This month, we’re excited to highlight Whitley Sander (@whitleysander on Instagram) in our ‘Moms We Love’ series! Whitley opens up about her photography journey, her experience as a mom of two, her strong faith, and her recent move to a new home with expansive acreage.

Get to Know Whitley:

Can you tell our readers a little about yourself, your family, and your background?

My name is Whitley and I'm a wife to my husband Chase, mom to our two kids ages 3 and 1 and together we are raising our family on a few acres in Minnesota! I have also been a photographer for 10 years and now split my time between being home with my kids and keeping up with my photography business. I am passionate about homemaking, interior design, and getting outside and enjoying God's creation as much as possible!

How did you get started as a photographer?

Straight out of high school my grandparents blessed me with my first camera and being a Senior in high school, I started taking senior photos for friends and classmates. I was completely shocked by the growth that happened within the first few months! I had planned to do photography as a side hustle as I earned my degree in college, but I unenrolled the week before move-in day because I realized my career had already started! I'm forever grateful for those early years and that the leap of faith opened the door to a business I have now been running for 10 years!

What’s been your favorite part of your photography career?

I'm continually blown away that I get to be a part of capturing families year after year and watching their families grow. Many times a client starts as a bride and as the years pass, I'm seeing them welcome their first baby and a few years later, chasing their toddler through a field during a family session. The relationships will forever be my favorite part.

What are some things that have helped you balance work life and mom life?

Oh this is an ever-changing, constant topic of conversation in our home! My personality is the kind that would love a black-and-white, hard-and-fast manual for how to balance motherhood and work, and in an even better world, I'd like that manual to never change until my kids are grown and gone. As we all know, this isn't the case. I've had to learn to take things year by year and create a schedule that works for both my business and motherhood. As my kids grow and seasons change, that schedule will always look different. I'm very grateful for work that allows me to make those changes as needed. 

Tell us about your recent move. What are you most excited for?

We are thrilled after the early years of our marriage living in the suburbs to have found a few acres to call home! We are so excited to give our kids a childhood where they spend a majority of their time outdoors and in explorative play, fully embracing the four seasons Minnesota has to offer. Most recently, we are excited to introduce 10 chickens to our coop this April and to take care of them as a family. We'll also be growing our first year of Dahlias which is extremely exciting.. but that one may just be exciting for me! 

How has motherhood influenced your creativity?

In many ways I've had to accept that my time for creative outlets has shrunk, but simultaneously have found that if I look at roles I have been given to steward as avenues of creativity that I am re-inspired. Creating a welcoming home, watching my kids play outside, and working together to cultivate the land have become a new creative outlet for us. Bringing my kids along for the journey is a gift!

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

In the early years of motherhood, it's easy to overwhelm your kids with endless toys and opportunities. I was guilty of this during my oldest's first year of life, but after he turned 2, I learned that simple is better. I am continually blown away by how little you can put in front of children and how much play they can makeof it.

My son's favorite toys are open ended and that's why I LOVE the toys that are offered at Smiling Tree. My son has a basket of the alphabet blocks in his room and truly plays with them for an hour at a time. I also just want to say how much it aligns with our values as a family to connect our kids to our community and surroundings and knowing that these are locally made, family owned, and even sustained by the trees God has given us makes me so happy to have them as a staple in our home.