Hidden Gems: Meet Haley Thompson of Haley Thompson Photography

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

Hi Haley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I opened my photography business in 2020. With covid-19 becoming increasingly more serious, I didn’t have any major goals in mind outside of loving photography & wanting a hobby. My amazing husband is really who pushed me to want more from myself & my business. In the past few years, I have worked toward the goal of being a full-time small business owner.

In 2022, I decided to leave my job in the medical field & officially become a full-time photographer. The decision was not easy & there is so much more to owning a small photography business than just “taking pictures”. I truly feel like I am growing & learning every single day, but I couldn’t be more thankful for the love & support I have from my family & my clients.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been challenging. Photography is an oversaturated field & without having a way to set yourself apart, it can be extremely difficult to gain clientele. There is a rather complicated grey area at the beginning of this business that I find is not talked about enough & was a major issue when I first started my business. As a beginner, when educating yourself, you’re told to get as much practice in as possible, but don’t shoot for free. You’re also told, you have to have a specific niche. The reality behind this advice is conflicting.

I believe it’s a huge part of the struggles I faced in the beginning. While I wanted to accept every session opportunity to gain experience, by doing this I feel like my work looked inconsistent, which decreased how valuable my business looked to people who were looking for someone who specialized in specific types of photography. When I decided to take this position full-time, I knew as much as I love families, babies, maternity sessions, etc. I wanted to capture couples in love on one of the most important days of their lives.

Wedding photography & couples are where my heart is. It has been a journey of finally discovering my niche & building my brand around weddings. I still have major goals for the growth I’d like to see within my business & as a photographer so the struggles aren’t quite over yet, but I am loving the challenge because, without it, I wouldn’t have the reward to look forward to.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Haley Thompson Photography LLC?
I specialize in wedding & couples photography. My brand is unique in the way that I have chosen my style of editing. Several styles are becoming increasingly more common such as; light & airy, moody, vintage/film style, etc. I fell in love with enhancing my images & bringing them to life.

I prefer to bolden my colors & showcase my coupes rather than the images themselves. I want my clients to stand out when capturing their forever moments. I want their photos to be authentic & artistic, capturing their love in all of its realness. This year, I decided to advertise that I not only base my business in Arkansas but I am willing to travel all over the United States & beyond to capture my client’s weddings in the places they love!

Any big plans?
My biggest goals are to continue to travel. Arkansas is such a beautiful state & there is so much of it that I haven’t seen, but I would love to widen my clientele in all areas of the world.

Pricing:

• The Essentials -5 hours of coverage -engagement session -High resolution edited images + customized digital album with all printing rights included 1 $1,390.00 + tax & travel fees may apply
• The Perfectionist -8 hours of coverage -engagement session -High resolution edited images + customized digital album with all printing rights included $1,990.00 + tax & travel fees may apply
• The Big Day – 10 hours of coverage -engagement session -High resolution edited images + customized digital album with all printing rights included 1 $2,390.00
• The Ultimate -10 hours of coverage -engagement session -bridal session -High resolution edited images + customized digital album with all printing rights included $2,990.00 + tax & travel fees may apply

Contact Info:

• Website: https://haleythompsonphotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haleythompsonphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haleythompsonphotography 

Image Credits
Aaron & Kate by Haley Thompson Photography