. And so while it was heart wrenching, it was really beautiful. They had made a handmade seahorse. And so this seahorse was incorporated throughout their whole newborn session. And it was just really at the end that we did one with the twin, along with the the seahorse that they brought along. And there was a little sound. No one pressed it. And while it was laying there and I was taking the picture, the heartbeat went off in there. And it was just not a dry eye in the room. But it was it was a really amazing experience. And clients loved their images. So that was probably a very memorable session. 

[00:11:22] Lisa DiGeso I love that and I love that it sometimes we get ideas from clients. It it’s hard and you’re like, I’m not really sure how to incorporate this and how to create meaning. So what advice do you have for like instead of initially being like scared and no, I can’t do that till being like, okay, let’s make this work. 

[00:11:39] Angelica Sam Right. So again, our clients are paying us. So I am not one of the photographers that’s going to be like, No, you can’t use your personal items or No, you can’t bring this or that. They’re they’re paying me. So it’s my job to be creative. So whether that means now, will it necessarily have to go on your social media or your website and things like that? No. But will it be meaningful? Will it be beautiful for that family? Will they love you and probably be return clients and rave about you for years to come? 100%. So I definitely recommend finding some way to make it creative, whether that be having baby hold it, put it in a bowl, wrap, whatever the case may be, but I can guarantee your parents, the parents will love you for it. 

[00:12:20] Lisa DiGeso So with the pandemic that happened a few years ago, I know that we’re still all coming on the other side of everything that happened. I know that I may had to make some significant changes in my business, and it’s actually led me to taking a year sabbatical, not realizing how burnt out I actually was. Have you noticed that you’ve made any significant changes, post-pandemic or any mindset shifts that you’ve had since that time? 

[00:12:42] Angelica Sam Yes, 100%. I definitely feel you on the photographer burnout. Definitely. I think I had really slacked on just self-care and taking care of Angelica. And so one of the things that I did was I got really serious about having my time off and having a strict schedule for work and for time for me and for my family. So I definitely shifted my time, work time, so I’m off on Sunday Mondays, strictly edit on Tuesdays and I work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and Saturday is every other Saturday. And that’s only because I just needed yeah, I needed that time to kind of decompress. And I think clients and just people in general think we just work all the time. We don’t have freedom. I saw a little meme that basically said, you know, she saw me at the movie and she was like, hey, where are my pictures? And I was like, wait a minute, we still need free time too. Hold on. So, yes. 

[00:13:40] Lisa DiGeso It’s so true. It’s so true. Because I remember, like, maybe times were like, we go out for dinner, my husband and I, and I’d see clients and I’m like, I owe them a photo. 

[00:13:51] Angelica Sam Looking away. 

[00:13:52] Lisa DiGeso Like, and I’m just like, No, I need to live my life to like I’m allowed to not be a photo machine. 

[00:13:58] Angelica Sam Yes, exactly. Yeah. Long as you’re within your timeframe, like go enjoy the movie, have a snack, drink, some wine, whatever. 

[00:14:06] Lisa DiGeso And I think what I love, too, is when you mentioned your schedule there, you’re actually scheduling in your editing time beforehand. Yes. Whereas I think a lot of photographers, we that’s something that we have to learn along the way, is that when you book that client, you have to remember that it’s going to cost you other time. 

[00:14:21] Angelica Sam Right. 

[00:14:22] Lisa DiGeso And you’ve got to figure out some place in your schedule that you’re going to put it. Otherwise you’re hooped, right? 

[00:14:26] Angelica Sam Or you’re editing at all times of the night and you’re just. 

[00:14:30] Lisa DiGeso Not fun and not pulling out your probably best quality work too. You’re just trying to get it done. And like, I’ve been there and. 

[00:14:39] Angelica Sam You live and you learn. That’s why. 

[00:14:41] Lisa DiGeso That’s seriously, right? 

[00:14:44] Angelica Sam Yes. 

[00:14:45] Lisa DiGeso So are you ready for our lightning round? 

[00:14:47] Angelica Sam Yeah. Let’s go for it. 

[00:14:49] Lisa DiGeso Okay. coffee or tea. 

[00:14:51] Angelica Sam Tea. 

[00:14:52] Lisa DiGeso Most luxurious vacation you’ve ever been on. 

[00:14:54] Angelica Sam Oh, I love Jamaica. 

[00:14:56] Lisa DiGeso Me, too. 

[00:14:57] Angelica Sam Love, love, love. Jamaica. Yeah. 

[00:14:59] Lisa DiGeso Where’d you stay there? 

[00:15:01] Angelica Sam So we actually so we’ve been about twice now. And so the first time we stayed, actually, was my honeymoon. So we did a cruise and we stayed in Jamaica. And then the second time, I can’t remember the name of the resort. 

[00:15:13] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, I think we went to like principesa or princess or something. Something princess or something, but we had an amazing time. It was so good. I love Jamaica, too. What was your favorite TV show as a kid? 

[00:15:23] Angelica Sam The Proud Family. Oh, my God. I love that cartoon. 

[00:15:28] Lisa DiGeso I don’t remember it. 

[00:15:30] Angelica Sam Okay. 

[00:15:31] Lisa DiGeso I mean, I don’t know. Yeah. 

[00:15:35] Angelica Sam We’re going to blame it on that. We’re going to blame it on. 

[00:15:38] Angelica Sam That. 

[00:15:40] Lisa DiGeso Last thing you did to yourself as an indulgence. 

[00:15:43] Angelica Sam Massage with my girlfriends. We had a good time. 

