Life & Work with Haley Bergsgaard of Longmont

Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Bergsgaard.

Haley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always loved photography since I was a kid. I remember finding this photo of my Grandma and Grandpa. They were just lying on the couch; it was probably a normal Sunday afternoon and his head was in her lap. It was black and white and in a frame. Something about that simple, normal but so special moment captured forever in a small silver frame changed what I found “photo worthy” forever. I went to college for Psychology in Nebraska, moved to Colorado and got pregnant soon after. My oldest son Phoenix again changed me and brought photography back into my world. Suddenly my life had so many normal and special moments that needed capturing. I taught myself how to shoot manually on our old Cannon that had been sitting around. I don’t think a day has gone by since his birth that I haven’t taken photos. My photo career began as a mommy influencer on Instagram. I started growing an audience quickly with photos of my family and little house in the mountains. Just as quickly, I realized that this was not what I wanted to do with my time or with my kids. I decided to halt the influencing all together and start down my own photography path. I started with photographing families and then births. I had a few gigs each month but it wasn’t enough. I needed more income now that I was a mother of two and a third on the way.

I started working for a local baby carrier company doing their social media and one off photoshoots. I learned a ton about what it takes for a company to create a beautiful visual across all social media platforms. I grew their Instagram from 50k to 100k followers and their Pinterest from 600k monthly views to 4 million, I was proud of my work and I felt like I was making a positive difference in the world and specifically for mothers. I was giving a company I believed in a stage. I worked actively to diversify our models and influencers and have a more accurate representation of mothers. I was passionate about what we were doing. Then George Floyd happened. This was a turning point for me. Long story short I had strong feeling about stating that we, as a company were anti-racist and move forward with a clear stance on our beliefs. I assumed the company I was working for felt the same as I did and wanted equality but I was wrong. We did not agree. I quit. Since that day I decided to build for myself that I had built for them. I began collecting what I needed for my home studio and putting the word out. Then the pandemic hit and it really created this beautiful opportunity for me. I began offering companies product photography by mail.

One of my first clients was Mandara CBD. They mailed me their products and I delivered them an online gallery. They used my photos for their Forbes feature and the rest is history. Today I work with brands from all over the country. I’ve taken over half our house with boxes of products and props. Every day I make art for brands that I believe in and that want the same world I do. In my own way I use my talents to elevate companies who are changing the world from my own living room. I’ve always believed that I can have it all; the kids, the family, the career. I refuse to compromise on that. It’s always been important to me to be home with my kids, but I also have this thing inside me that would never leave me alone. This thing I had to create. My husband and I are homeschooling our three kids and running businesses from our home. Phoenix is six, Liberty is four, and Sky is one. Our life is as chaotic as it gets, but it’s beautiful and I wouldn’t change a thing.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing in life is smooth, at least not for long. There have been tons of ups and downs and unexpected life events but it all lead me to this and I’m grateful for that.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love making photography art for brands. I pride myself on being able to match any aesthetic. If you want clean and bright, I can do that. Editorial? I got you. Realistic? Done. Artistic? My favorite. If you don’t know what you want I can help you there too. I love giving brands their “look.” I think we all are here to make the world a more beautiful place. I work with brands who have a mission to make their corner of the world better, I help them look their best while they accomplish that mission.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Never let a crisis go to waste, pivot, pivot, and pivot again. Safety and security are illusions. The world can change overnight so do the thing that sets your heart on fire.

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@haleysphotography.co
• Website: haleysphotography.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haleysstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haleybsphotography
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/haleybergsgaard/_created/

Suggest a Story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.