Heirloom photography sessions have become one of the more talked about offerings in the family photography world, but Rylee Hitchner was doing them years before the term caught on. In part two of her conversation with Kim Box, Rylee talks through the seasonal rhythm that keeps her creative and grounded, how her heirloom sessions actually work behind the scenes, and why she believes success looks different for every photographer.
If you haven’t listened to part one yet, head back to Episode 121 first. This conversation picks up right where that one left off, and Rylee’s perspective on creativity, motherhood, and building a business around her own design is worth hearing.
Creativity Is a River, Not a Faucet
Rylee describes creativity as something that can’t simply be switched on when a shoot begins. Instead, she pictures it as a river feeding a watermill, one that generates the energy she needs for her work, whether or not she can trace exactly what filled it. Knitting, cooking, painting, reading, even reupholstering a chair all count. None of it feels wasted to her because all of it feeds the same current that eventually powers her photography.
She breaks inspiration into two categories: fast food and whole foods. Fast food is the quick hit, a Pinterest board you scroll when you need something immediately. Whole foods take longer to gather, things like antique stores, museum visits, and following artists whose passion moves her even when their style has nothing to do with her own. “There’s fast food and then there’s whole foods,” she said, and having a mix of both keeps her from running dry before a shoot.
Building Heirloom Sessions Around a Seasonal Rhythm
Rylee started offering heirloom portraits in 2021, though she’d been photographing her own children biannually for years before that. Inspired by the antique family portraits she loves collecting, she wanted her images to feel like they belonged on the same wall as photographs from a hundred years ago. She intentionally pairs the finished prints with vintage frames and hand ages them so each portrait feels like it was always meant to be there.
Rather than spreading heirloom sessions evenly across the year, Rylee anchors them around Mother’s Day and Christmas, which gives her a concentrated season of busy work followed by a longer stretch of rest. She’s learned this rhythm suits how her brain works far better than a steady twelve-month workload. “I am riding the wave until the wave dies,” she said, and instead of fighting that pattern, she plans around it, using the slower months to rest and dream about what comes next.
That same philosophy shapes her homeschooling and family life. She’s structured her days around fewer commitments, simplified routines, and a lot of intentional no’s, all in service of protecting the relationships and creative work that matter most to her.
Designed for Your Own Kind of Success
Toward the end of the conversation, Rylee offered a reminder that echoes throughout so much of the work happening inside The Motherhood Anthology community: each of us is designed differently, and our version of thriving won’t look identical to anyone else’s. She encouraged listeners to look honestly at how they’re wired, whether that means embracing seasonal bursts of energy, needing quiet mornings to create, or simply saying no to things that don’t feed their particular kind of life.
When asked how she defines success, Rylee didn’t point to revenue or recognition. “Living within the way that you were made to live and being in a place of contentment, not wanting more than what you have out of a choice,” she said. That’s the kind of perspective this podcast and this community exist to make room for, giving photographers permission to build a business that actually fits their life instead of one they feel pressured to copy.
Listen and Learn More
Rylee’s approach to creativity, business, and family is a good reminder that there’s no single formula for building a photography business you love. If her rhythm or her heirloom sessions resonated with you, this episode is worth a listen.
Find Rylee at ryleehitchnerjournal.com or on Instagram at @ryleehitchner.
Ready to build a business that reflects your own creative voice? The Motherhood Anthology membership gives you access to expert mentors, live coaching, monthly marketing suites, and a private community of photographers who are invested in your success. Learn more and join at themotherhoodanthology.com.
Episode Sponsor: Willow Canvas
This episode of The Motherhood Anthology Podcast is brought to you by Willow Canvas. Speaking of creating work that is distinctly yours, every Willow Canvas is a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted backdrop created by artist Sara Bywaters-Baldwin. No two are alike, and they bring something truly unique to every studio session. If you want your work to stand out in a way that no mass-produced backdrop ever could, check out Willow Canvas.
The Motherhood Anthology is a community and educational resource for photographers who want a profitable and sustainable business they love. With 15+ expert mentors and 7+ years of proven content, TMA helps portrait photographers build confident, thriving businesses through monthly education, mentorship, and a supportive community of 700+ members.