[00:15:47] Lisa DiGeso Morning person or night owl? 

[00:15:49] Angelica Sam Definitely a night owl. Do not wake me up in the morning. I hate it. 

[00:15:54] Lisa DiGeso I keep trying to be a morning person so bad because I’m like I read like five like the 5 a.m. club. I’m like, I’m like the 715 club. Like, yeah. 

[00:16:04] Angelica Sam Yeah. Like, yes. 

[00:16:05] Lisa DiGeso I can’t get up any earlier than that. 

[00:16:07] Angelica Sam It it’s only because I have to take my kids to school at about 6 a.m.. But I’m not happy about it. 

[00:16:15] Lisa DiGeso Go to karaoke jam. 

[00:16:17] Angelica Sam Probably this is too funny, but I’ll Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey. 

[00:16:21] Lisa DiGeso Yeah. Nice one. Do you have any personal projects going on right now? And what is it if you do so? 

[00:16:28] Angelica Sam Right now I am trying to close out a new course that I have coming out, which is called the refresh. And so it’s just refreshing in your business and just like this particular course is talking about mindset and financially making sure we have as photographers are also saving for retirement and health care, just all kinds of stuff that we don’t necessarily talk about. So that’s what I’m working on right now. 

[00:16:54] Lisa DiGeso I love that. Will make sure that we definitely put that in the show notes for you too. So what is something that you’ve accomplished as an adult that your younger self would be proud of? 

[00:17:03] Angelica Sam Probably owning a successful business and just being a being a mama. Because when I was a kid, I said, you know, I don’t want any kids. And so I look back now and I couldn’t imagine life without them. All right. 

[00:17:18] Lisa DiGeso I love that. Where do you feel the most centered and happy? 

[00:17:23] Angelica Sam Oh, my gosh. At home I am a couch potato. I just love to be in my own space and my own peace and quiet. So, yeah, definitely at home. 

[00:17:34] Lisa DiGeso I love that. It’s so funny. I was joking with my husband. He’s like every day he’s like he’s like, I hate wearing pants because it like it’s winter where we are right now and he can’t wear shorts. So every day he’s like, I can’t wait to get home and take off my pants. Yeah, we’re middle age now, huh? 

[00:17:49] Angelica Sam Yeah. 

[00:17:50] Angelica Sam Because what we like to do. 

[00:17:53] Lisa DiGeso It’s so funny. What’s your favorite comfort food? 

[00:17:57] Angelica Sam Pizza. I love pizza. 

[00:18:00] Lisa DiGeso What are you most grateful for in this season of life? 

[00:18:03] Angelica Sam I’m probably grateful for family and friendship. This has probably been one of the toughest years of my life. I lost my mom last Christmas Eve. And so this has definitely been a tough time, but they’ve really been showing up for me and just keeping me going this season. So I’m grateful for them. 

[00:18:22] Lisa DiGeso I’m so sorry for your loss and thank you for giving you the biggest hug. 

[00:18:26] Angelica Sam Thank you. Thank you. 

[00:18:27] Lisa DiGeso When do you feel most authentically yourself? 

[00:18:30] Angelica Sam Probably when I’m in or when I am shooting and when I’m teaching, when I’m in my element. I absolutely love what I do. So when I’m shooting, I’m capturing memories for other families. And when I’m teaching, I love seeing my mentees in those aha moments. That’s how I feel myself. 

[00:18:48] Lisa DiGeso So what is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given? 

[00:18:53] Angelica Sam Stop buying all the things and invest in your education. That’s the. That’s it. Stop buying all the things. I won’t say that I stopped buying all the things, but I did invest. 

[00:19:04] Lisa DiGeso I know. Quite seriously. You don’t need to have that full caddy and all the colors. Just learn how to change the color. 

[00:19:12] Angelica Sam That’s it. That’s it. That’s it. Invest in your craft. 

[00:19:16] Lisa DiGeso Yeah. Where can our listeners learn more from you? 

[00:19:19] Angelica Sam I have workshops all set up for 2023, all over the U.S. And so you can check out my social media and my website to find out more about that. Yeah, that’s where you can find all education things for me. 

[00:19:36] Lisa DiGeso Okay. 

[00:19:37] Lisa DiGeso Love it. And you’re actually coming back to teach for the online newborn retreat. So can you share what you’re going to be teaching? 

[00:19:44] Angelica Sam I am going to be teaching all about workflow and staying consistent. When you have a newborn session, it doesn’t matter whether baby’s fussy, wide awake, sleepy. I’m going to show you how you can get a pretty consistent workflow so that you can provide a consistent gallery for your clients. 

[00:20:02] Lisa DiGeso So I love to end my interviews just with this last question, and it is what are you currently curious about or artistically curious about? 

[00:20:12] Angelica Sam That’s a hard one. So I think right now I am just really appreciating and learning more lighting techniques. So that’s what I’m doing right now. I’m looking at gels and LEDs and just playing with that. So I’m really enjoying that right now. 

[00:20:28] Lisa DiGeso I love that. I think it’s so important that we remember to infuse play time. 

[00:20:33] Angelica Sam And just be creative. 

[00:20:34] Lisa DiGeso Yeah. Yeah, right. I love it. Well, Angelica, thank you so much for joining me today. 

[00:20:39] Angelica Sam Absolutely. It’s my pleasure. 

[00:20:41] Lisa DiGeso Oh, my beautiful friends. I hope you loved this conversation just as much as I did. I am sending you so much of my light and my love today and every single day. We’ll see you next time.