Stepping Into the Next Chapter – HFP 2.0

As a journalism major, I believe words carry weight. Higher Focus carries ours.

From the very beginning, the name Higher Focus Photography represented everything we set out to do and to be for local programs.

We set out to raise the bar in school and team photography. We set out to deliver experiences and images that athletes, students, schools, and teams loved – in the most efficient and scalable way possible!

And it’s what we still strive to do every day – in every session with every team for every individual we have the opportunity to serve.

As we step into the next chapter of HFP, the impact and vision we have for our team, our clients, and our industry has never been more clear or more aligned with our name.

We are calling this next chapter, HFP 2.0.

It’s the collective lessons, knowledge and experiences of our first five years, rolled into the systems, structure, and team that will allow us to become all that we were intended to be as we step into the next five.

The First Five

Higher Focus Photography grew one program at a time – beginning in 2020 with what I thought was a one-time ‘favor’ to take cap and gown portraits for a local high school’s private graduation ceremonies during the pandemic – in masks, six feet away.

At the time, the name on my business card was Vicky Long Backroads Photography – inspired by life with our children in the changing seasons of our small midwest town. My focus was high school seniors and sports action for my kiddos’ teams.

But enter the pandemic, the closing of our town studio, a persistent school admin and athletic director, another daring and adventurous mom photog, and the journey into volume photography came without warning!

It began with a willingness and desire to do and try it all.

The high school grad ceremony turned into school pictures, senior yearbook photos, sports teams, events, and action for the one school, and then two, and then three, and then four. Along the way, we also began work with our town’s Recreation Department, youth football, cheer, soccer, and swim programs, little league, dance studios, senior athletes, an equine barn, fair pageants, bass fishing tournaments, community events, Santa breakfasts, and more.

Our team grew. We built a website and started social media accounts. We bought more gear. We formed an LLC and changed our name. We got shirts. We transitioned from online portrait galleries into a full online volume sales platform. We developed a posing system and picture day work flow. We attended trainings, watched YouTube videos, purchased courses. We added fog and smoke and media days. We added video.

We got invited to speak at conferences and mentor other photographers.

We took on Club Volleyball – in Illinois, in Wisconsin, in Missouri, in Minnesota.

All the while, striving to live up to our name and mission.

What’s Next: HFP 2.0

HFP 2.0 kicked off this summer with our first Leadership Workshop designed to celebrate what we’ve built, clarify where we’re headed, and create the next chapter together.

It’s an intentional evolution – not a reinvention.

We gave words to the vision and values we were already living.

The mission: Transform team picture days into media experiences that showcase athletes and elevate program brands.

The promise: One Media Day. A Season of Content.

The values:

• Raise the Standard
• Stay in Pursuit
• Built to Serve

Our goal is that everything that made us HFP in year one, still feels like HFP in year 10.

Our mirror: Built for Programs That Expect More. Powered by People Who Do Too.

We hold ourselves to the same standards we have for our programs.

To every director, coach, athlete, and family who has been part of our first five years: thank you for trusting us before we had all this figured out. You are the reason there’s a next five years to build.

Here’s to the ongoing pursuit of Higher Focus Photography.