About Sara
Hawaii Born and Raised. Female Indiana Jones. Lover of Doctor Who.
Aloha. I’m Sara (she/her/hers), a Colorado maternity, baby, and family photographer that loves to work with moms and moms-to-be who want images that showcase their elegance and beauty in front of the majestic Coloradan wilderness we all love. I photograph throughout the Denver metro area, Boulder, Longmont, Northern Front Range, Greeley, and the Colorado Rockies.
Do you like working with people you like? So do I! So here’s some random facts about me to see whether we’d have fun creating together:
I’m originally from the Big Island of Hawaii, but have called Colorado home since 2009. And since I married an Iowan that also relocated here. Here is where I’ll stay!
If I’m daydreaming, it usually means I’m planning my next trip to an archaeological site. I can’t be the only one that has always wanted to be the female version of Indiana Jones? Right?
I am an avid gardener, permaculturalist, and food canner. I am so passionate about it, I volunteer as a Weld County Master Gardener in my free time.
The top of my guest list for a fantasy dinner party would be Amy Farrah Fowler, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, and Clara Oswald. Can you tell I’ve binge watched the Big Bang Theory and Doctor Who?
I’m a world-class monster wrangler and deeply devoted to my own monster/”spirited toddler.” (Don’t call your kiddo a monster? Just me? Okay, I’m going to go hide in a closet now…)
Besides my daughter, I have two other loves of my life: my partner in crime and our first born/fur baby.
Efficiency is my game and organization is my superpower. Elfa anyone?
Are you the type of mom-to-be/mom who…
is down-to-earth and wants to feel beautiful in photos of yourself and your family?
wants to celebrate and honor your journey and family story?
wants someone that isn’t going to cower when your toddler throws a tantrum?
wants someone that will guide you every step of the way and not expect you to know how this photography thing goes?
Then you’re in the right place!
There and Back Again - 16 Years Since My First Professional Session
Want to know a little bit about my professional background? It’s a winding road, so hold on tight!
After earning my bachelor’s degree in Biological Anthropology from the George Washington University in Washington D.C., I moved back to Hawai’i. And that’s when I started working as a professional photographer in 2006. I have worked over a 1000 weddings. Needless to say attending a wedding for me still feels like work.
Wanting a change, I moved to Boulder and earned my Masters in Classics with a concentration on Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology at CU Boulder. Yep, I actually do read more dead languages than living ones. And I’ve taken some interesting photographs from some interesting angles, just like the photo to the right from Egypt.
After graduating, I became a university academic advisor and got another Masters in Education while I was at it. Do I like to learn about things? You can ask my 3000+ book collection.
Wanting another change. I opened my own studio, Sara Herkes Photography and Design LLC, in 2018. And I’ll never be looking back. This is the best career ever! It just took a little time away for me to realize that.
A Studio That Focuses on
Moms and Moms-to-be
I opened this studio in 2018. The word “studio” can be confusing though. I don’t have a storefront. I work purely on location. This means that either my sessions are done outdoors or in your home. And every email I send, virtual chat or design meeting I hold, or photo I edit is done in a 10’ x 12’ foot extra bedroom in my home. In case you’re wondering why Google maps comes up with a house for my location, that’s why!
The freedom of not paying retail rent allows me to work with only a select clientele each year, so that I can give each and every mom-to-be and family the attention and service they deserve.
It also means that it is just me. I don’t have a staff. I don’t outsource my photography services at all and I do all my own editing. So, barring a catastrophic event, I will be the photographer you work with at your session. And I will always be the one you’re conversing with whether it be via email, instant messenger, text, or phone. There’s no communication lost in between the cracks of multiple employees.
This is a mom and woman founded small business that depends upon referrals for work. So believe me when I say that I’ll go to the ends of the Earth to give you the best service possible.
