Food Photography for a Mom Returning to Work

Being a mom of seven kids—all homeschool age—doesn’t leave much time for…anything.  You’re too busy keeping life moving forward from sun up until sundown to find time to breathe. But when your husband is unhappy in his career, and you need a new source of income, you find a way. You become a mom returning to work and pray it works out. Thankfully, it worked out better than Amber could have ever imagined! 

Amber found Pretty Focused when she needed it most. Not only has it provided the income her family desperately needed, but it has also helped them grow closer together than ever before. A career in food photography can help a mom return to work on her own schedule, which is the absolute best way to keep family the priority while putting food (delicious photographable food) on the table!  

Keep reading for Amber’s story!

Amber’s Story: From Stay-at-Home Mom of 7 to Food Photographer and Bread Winner

Amber’s story starts as a mom of seven balancing homeschooling, life, and a husband looking for the right career for him and his family. Then came Pretty Focused.

• Amber was a happy stay-at-home mom who was not interested in returning to work or launching a career. However, her husband was deeply unhappy at his job, and the family still needed to earn a living.
• That’s when Amber found Pretty Focused—a chance to use her photography skills to bring in income for her family and help her husband take a break.
• She immediately fell in love with food photography and found success within hours of graduating.
• Now, she’s a mom returning to work, doing something she loves, and getting her entire family involved. It’s a dream come true!

Watch Amber’s Pretty Focused review now. Find more reviews here!

02:50 What were you doing before you joined Pretty Focused?
04:32 How did you find out about Pretty Focused?
08:58 So how is your life different today than it was last year?
11:40 How does your family get involved with the work you do?
13:33 How did Pretty Focused help you learn photography?
18:38 When did you graduate and how quickly did you connect with clients?
22:52 How many clients are you working with now?
26:04 What has Pretty Focused done for YOU?
33:40 What advice do you have for anyone considering joining Pretty Focused?
34:55 How do you describe Pretty Focused to people?

A Busy Family of Nine Looking for Home/Work Balance

Amber was a busy stay-at-home mom of seven children. She homeschooled and did all the incredible things that moms do worldwide. They were getting along fine as a family, except for the fact that her husband was unhappy in his career.

He was a successful firefighter, but that took him away from home more than he wanted, and his heart wasn’t in it. He tried a few more jobs, but though he always gave it his all, the jobs didn’t fit him or his family. So that’s when Amber came up with a radical idea: completely take some time off from work. 

She asked her husband, “Why don’t we just take a break from it all? Let’s just go to the beach, get some fresh air, take a step back, and pray about it.” So, that’s what they did. And that’s when Amber discovered Pretty Focused. 

Discovering Pretty Focused and Taking a Leap of Faith

Although Amber was already very busy, she felt like she could become a mom returning to work, and earn income for the family. She wanted to use her talent with photography to make it happen. So when an ad for Pretty Focused appeared on social media, she immediately joined The Roadmap.

For 48 hours, Amber went through the free training program, watching graduate interviews and checking out the community. When Angelina’s interview came up, in which she talked about paying for her college tuition after Pretty Focused, Amber was more than intrigued. “I was like, ‘There’s no way!’” But the more she thought about it, the more she realized, “Okay, this could be the answer I’ve been looking for, something that my family can all do together.”

Amber talked to her husband with “tears in [her] eyes” and said, “Do you realize that we could potentially be getting paid to make dinner for our family?” He was 100% behind her. That was all she needed. So, even though it was a “big investment,” Amber signed up immediately.   

A Mom Returning to Work for Her Family 

Her first goal with Pretty Focused was to help make ends meet. “We’ve got seven little ones; we’ve got to do something.” So, everything Amber did while going through the Pretty Focusd curriculum was focused on the future and what it could be for her and her family. It meant taking a little bit longer to craft a portfolio filled with recipes she could sell, as well as doubling her work by taking the Exclusives Masterclass at the same time. But it’s been worth it.

“I’ll tell you what, that leap of faith has been everything. I mean, our lives look totally different from what they were a year ago. Pretty Focused was truly the right path. I’m just in awe as I sit here today, thinking back to last May when I joined Pretty Focused. I’m just like, ‘Wow!’”

Embracing the Incredible Opportunities Found in Food Photography

Since joining and graduating from Pretty Focused, Amber and her family have had more freedom than ever. Her husband can be home with her and the kids. Amber has met incredible people and has had some “amazing opportunities since graduation.” 

“As soon as I was announced in the Buyers Club, I had a recipe sell pretty much immediately, within a couple of hours (if that).” It was a dream come true, and things have continued to go well. When she emailed her first significant client her pictures, the client replied, “You blew this session out of the water. This is everything I needed.” And Amber’s “chills” haven’t stopped since.

