Hire the Photographer You Trust: Why It Matters More Than You Think
- Andrea Mathes
- Mar 25
- 4 min read
Because you're not just booking photos—you're being seen.
Photos by Mavenue Photography.
If you're searching for a photographer in Pella, Des Moines, or Iowa City, you're likely looking for more than just a photo. You're looking for a feeling—a sense of trust, connection, and confidence that this person will see you and tell your story with honesty and grace.
I'm not here to tell you who to hire. But I am here to say this: Hire the photographer you trust.
Not just someone who takes a nice photo. Not just someone who offers the best deal. Hire someone whose work makes you breathe deeper. Someone whose images make you feel seen before you've even stepped in front of the lens.
Why Trust Matters in Photography
You're not just hiring someone to hold a camera. You're inviting someone into your story—your season, your insecurities, your hopes, and your memories. Especially for women navigating motherhood, identity, and self-image, photography can feel vulnerable.
The right photographer knows this. She guides you gently, helps you feel confident, and creates a space where you're free to be yourself. You deserve someone who listens with intention, sees beyond your insecurities, and reflects back your beauty with truth and compassion.
What Happens When You Settle
I've been there. I've hired photographers I didn’t really trust because the price was good or the session was easy to book. The photos were fine. But I didn’t feel connected to them.
I found myself criticizing everything—myself, the clothes, the kids, or a handful of this or thats. And I didn’t go back.
Because I didn’t just need a photo. I needed someone to meet me in the season I was in—to help me feel safe and seen. Someone who knew how to tell my story in a way I didn’t need to explain to them.
This photographer already exists.
Because I follow her.I see her photos again and again, and I’m inspired again and again.
You have that photographer too. Who is she? The one you go to. The one you celebrate. The one you dream of?
The photos in this post? They’re of my own family.Taken in a vulnerable season—one where I was wrestling with my body, my energy, my confidence. And yet, I see beauty in every frame because I trusted the photographer behind the lens to hold space for all of it… not just the smiles, but the story.
When you hire a photographer you don’t trust, you end up hoping for magic instead of expecting it. And that kind of hope carries stress—hoping they’ll see what matters, hoping they'll pose you in a way that flatters, hoping your kids behave.
The right photographer handles those things before you even ask. You can see it in her portfolio. You can hear it in her client stories. You feel it before you even book.
You Don’t Need to Know All the Questions
Sometimes, as clients, we don’t know the process. We don’t know what’s easy or what’s difficult, and we don’t know the right questions to ask.
That’s okay.
Because the photographer you trust already knows what you need—she’s done this before. You don’t have to carry the burden of perfectly communicating every expectation. Her portfolio already shows you: she sees people like you. She photographs women who move like you, dress like you, love like you, worry like you.
And if you find yourself going back to her website over and over again? That’s your heart saying: This is the space. This is the story. This is the one I trust.
Style Matters—But So Does the Experience
Do you love bold, emotive, storytelling photography? Do you love when the wind is in your hair, when your kids are a little wild, when the moment isn’t perfect—but it’s real?
That’s what I do at With Light & Lens, serving women and families in Pella, Des Moines, and Iowa City.
There are incredible portrait photographers who specialize in posed, polished, timeless images. If that's your style, they're a beautiful fit. But if you're craving images full of emotion, movement, color, and connection—I'm your girl.
What to Consider When Choosing Your Photographer
How do you want your home to feel with portraits on the wall?
What kind of energy do you want your session to hold?
Do you feel something when you look at their portfolio—or just check off a box?
Do they photograph people like you—your age, your shape, your story?
You don’t need a photographer who can do it all. You need one who can do your story well.
Local Businesses That Complement Your Experience
Want to feel even more held in the process? Here are some of my favorite local partners that reflect the same heart and aesthetic:
Des Moines:
Salon Vici – soft boho waves + elegant updos
Ivy Boyd Beauty – natural, dewy makeup artistry
Hinge Boutique + Marne – bold, earthy, and emotive wardrobe finds
Iowa City / Coralville:
Presley James Beauty – radiant, soulful hair + makeup
Textile – expressive clothing that feels like artwork
Pella:
Expressions by Design – locally loved for soft styling and special occasion hair
The Salon at Liberty Street – makeup and updos with creativity and care
9 Lilas Boutique – feminine, stylish pieces that feel bold yet effortless
The Funky Zebra – Pella – fun, confident wardrobe finds that make a statement
Ready to Book Your Storytelling Session in Pella, Des Moines, or Iowa City?
If you're craving a photography experience rooted in trust, beauty, and emotion, I'm here. At With Light & Lens, my sessions are designed to reflect who you truly are—not just how you look, but how you feel in this season.
Come as you are. Let’s tell your story, together.