Today we’d like to introduce you to Iveta Dietz.
Hi Iveta, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As soon as I received my first camera (which still used film), I fell in love with photography. I was always the designated photographer for school trips, events with friends and family, and while traveling.
During college, I spent a year as an au pair in London, which allowed me to practice photography during sightseeing while gaining experience with children.
After earning my master’s degree in teaching, I decided I wanted to do something adventurous, and I started working on a cruise ship as a Youth Counselor! This job was literally a dream come true! I was able to do what I love—working with children and photographing everything around me, while traveling the world!
Cruise ship life was such a wonderful experience, and I’m so grateful for it! After my career at sea, I moved to St. Louis, but after a while, I really started to miss photography.
Soon, all our friends started having babies, and I became passionate about capturing these wonderful moments for them. I began studying and learning safety tips for newborn photography. Safety is my utmost priority while working with these fragile babies!
After becoming a mom myself, I realized how precious these moments with your baby are and how fast they change! I realized how important it is not only to capture this time but to make sure mom is in the photos as well. That’s why I love capturing moms from pregnancy through the newborn stage, documenting their baby’s first years, and continuing to photograph these families in the future. I love seeing the children and families grow, and I am grateful for my clients who trust me with their images year after year.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say that setting up a business, working on my website, developing marketing strategies, and managing the responsibilities of a business owner were my biggest challenges.
I absolutely love working with people, making them happy, and taking care of my clients, but the business side of photography is not my favorite part. That’s why I delegate certain tasks to professionals, so I can focus on what matters most—exceptional customer service!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I created First and Forever Photography in 2017. I wanted my business name to reflect what I wanted to capture – life’s most precious milestones. I focus on freezing those fleeting first moments for families, helping you hold onto this beautiful stage forever.
I specialize in posed maternity and newborn sessions in the studio. I provide all the props, wraps, outfits, and backdrops needed to create magical images. I always make sure moms feel comfortable during our session and that they feel absolutely beautiful.
I spend a lot of time improving my photography skills through many online courses, and I never stop refining my art of editing.
As I mentioned earlier, I love to capture motherhood, from pregnancy and the newborn stage through the baby’s first years, and continue capturing those moments as the family grows.
It is my biggest joy to see families returning each year and creating something special that they will cherish in their homes and on their walls forever. I think it is so important to provide my clients with a tangible product in the form of wall art, an album, or any other product that will make them happy!
I believe that children should not grow up on a hard drive in your drawer. And to be honest, I am guilty of it myself. Most of the family images I have printed on our walls are the ones from another professional photographer.
As busy moms, we have so much going on, making it incredibly worth it to hire someone to handle all of this for us! I love providing my clients with the best, all-inclusive luxury experience—from the initial consultation to discuss the vision for the session, to helping you with the wardrobe selection, and finally, designing products that perfectly fit your home. I will take care of everything for you!
What were you like growing up?
I grew up in the Czech Republic, which is the heart of Europe! I lived in the suburbs of Prague, where it was so easy to get on the metro and go explore the city, which was established many centuries ago. I always admired Prague’s architecture and loved photographing all the beautiful sites and cityscapes that look like they came out of a fairytale. I love returning there with my children and showing them these magical places.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.firstandforeverphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstandforeverphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirstAndForeverPhotography
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@firstandforeverphotography4411
