Where Family Life Meets the Lens

Growing up with a mom who always had a Nikon camera in hand, Brianne Martin was lucky to have her childhood documented alongside her siblings. That camera eventually became one of her most prized possessions. She later upgraded to a D5600 DSLR, then to the Z 6 mirrorless and finally the Z5II. Although photography had always been a hobby, it wasn’t until the pandemic in 2020 that Brianne found the time to educate herself and practice her craft. She officially started her photography business that fall.

Brianne is self-taught, having learned through a combination of YouTube resources, trial and error, and hands-on practice. She makes photography approachable for her followers: “I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be, so if I can simplify it, then I hope more people will feel confident in their ability to learn and create their own meaningful images,” she says.

Of her focus on families, she says: “Although I photographed a little bit of everything, families quickly became my favorite subject. I loved documenting a snapshot of what a family’s life looked like in that particular season, the beautiful moments, the chaos, and everything in between.”

As Brianne’s own family has grown, her focus naturally shifted to documenting her own life and children. “In a lot of ways, I think I’ve come full circle: I started loving photography because my mom used a camera to document my childhood, and now I’m doing the same for my own children,” she explains.

Style with intention

“My style is refined and true-to-life. From the colors and editing to the subject matter and props, I want my work to reflect real life, but with a little extra intention. My images are often thoughtfully composed,” Brianne says, noting that she doesn’t want them to feel overly staged.

“I’m ultimately trying to document real memories. I want the photographs to feel beautiful… but authentic enough that, years later, they still bring you right back to that moment, holiday, or season,” she adds.

When I first started creating photography content, I focused primarily on tips and tricks for beginners—sharing the things I was learning and helping other people feel more confident with their cameras. Over time, though, my content has evolved. I think I’m now best known for my seasonal photo ideas to do with your kids, as well as simple pose and prompt ideas that help parents capture more meaningful photos with their children.

Documenting little moments and big milestones

Throughout the year, Brianne shares photo ideas for major holidays and seasons including her “12 Days of Christmas Photo Ideas” series. “These videos have helped me build an audience of parents, many of whom are just like me: they want beautiful photos of their children, but they also want ideas that are realistic and easy to recreate at home,” she says, adding, “I think that shift has been one of the most rewarding parts of creating photography content. I’m not just teaching people how to use a camera—I’m helping parents find simple ways to document their children’s childhood and preserve the little moments they might otherwise miss.” 

Creating series content has been one of the biggest drivers of growth for Brianne, having gained more than 20,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok after sharing her “12 Days of Christmas Photo Ideas.” Recently, she’s been sharing a “Pose Ideas with Your Little Ones” series, where each video features three simple pose or prompt ideas, and she’s gained new followers through that series as well.

I think series work so well because they give people a reason to follow and something to look forward to. Each video provides value on its own, while also showing people that they can expect more of the same useful content from me in the future.

Simple tips for the busy mom

Brianne notes that, “One of the things I think can make photography feel inaccessible to everyday parents is the financial aspect.” Her followers have less interest in photo ideas that incorporate a backdrop that has to be purchased rather than something that they already have in the home i.e. blanket or quilt, using something ordinary in an unexpected way. “That feedback has reinforced something I really believe: you don’t need all of the equipment a professional photographer might use to create beautiful photographs,” she adds.

My goal is to help parents get more out of the equipment they already own, give them creative ideas for documenting holidays, events and everyday moments, teach them how to get themselves in the frame with their loved ones, and show them how to create images that feel both beautiful and authentic.

Brianne also looks at how one set-up could be used for multiple holidays. One example is laying a child down within a collection of holiday items surrounding them. An idea like this works for children of almost any age, including babies, and it allows you to incorporate an element that is instantly recognizable as part of that holiday in a really impactful way. 

She explains: “Candy corn is an iconic Halloween candy, and because each piece is so small, it doesn’t necessarily make a big visual impact when you simply use it as a prop. Instead, if you photograph a child lying within a bed of candy corn, the candy becomes the setting rather than just an accessory. “It creates a much more visually striking and memorable image while still being incredibly simple and inexpensive to recreate.” She adds, “I want the ideas I share to be creative enough to feel special, but simple enough that a parent can actually recreate them with what they have at home.”

Timeless Birthday Themes

Every year, Brianne selects a theme for her children’s birthday images, based on what they’re interested in at that age. At two years old, her son was into airplanes. To give the photos a nostalgic and timeless feel, she thrifted most of the items to lean into the vintage look.

I think it’s a great example of how you can take a simple theme, add a little intention, and create something that feels really special without needing an elaborate setup.

Building confidence behind the lens

One of Brianne’s goals is to inspire other moms to get out from behind the camera and step in front of the lens. She notes that she often hears from other moms, who say they wish they were in more photos with their children. “You don’t need a professional photographer or a complicated setup to do it. I want moms to feel confident creating those photos for themselves, because one day they’ll be some of the most meaningful photos they [and their children] have,” she explains. 

Ultimately, becoming a content creator has given Brianne the freedom to explore photography from both sides of the camera: as someone who loves creating beautiful images and as someone who loves helping other people create them, too.

Brianne has found her niche in educating people who simply want to take better photographs of themselves and their families. She says, “That’s really the gap I hope to fill. I love the idea that something I’ve learned can make someone else feel more confident with their camera or give them an idea for a photograph they otherwise wouldn’t have thought to take. I don’t want the knowledge I’ve gained to stop with me. I want to pass it along in the same way other photographers generously shared their knowledge with me.”