Hi, I’m Esther Ziegler!
I’m married to my high school sweetheart. I’ve loved him since my teenage years, and I’m still completely obsessed with him. I am a mama to MIRACLES, raising two boys, ages 5 and 9.
I’m a lifelong creative who romanticizes ordinary life and finds beauty almost everywhere. I notice light before anything else, love slow mornings, and you’ll usually find me writing in my planner or journal, hosting people I love, or finding reasons to celebrate. I love to celebrate other people by throwing parties, giving thoughtful gifts, and writing handwritten cards.
I’m deeply sentimental, always thinking about how a moment will feel once it’s passed, and how grateful I’ll be to have remembered it well.
Most importantly, I am seeking to live a life shaped by the life + love of Jesus Christ, filled with the Spirit, and continually refined over time. I strive to forgive quickly, to be sanctified in marriage and motherhood, and to let my life point back to Him in both quiet and visible ways.
The Short & Sweet Version
• I love light in all its forms, from shadow to softness, but nothing compares to the glitter on top of water
• Swans are my favorite animal—they feel ethereal
• I always want a yummy drink in my hand. It’s my vice.
• I notice tiny things—expressions, body language, the way people lean toward each other
• Planner and journal every single day—washi tape, pen collection, the whole nine yards
• I romanticize ordinary life on purpose. I truly can’t help it
• Swimming is my happy place. If I have time to swim, that’s what I’m choosing
• My signature baked good is Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies & BANANA BREAD (USUALLY WITH DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS!)
• I would wear a floral dress every day for the rest of my life—and honestly, I probably will eventually
MY CAREER
How this all began
Photography was never a backup plan or a later-in-life pivot for me. It was my dream for as long as I can remember.
When I graduated high school in 2010, I told my dad I wanted to be a photographer. He encouraged me to apply for a position at Picture Me Portrait Studios inside Walmart — a practical first step that gave me my earliest professional experience. Within a year, I was managing a studio and was later offered a regional position in California. Instead, I chose to open my own photography business.
My husband and I met in high school and knew early on we were meant to build a life together. He also knew — before I ever said it out loud — that I was meant to be a photographer. I brought a camera everywhere. Photographed every youth group event or social gathering. Uploaded full albums the same night, because it mattered to me that moments were remembered.
At eighteen years old, we drained both of our bank accounts and bought the nicest camera and lens we could afford. In 2012, I started paying taxes. I’ve been photographing full-time ever since.
Over the years, my husband and I photographed more than 300 weddings together. As our family grew, I wanted a different rhythm — work that could live inside preschool hours and family life, and keep me close to home.
That’s how the studio was born. In 2019, there were very few studio options in our community, and even fewer focused on the early years. I saw the gap, stepped into it, and never looked back. Today, I’m exactly where I want to be — serving families as they welcome new life and grow into it, documenting the seasons that move the fastest.
An artist’s approach to photography
I’m drawn to texture, fabric, and form — how light moves across them, how color and shape interact, how small details change the entire image.
After sixteen full time years behind the camera, I can photograph anything. But what I love most is composing an image from the ground up — shaping light, movement, texture, and emotion into a cohesive whole. You’ll see that love woven throughout my work.
