Introduction
Hi! I’m Annie - a photographer, artist, and educator with a classic and clean photography style and a love for getting to know my clients as friends. My photography company is called Photographic Memories by Ann M. Bickel, LLC. I’ve been a photographer since college and in business officially since 2014. I’m a mother of two boys, ages 5 & 9 and also teach private art lessons to children ages 6-18. When I'm not working, I'm sipping a cup of hot tea and listening to a favorite podcast.
Who are my clients?
My business is about caring for people above everything else, so I photograph all stages of my clients' lives. This includes newborn sessions that are family relationship-focused.
I also offer children/family portrait sessions, graduation portraits and wedding sessions! I seek out clients who value the same things as me: relationships & authenticity, a love of learning, and a heart that seeks to spread love and compassion in this world.
Client Care
I am blessed to be part of these significant moments in my clients’ lives and love to get a chance to care for them in that process, so I always start my graduation portrait sessions with a gift for my senior clients! Usually this gift is something for their future dorm room. Bringing snacks and bottled water along for clients and parents makes everyone feel cared for.
Near the end of the session time, I always do a portrait of the graduating senior and his or her parent that came along. I tell the parent in advance to look good for a photo too. Parents deserve to remember this emotional experience with a photo together!
Inspiration & Relaxation
Each time I begin a session, I work first to get my client comfortable. As they build in confidence, we both end up feeling creative and invested. I’ve learned from lots of art education experience that people feel most creative and comfortable when they are relaxed. Clients remember how they felt when they look back on the images. I want them to feel strong, creative and beautiful!
On-Site Inspiration
I love the outdoors and care deeply for our earth, which is why I’m an on-site photographer! I don’t use the extra resources used to heat and power a studio away from my home and I get to be constantly inspired by new locations, often ones that are special to my clients. When I need to, I have a traveling studio set-up for newborn sessions and senior yearbook head shots.
Favorite Session
My favorite graduation portrait session from this past year is a high school senior named Maddie. One of the reasons it was so enjoyable is because she had been in my art club many years ago and we’ve stayed in touch. Maddie is an artist and president of her chapter of National Art Honor Society as well as the Cheerleading captain. She is very talented and I love to be a tiny part of her exciting journey of graduation and beyond. She is going to school for Interior Design and I’m just so excited for her!
We started at our local football stadium where Maddie has cheered for years and did portraits in her cheer uniform as well as some moody shots under the bleachers in casual clothes.
At our second location, Maddie wore a blue textured casual dress and we ended up in the creek for a few portraits. I usually expect that I'll get in water for these sessions, but I plan my sessions to feel like an adventure of the unexpected. My clients walk away saying that it felt like we were discovering unique photo locations just for them.
Reflective moments are significant to the graduation journey.What Brings Us All Together
I love my job! I form relationships with my clients and care for them. Portraits are a reminder of stepping-stones in life, but I also love portraiture because I care about people. It is such a privilege to continue to cheer everyone on and celebrate what brings us all together.