Advice From a Mom Returning to Work After Pretty Focused

So, what has Amber learned as a mom returning to work with the help of Pretty Focused? Quite a bit! 

Get Your Family Involved

For Amber, life since graduating from Pretty Focused is more about family connection, not less. Her entire family is involved in food photography. “They love to help anytime, and we do so much learning in the kitchen.” 

When Amber takes photos, she’ll have her kids press the buttons on the camera to help “nail the focus.” They also help out “so much in the kitchen.” Whether the kids are washing dishes or even helping to style plates for sessions, they are all involved. “I love having them as helpers. Each has taken a picture for me—well, maybe not the two or one-year-old.”

But the key is realizing that Pretty Focused and food photography opens up so much freedom. Not only can you work when and how you want, but you can involve as many people as you want. All that matters is the result, not punching in a clock.

And Amber isn’t alone in doing home school alongside food photography. Check out Lindsay’s testimonial, too!

Recognize that Food Photography is its own Unique Field

“Food photography is so different than just people photography, landscapes, or chasing your kids around.” It is a unique field of study, so even if you’ve taken other photography courses in the past, you’ll learn something new with Pretty Focused. And that was the case for Amber.

Though she had “formal training on manual mode,” that didn’t mean she understood all the unique features of food photography. “I learned a lot as far as that is concerned: camera settings, styling for food, the triangle, the ‘thirds’…” all specifically translated for food. The concepts may be the same, but things need to change when food is your subject.

“The thing that I learned that really truly opened my eyes through Pretty Focused was learning white balance; as simple as that is, it was a game-changer.” 

Take Your Time to Graduate: There’s No Rush

So many students head into Pretty Focused thinking that they need to graduate as soon as possible, but it’s okay to take your time, especially if you have a goal. That’s what Amber did. As a mom returning to work, she took her time, particularly when it came to her photography portfolio. She wanted to ensure all of her recipes were exclusives because it made the most sense for a return on her investment. And it made a big difference.

“We took time to develop exclusives, so I was able to sell most of my portfolio recipes. To see that come back right away was incredible.” And it made it well worth the extra time spent because it translated to dollars in her pocket, and that was her main goal.

Learn how to launch your own career in food photography!

Look for Opportunities in Unexpected Places

While the Buyer’s Club is a wonderful place to find clients and gain work, it’s not the only place to find new clients. In fact, you might have a potential client in your very backyard and not know it. Amber found a “really cool opportunity just by looking through my emails.” She realized her homeschool group put together a monthly magazine, and she could participate through food photography.

So, Amber reached out to the creator and asked if “she would be interested in anything that I do.” And from that email, she ended up scheduling a session, which will be featured in her magazine later this year. Best yet, “the magazine wants repeat work!” 

Opportunities can be anywhere and everywhere. You just have to be open to the possibilities.

Embrace Change for the Better

“I would be really concerned if we were sitting here today, looking back on the last year, and nothing really changed for us. Instead, I’m so thankful for everything. Things are happening for us, and it’s beautiful.”

It wasn’t easy for Amber to become a mom returning to work by joining Pretty Focused. It was a big commitment both financially and emotionally, but it was well worth it in the end. Since she’s signed up, she’s found an incredibly supportive community of food photographers and “cheerleaders” who have made her experience nothing but positive. And now she’s on this side of the program and almost can’t believe it.

“I’m a real person. It really did happen for me. I was sitting there watching one of these interviews, and it blows my mind that now I’m sitting here being interviewed. Wow!”

Find Your Niche and Work With It!

Lastly, remember that you don’t have to do food photography like everyone else. You can find your niche, the thing that you enjoy, are passionate about, and are good at. Then, you can use that to make your career and earn income. “Being able to find work has not been a problem. It’s all about finding your niche, what you like, and then your people.” 

Amber's niche has been kefir and kombucha. It’s something she does a lot for her family, and so turning that into a pipeline for clients just makes sense. And it’s super easy for her. She’s able to even just take a few quick cell phone photos and post those in the Buyer’s Club to gain interest and go from there. “The more that you can be specific, the better.”

If You’re Ready to See Your Dreams Come True, Join Pretty Focused Today!

“If you dream of having that work-from-home life with your family, Pretty Focused is the right path for you.” Just remember that it is hard work. You’ll need to put in effort to see results, “but it’s fun, it’s enjoyable, and it’s something you can do with your family,” so it’s worth it.

If that’s not enough to get you started, Pretty Focused offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there’s no reason not to try it out today. What do you have to lose?

If that’s not enough to get you started, Pretty Focused offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there’s no reason not to try it out today. What do you have to lose?