Little rockstars
I help kids feel like the rockstars their parents already see them as.
Family sessions✿ September mini sessions are live — book your spot! ✿
✿ September mini sessions are live — book your spot! ✿
Meet Arica
Hi, I’m Arica, the heart and soul behind Kirby Photography. For nearly 20 years I’ve been designing the sets, filling the wardrobe, and creating portraits that feel like you, only a little more magical. Babies, families, tweens, seniors, and the grown-ups who love them: if it matters to you, it matters to me.
me + my partner in crime
My story
My photography obsession started long before my kids arrived. As a teen, weekends meant friends at my house and a photo shoot in progress. That kept going all through high school, but then I was convinced I should go to college. So guess what I did? I went to college, met my husband, and bought a bar. (What were we thinking?!)
A year into the bar business, my husband bought me my first DSLR camera, and everything changed.
I started photographing weddings. Soon I was bringing home backdrops and sneaking in props, until one day there was a full studio in our house.
The plan was part-time photographer, part-time stay-at-home mom. That didn't last long. I wanted to shoot more, and luckily my clients wanted that too. (Thank you!)
Kirby Photography opened as a little kiosk at the local mall, then moved into a unit of its own.
It was time for a permanent home with more space and more options, so I bought a building and property on the edge of Bemidji.
Five camera rooms, 20+ sets, a wardrobe studio, outdoor grounds, and original backdrops designed for Katebackdrop. You never know what's coming next.
Why the wardrobe
My family gets plenty of credit for my passion, but it really began somewhere else. My best friend’s mom always had a camera in hand. When I grew up, I realized how many memories she had captured, and how looking at those old photos was like stepping through a portal right back into the moment. You can’t put a price tag on that.
Then there was my aunt, who dressed my cousins in the most amazingly ridiculous, beautiful dresses for their portraits every year. I would stare at those photos in admiration. When I asked my mom why we didn’t do that, she told me we couldn’t afford the dresses or the shoots.
That’s the driving force behind my amazing (some may call ridiculous) wardrobe studio. When a child sees their portrait on the wall, it builds their confidence and reminds them how much you value them. My goal is fun, affordable art, whether that’s a classic, simple set with your child shining or an elaborate scene built around their latest obsession.
“You live, you love, and it matters.”
the wardrobe studio
The set designer
Long before your session starts, I’m dreaming up the set: sourcing furniture, painting walls, styling props, and building scenes from the floor up. Every set in our studio is designed in-house, which is why a Kirby session has a look all its own.
My set design work reaches well past our walls, too. I create original backdrops for Katebackdrop that photographers all over the country use in their own studios. So you might be photographed on an original design here, then see your cousin in Tulsa with their baby on the very same set. Very cool!
One roof, two studios
Walk in and you’re welcomed first by our Family Studio. Keep going and you’ll find our Intimate Portrait Studio. Each one has its own sets, its own feel, and its own kind of magic.
A warm, inviting space with multiple camera rooms and expansive closets. It's the perfect backdrop for newborns, birthdays, seniors, and every chapter in between.
See the studio & sets
From solo sessions exploring your essence to couples portraits full of love and authenticity, our sets are designed to spark confidence for everyone, regardless of gender. Some sets overlap with the family side, but the spice always stays tucked away. We are a family-friendly space, first and always.
Step into the LoungeReal talk
That’s the biggest crock I’ve ever heard, and somehow also true. Every day I’m filled with joy that I get to do something I love. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. It’s late nights, coffee-fueled marathons, and missing friends’ brunches while I’m out here building an empire.
Every epic shot you see took hours of designing, hunting down the perfect props, and building sets. Every set and every session is a labor of love, and I pour my heart and soul (and lots of dolla-dollas!) into each one. I’m not just snapping photos. I’m capturing stories, making memories, and adding a little sparkle to the world.
I help kids feel like the rockstars their parents already see them as.
Family sessionsI help women discover their inner goddess and realize they're so much more than they ever knew.
Boudoir 21+Those steamy couples photos? They're not just pictures. They're a rekindling of connection and a reminder of love's magic.
Couples boudoirTo every client and follower who has stood by me through the ups, the downs, and a location change or two: thank you. You've brought me to tears of gratitude (the good kind... okay, maybe the ugly-cry kind too). Thank you for being my rockstars!
How creativity works here
Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest: beautiful images are everywhere and trends move fast. That shared visual language is part of modern photography, and it’s worth understanding. Here’s how inspiration fits into your session, and what you can expect from me.
Saved images help me understand what resonates with you: the mood, styling, energy, and emotion. What inspiration isn't is a shot list. I don't memorize boards or recreate another photographer's work. I take what you're drawn to and translate it through my own artistic voice, experience, and understanding of you.
Two volleyball seniors may share a pose. Two newborns drawn to the same aesthetic may look familiar. That's not copying. It's a shared visual language. What makes your session unique is you: expression, body language, connection, timing, and emotion can't be duplicated.
I design sets and choose locations that photograph beautifully, consistently, and safely. Sometimes a favorite set comes back because it works and clients love it. That consistency is part of my professionalism, and within it I always look for ways to make your images personal.
I pour my heart, time, and creativity into every session. I never share one client's inspiration with another, and I don't set out to repeat anyone else's story. In a world shaped by trends, absolute originality is rare. What I protect is the experience, the connection, and the way your story is told.
Your session is unique because you are. That is where the art lives.
Off the clock
When I’m not behind the camera, you’ll find me juggling the beautiful chaos of life as a wife and mom of two, planning my next trip as a travel enthusiast, and always looking for new ways to learn and grow.
Some of our families have been with me for nearly 19 years. I photographed their babies as newborns, and now I’m taking their senior pictures. That’s the kind of relationship I hope to build with you.
Enough about me
Tell me what you’re dreaming of, and together we’ll create portraits that reflect the true essence of who you are.