EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – In 2020 weddings became smaller affairs. Many moved from huge reception halls to backyards, from hundreds of guests to a handful, and from hiring wedding photographers to relying on mom’s trusty iPhone. For many in the business, 2020 was their final year in operation.
Yet Allie Siarto, a wedding photographer from East Lansing, found a creative way to keep her business going. She says it’s become about more than just keeping the lights on.
“My team was photographing anywhere from 20-50 weddings per year before 2020,” Siarto says. “That year, we had nine weddings—and most of those were tiny backyard weddings, so photography coverage was reduced to just a few hours.”
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With the change in demand, Siarto began focusing on headshots and small business branding photography. Over time, she found that some of her favorite branding clients were women going through divorce.
These women were using photography as a way to reinvent themselves,” says Siarto. “They were going through huge changes in their lives, and they used photography to build confidence and to honor themselves.”
She decided to lean into the idea.
Siarto put in a call to a local women’s network looking to for recently divorced women to participate in a photoshoot. The response was far beyond what she was expecting.
“I couldn’t believe how many women reached out to share their personal stories,” says Siarto. “I could hardly keep up. I never would have guessed that there would be so much support behind the idea of divorce photography.”
Now, Siarto offers a special package for people going through divorce. It includes hair, makeup and outfit styling. And, of course, the photography session itself.
“They look in the mirror after hair and makeup are done, and you can see the excitement in their eyes,” Siarto said. “So many women tell me that they’ve always hated photos of themselves, and I’ve finally given them photos that they love. They share the photos online, and they get dozens of lovely comments from friends and family that really lift them up. That makes my day every time I see it.”
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