AUGUST 2026

Women We Admire with Anna Joy

A Pacific Northwest photographer and mom of four on craft, hustle, and helping small makers shine.

For this installment of Women We Admire, we're spotlighting Anna Joy of Anna Joy Photography — a lifelong creative, mama of four, and the talent both behind and in front of the camera for this shoot.

Tell us about yourself — who you are, what you shoot, and how you ended up behind a camera.

I'm a wife, mom, and photographer, and I've always loved capturing the beauty in everyday life. I mostly photograph women, motherhood, and families — those seasons that go by way too fast.

Photography started pretty naturally for me. I loved taking pictures of my own kids and documenting our life, and over time it turned into something I really wanted to pursue. What I love most is that a photo can take you right back to a moment and remind you exactly how that season felt.

What did the path to becoming a photographer actually look like? Was there a moment you decided this was the thing?

There wasn't really one big moment. It was more of a slow realization. I kept coming back to photography, learning my camera, playing with light, and realizing how much I loved photographing people.

Eventually I had to decide whether I was going to keep waiting until I felt ready or just go for it. I decided to start, and I've learned you really don't have to have everything figured out before you take the first step.

Walk us through a shoot day versus a non-shoot day. Where does your child fit into each?

Shoot days are definitely organized chaos. There's getting myself and my gear ready, driving to the location, shooting, then coming home to back everything up and start editing. Then there are emails, scheduling, client communication, and all the little things no one really sees.

And then there's motherhood happening right alongside it. Childcare, drop-offs, pickups, and making sure I'm home on time are all part of the puzzle.

On non-shoot days, I try to fit work around our family life. There's editing and emails, but also school runs, meals, errands, and time with the kids. And honestly, there are lots of nights where the kids are watching a movie and I'm sitting next to them working on my laptop.

What's the least glamorous part of the job that no one sees?

Editing. Definitely editing.

The fun part is taking the photos, but there are hours of sitting at a computer afterward — sorting, backing up, editing, emailing, scheduling, and doing all the business stuff. And then there's hauling gear around, sweating in the summer, freezing in the winter, and crouching in positions my body definitely doesn't appreciate.

It's creative, but it's still a job!

How did becoming a mother change what you see through the lens? Are you drawn to different moments now than you were before?

Motherhood completely changed the way I see people. I'm much more drawn to the little in-between moments now — the hand reaching for mom, a child leaning into her, or the way a mom looks at her baby when she doesn't realize anyone is watching.

Those are the moments that feel so real to me. Motherhood has also made me realize just how quickly these seasons go, and I think that makes me more intentional about what I capture.

You photograph women during a period when their bodies are changing faster than at almost any other time in their lives. What have you learned about making someone feel comfortable in front of a camera in that season?

I've learned that women don't need to be convinced they're beautiful. They need to feel comfortable and safe.

Pregnancy and motherhood can be such vulnerable seasons. I try to create a space where women can relax, be themselves, and not feel like they have to perform. I'll give direction when they need it, but I also want them to move naturally and just be themselves.

I want to photograph women as they really are and celebrate the changes their bodies have gone through.

Is there a photo you've taken of another mother that you can't stop thinking about? What was happening in it?

The photos that stay with me are usually the really simple ones.

I love when I photograph a mom just looking at her child. Nothing big is happening — it's just that look moms give when they're taking their child in and memorizing them without even realizing it.

Those moments mean so much more to me now that I'm a mom myself.

Were you photographed during your own pregnancy? Do you wish you'd done it differently?

I was photographed during my pregnancy, and I appreciate those photos so much more now that I'm a mom.

If I could go back, I would get in front of the camera more and worry less about how I looked. Those photos aren't really about what you looked like that day. They're about remembering who you were and the baby you were carrying.

That's something I try to remind the women I photograph now.

What's one thing you genuinely gave up when you became a mother, and one thing you refused to give up?

I gave up the idea that I could do everything and do it perfectly. Motherhood has definitely taught me to be okay with “good enough” and to be more intentional with my time.

But I refused to give up who I am outside of being a mom. I love being a mother, but I'm also a photographer, a wife, a friend, and a creative person with goals of my own. I want my kids to see that you can love your family deeply and still make room for the things you love.

What's the actual logistics answer — childcare, hours, saying no to shoots? People say “it takes a village”; we want to know what your village literally looks like on a Tuesday.

Honestly, it's a lot of planning. There are school schedules, childcare, my husband's schedule, client schedules, and a million texts trying to make everything work. Some weeks feel like a giant game of Tetris.

I've also had to learn to say no. Sometimes a shoot just doesn't work with our family schedule, and sometimes I choose being there for my kids over taking on another job. Other times, I work early mornings, evenings, or whenever I can squeeze it in.

My village is my family, my husband, childcare, flexible friends, and a lot of grace. I don't think balance means everything gets equal attention every day. Some days work needs more of me, and some days motherhood does. I just try to make sure both have space over time.

The beauty of motherhood:

Motherhood is one of the most beautiful and rewarding seasons of my life, but it definitely comes with sacrifices. There have been opportunities I've turned down and times I've chosen being with my kids over something professionally.

But I've learned that jobs can come and go, and opportunities will come around again. We don't get these years with our children back.

The everyday moments — the conversations, the laughter, the hard days, the little milestones — are often the moments that end up meaning the most. Sometimes success is putting the camera down and just being there.

The sacrifices are real, but the reward is so much greater. Nothing I've given up professionally could compare to the privilege of loving, raising, and investing in the next generation.

Women We Admire is an ongoing EMME series celebrating the women in our community.