Meet Mallory Ostrander | Family and Newborn Lifestyle Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mallory Ostrander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mallory, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance… I am constantly examining what my priorities are and making sure I am fully present where I am. Before I started Mallory Christine Photography, I was stay at home mom with newborns and before that, I was a teacher. When I was teaching, it was a little easier to have that work life balance because I started teaching before I had kids. As time has passed and I’ve had 2 beautiful daughters and started my small business, this question has become more complicated. When Mallory Christine Photography started, my husband and I sat down and discussed what “our time” would look like. Coming out of stay at home mom, we agreed that the job of “Mom” still needs to be first. Our girls deserve nothing less than a present mom. Currently, I like to say I’m a part time mom/part time photographer. The cool thing about Newborn and Family photography is that my clients are also parents and seem to embrace the fact that I am a working mom. My husband is my biggest supporter and we have our digital calendars synced (he owns a small business as well). We have done a pretty great job supporting one another in our professional endeavors. We also have an AMAZING community in Summit County that we can lean on for support. I think the two biggest things that have helped work life balance are, clear communication (both with my husband and with clients), and being well organized within that time management category.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
This venture has been so fun. It is so cool to be able to meet families and be a tiny part of their memories. My favorite thing in the world is tiny babies. I love nothing more than taking pictures of newborns. My mom was a NICU nurse and I think some of her “baby love” genes have been passed down to me. There is something very special about being invited into someone’s house and taking pictures of their little family. When I reflect on that time as a mom, I have all the “feels.” I was exhausted, beat up, emotional, in love, clueless and it was SO good. I want to be able to give the moms (and dads) a little memory of such a special time. The pictures I have of my girls when they were born are some of my favorite. I digress… I do love my family photos as well. I am so spoiled living in Summit County, CO. I can literally walk out the door and I automatically have a beautiful backdrop for family pictures.

I feel like one of my biggest challenges is getting out of my own head. I have always had a good work ethic. Being a photographer has another element that comes with that. I am always hoping that I can give people exactly what they are looking for. The pressure in my own head is strong! As I’ve worked through that, it hasn’t been easy. As I’ve gotten further down the road, I try to have a lot of pictures in my online gallery. This way people can get a good idea of what my style is like.

Ultimately, I hope that I can bless families with pictures that will last a lifetime!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ok, my friend is visiting Summit County, CO. My husband and I drink way to much coffee! I would be happy to do the coffee shop tour each morning (a different one every day), Red Buffalo in Silverthorne, Mountain Dwellers in Frisco and the Crown in Breckenridge. If it’s winter, we will probably go to Copper and take a few laps, or go for a cross country ski at the Raven Golf Course in Silverthorne. If it’s summer, we will take the kids and the dog to water! I have paddleboards and we will make it down to the Frisco Marina for some beach time! The water is cold, but the sun makes up for it! One spot I love to take friends with kids to is Isak Heartstone, the troll. It is an easy walk in Breckenridge and he’s quite the fun guy to see!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have many places to send my shoutout! I’ve been lucky enough to have a camera in my hand since I was a kid. My dad has always enjoyed photography and I used to steal his camera. I attended Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO and graduated with an Art degree in 2010. Although I didn’t “professionally” use that Art degree for many years, I still enjoyed photography. When my sweet nephew was born, I asked my sister if I could do newborn pictures for them. She asked me why I wasn’t using my talents professionally and the rest is history! Of course, I have to send a shoutout to my husband, Zach, who also encouraged me to start Mallory Christine Photography. It would not exist without him. Our amazing community needs a shoutout as well. As the saying goes, it takes a village, and there is no exception in that statement with my small business. If my husband and I have conflicting schedules, I will reach out to my friend Lauren Leeds who runs her own small business in Summit County (Blue Sky Music). We both have young girls and we will lean on each other for child care. There are so many others in the community we can rely on too. Last and most important, I feel so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to run Mallory Christine Photography.

Website: https://www.mallorychristinephotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallorychristinephotography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mallorychristinephotography

Image Credits
Mallory Christine Photography