Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian And Franchesca Edwards.
Hi Ian and Franchesca , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Franchesca and I met through a dating site. Little did we know, that we were going to the same art school. I was majoring in Digital Film and Video Production and Franchesca was studying photography. We soon realized that we had much in common including our professions. Franchesca and I became inseparable and were soon married.
Franchesca had photographic composition and I had the production knowledge and technical skills to create seamless films. We then created The Affinity Studio and have been creating beautiful Images and Films ever since. This passion evolved to Weddings and events and later on progressed to our main focus which is family and newborn photography
The Affinity Studio is a boutique photography studio in St. Johns County, dedicated to creating timeless, heartfelt imagery for families who want to preserve life’s most meaningful moments. Specializing in newborn, maternity, milestone, and family portraiture, the studio blends artistry with an inviting, stress-free experience. They can also travel to your location and create an in home studio session right in your home.
Every session is carefully crafted with comfort, safety, and connection at its core—ensuring parents feel supported and little ones feel cared for. With a style rooted in soft, natural tones and genuine emotion, The Affinity Studio transforms fleeting moments into heirloom-quality art that families cherish for generations.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It is never easy for a photography studio especially when your photography style and focus is in such a niche market like Newborn Photography but the universe has a tendency to throw its worst as it watches you sink or swim.
We were forced to close our studio for 9 months during the pandemic with little to no help from the government and we were not able to hold any photography sessions. We had to use all our savings to save the business and we almost lost everything but we did not give up. We found another way and we made our sessions stand out. During those 9 months we created and designed our newborn sessions in a way that would dazzle our audience and appeal to our future clients. We wanted to create masterpieces that would awe the audience and give the parents and clients something spectacular. We created our Luxury setups. These setups are unique in that every object in the background is designed to scale to fit the size of a newborn. It is as if you are in a miniature staged environment. We have over 150 setups to this day. Our audience loved the idea and when we were finally allowed to open. We had more bookings than we had the previous year.
We have recently relocated our business to St johns county where we have been facing a new challenge. A different environment with an economy that has many worried. We have adjusted the way we do business once more and we focus on the individual rather than the mass. What we realized is that people want our services but some of them are not able to come to us. So we decided to make that happen and come to them. So we are now capable of creating those beautiful stunning setups within a 10×10 ft space within your own home. Everything is included such as the lights floors backdrop, props, and even the baby’s outfits. We have a video conference beforehand so that you can select everything that we bring to you.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
we’re most proud of the trust families place in us. Newborn photography is such an intimate, emotional experience, and it means everything to us that parents feel safe, comfortable, and confident in our hands. We’ve worked hard to create a calm, welcoming environment where babies are cared for with patience and expertise, and where parents can simply enjoy the moment. Franchesca is also a certified a Doula and has been extensively trained in handling babies. We’re also incredibly proud of the timeless style of our work. Our goal is to create images that feel elegant today and will still feel meaningful decades from now. Each session is intentionally styled and personalized so families walk away with artwork that truly reflects the love in their home.
And finally, we’re proud to serve the St. Johns County and St. Augustine community. Being part of such a family-focused area inspires us every day to deliver our very best.
How do you think about luck?
We are very blessed in that we are able to do what we love. Luck has not always been on our side but when you realize that the love you have for something is worth the risk, you never give up. You keep going. It becomes your identity. If you can find that purpose, that light in yourself, when surrounded by darkness luck will always find you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theaffinitystudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaffinitystudionewborn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newbornphotographystudiousa
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchescaedwa1
- Youtube: @newbornphotography7232
