Meet Lindsey Westfield | Portrait Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsey Westfield and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsey, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I really wanted to do something that brought me joy. Thinking about the feeling I get when I take pictures that I love and am proud of, the feedback I get from clients after they receive their images and how I can make my own hours made it more of an appealing desire to have my own business. I love that I can (now) be home with my kids and still work and meet people through photography. When I first started it was just a hobby that I loved and I hadn’t put much thought into making it a business, but as I kept going and assisted successful photographers and saw how they ran their businesses, I knew it was something I could do!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Photography is an incredibly vast and colorful field, offering endless possibilities that can often feel overwhelming at first. Figuring out the type of photographer you want to be—while staying true to yourself and the vision you have for your clients—takes time and exploration. It’s common for photographers to experiment with various styles and genres to discover their niche.

For me, the areas that resonate most are capturing children and high school seniors. When I photograph children, I feel completely in my element. My background—spanning years of experience with kids through church, babysitting, nannying, and now motherhood—allows me to connect with their unique personalities. I love letting kids run around, feel free, and embrace their silliness, resulting in natural and joyful images.

When it comes to high school seniors, I’ve noticed that many start off feeling unsure about the process and a bit awkward in front of the camera. However, once they relax and embrace the spotlight, their true selves shine through, and they end up loving the experience.

I also have a deep passion for capturing motherhood, from pregnancy to birth and beyond, alongside the complexities of grief. It may seem unusual to pair these themes, but I believe that the ebb and flow of life is beautifully expressed through photography. Documenting the miracle of becoming a mother is something truly special, while capturing grief allows for raw vulnerability. If an image can convey that deep emotion, it may resonate with others who are experiencing similar feelings, offering comfort and solidarity.

Black and white photography holds a special place in my heart because it evokes strong emotional responses and has a timeless quality. While I always offer both color and black-and-white options to my clients, I often find myself gravitating toward the latter. That said, color photography has its own charm—especially in Michigan, where the fall and spring seasons provide breathtaking palettes that are perfect for capturing stunning images.

I strive for consistency in my work, ensuring that clients understand exactly what they can expect when they hire me. That said, my photography journey has taken many twists and turns, and I’ve embraced each phase. Through conversations with fellow photographers, I’ve learned that it’s normal to feel both confident and anxious about your work at different times. Every moment is worth navigating as you find your artistic voice and share your vision with the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Grand Rapids has so much to offer no matter what type of fun you’re looking for. If I had a friend visiting me, I’d show them my favorites as well as try to find new favorite spots together too!

I personally love checking out gift shops and boutiques as well as coffee shops and book stores. I recently visited the Found Cottage Mercantile market at the Ottawa county fairgounds and fell in love with it. They also have a store located on Chicago Drive called the Found Cottage. I love Schuler Books for their variety of books, gifts and a great cafe with good coffee as well as good food. I used to work at Starbucks so I frequent them and pretty much know where each location is, just in case! I highly recommend the gift shop in Cascade called Parooz as they are the sweetest mother daughter(s) duo that run the shop and can always help you find the perfect gift! I love being around lakes and rivers so we often go walk by Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids as well as grab some food from Roses right there! The Cascade KDL library has the best Sale section in my opinion of all the KDL libraries, perfect for grabbing some books I may want to keep rather than return, especially childrens books or cook books! The Amway Grand Plaza hotel as well as the JW downtown is so worth entering if anything just to walk around and enjoy the artitecture and design. Lastly, the DeVos place has some of the best ballets, shows and events around. Especially if its in the fall during Art Prize!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A good friend I had taught me a lot when I first got started and she pushed me to take my creativity to the next level. We often would practice taking portraits of eachother or even just nature and city pictures, and then go through the process of editing those photos and turning them into what would be delivered to a client. She really showed me that it was possible to learn something new all the time in this industry and to push myself to strive for more.

At this point in my business, my fiance has been my biggest supporter. He has encouraged me every step of the way, especially when I doubt myself, let fear and anxiety take over, or struggle with where to go next. He has given me photo challenges to push my creativity to new levels, he has helped with learning new skills by sharing educational information with me and he has made sure my business can come first when it comes to having time for shoots, editing, emailing and all the things necessary to run it.

Website: https://www.lindseykayimages.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/lindseykay_images

Facebook: https://facebook.com/lindseykayimages

Other: Pinterest username: lindseykayimages

Image Credits
Lindsey Kay Images, Lindsey Westfield