Meet Ryan Harrop | Children’s Photographer
We had the good fortune of connecting with Ryan Harrop and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ryan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
From the time I was 10, I swear I was constantly coming up with ideas as to how I could be a stay at home mom and still work full time. I wanted to be a nail tech, a piano teacher, a hairstylist, the list just went on and on haha!
Fast forward 10 years, when I was 20 years old, my husband & I welcomed our first little girl into this world.
Spending time with her has always been & will continue to be my highest priority so finding a job that allows me to still be present with her as much as possible and 100% on her schedule is impossible to ask any employer.
Motherhood is a wild journey to say the least and it stretches you thin sometimes, so being able to have a healthy and creative outlet was super important to me.
After sorting through all the things I loved that could potentially be a business, I landed on photography.
I have always loved how photos can tell a story that lasts a lifetime and now here I am, gifting families forever memories.
What started as a 10 year dream is now my reality and I couldnt have imagined it any other way, than being my own boss.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I first started taking on clients with photography, it was mainly couples. Don’t get me wrong, it was so much fun, and I still love to take on a few couple sessions here and there but I quickly realized how burnt out I was feeling doing couples full time. There was such great money in it and I was even getting asked to do weddings or larger scale events but it just wasn’t my passion. After taking a step back and asking myself what even made me want to start this business and how I can bring that out in my work I landed on children’s photography.
Having a daughter of my own, I saw first hand just how quickly time flashes before your eyes and they truly do grow up so fast. I would spend my free time taking my daughter’s milestone pictures and saw how excited I was to edit them, or how much it made me proud of my work. Once I posted them on my personal social media so many people would message me and ask who took them, and it made me realize I’m on the wrong side of photography! 😂
I made the shift to solely focusing on children’s photography and I have never felt so fulfilled. There’s something so special about giving parents a tangible piece of their child’s early years, that they can look back on and remember them as they once were.
Being able to capture milestones from the moment moms and dads find out there are expecting all the way to their child’s graduation, is such an amazing journey to be apart of.
The response I get from each client after sending their gallery is nothing short of pure gratitude and that to me is worth everything!
Makes what I do so amazing that I sometimes even do it for free, because every parent deserves a timeless keepsake.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I LOVE visiting the hidden gems!
I would for sure bring the to Acrostani to soak in all the gorgeous architecture, snap a few cute photos, and explore what the hidden gem has to offer.
I love a good trip to the lake or river. You can never go wrong with a day in the sun, on the water!
Call me crazy but if you know me you know I’ll have to bring them to good old McDonald’s cause you just can’t go wrong with their staple $1 drinks, and it’s a great mid day pick me up!
Tempe town lake is a must as well. The downtown tempe area at night is a beautiful place to take in the lights, mill avenue is fun, with lots of yummy eateries and unique shops.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband & family have been nothing but supportive. Whether that’s helping take care of my daughter while I’m away at shoots, or need a few quiet hours to edit and answer emails. I truly could not thank them enough for the words of encouragement or help they’ve extended my way.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanharrop.photo?igsh=MWFtcmV6YW5ta3lzMQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
