Photography business lets mom 'be true' to herself, her clients

Like a lot of moms, Christy Johnson's interest in photography grew after the birth of her first child.

She remembers the day in October 2006 when she struggled to capture an image with her point and shoot camera of her newborn daughter, limbs flailing, that wasn't blurry for a birth announcement. That's when she started getting a lot more interested in terms like shutter speed.

Two months later, she received a DSLR camera, a more advanced camera often used by professionals, for Christmas and started playing with it. She joined online forums and looked for other ways to learn about photography. And she took a lot of photos. Eventually, friends were asking her if she could take pictures of their kids too.

Johnson's photography business allows her to still earn some money, but stay home with her two girls. She shoots about two sessions per week and edits and blogs around nap and preschool schedules and at night.

"It's really working out really well," she said. "I'm happier now than I've ever been. The time we are able to spend together is priceless."

Johnson, who works entirely on location, offers everything from newborn and maternity photos to portraits of families and children. Her goal isn't just to capture a cute smile or pretty face.

"I want to capture the moments that are important to you, to tell who you are at this moment in time," she tells me.

Starting Wednesday, she also will be offering some photography tips over the next few weeks.