Today we’d like to introduce you to Roxanne Engstrom.
Hi Roxanne, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hawa Images started with a journey: most people don’t hate how they look in photos they do sometime hate how unseen they feel in them or how their story is told without consideration or consent. I spent 4 years in East Africa working and partnering with amazing people and something about the way relationships were built there. They were built slowly, honestly, face to face completely and this experience rewired how I thought about photography. For me I saw it play out in ways that feel like extraction instead of co-creation. I knew there had to be a better way! It was about the trust that has to exist before the camera even comes out.
So when I came home and started Hawa Images, I built it around that idea: people over pictures. My faith is at the center of how I approach this work too and every session is consent-based, relationship-first, and rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to be photographed by someone who actually sees them, not just someone pointing a lens at them.
What started as brand photography has grown into something bigger as I help people with brands and businesses tell their whole story, not just get a headshot. That means brand guides, shoot prep, and a process that helps them show up and celebrate what they have built and step into a new confidence in what they are building. Two years in, Raleigh has become home, and the throughline hasn’t changed: I’m still in the business of helping people feel like themselves in front of a camera, maybe for the first time.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Honestly, no and I’ve made peace with that because it probably never will and anything worth doing can be hard somedays. I built this business while raising four kids and learning to thrive living with a chronic illness, which means comparing myself to others was never going to work for me. I had to learn early on to define success on my own terms, not by anyone else’s calendar or content schedule. Keeping first things first: faith, family, then business has meant some seasons of slower growth. I’m okay with that because alignment is a way bigger flex than a paycheck is.
I was diagnosed with MS a few years in to building my business. That was a life changing time and still requires so much ongoing self care and grace for myself. This was such a hard shift but the kind that forces you to ask what you’re actually building and why. Not long after, we moved across the country from the Chicago are to the Raleigh area, which meant starting over in a brand-new market: new clients, new community, no reputation to lean on. Just the work, and the belief that “people over pictures” would still hold true wherever I planted it. I invested in relationships and the result has been a business more aligned than ever before!
It hasn’t been smooth. But smooth was never really the goal. Every hard season taught me something about resilience, boundaries, and what I actually want this business to look like which, honestly, has made Hawa Images better and more me than it would’ve been otherwise.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a skeptical hype woman- we start with what s real and I get curious about my clients and we co- create magic! What sets my business apart is my intentional, strategy-first approach. I don’t simply deliver professional photographs; I create a visual brand experience that aligns with each client’s mission, values, and goals. Through thoughtful planning and collaboration, I help clients uncover the unique story that only they can tell. The result is a collection of authentic, purposeful images that not only look beautiful but also become valuable marketing assets (and my typical gallery is 150-300 images!).
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
can i get another question or don’t use this one?
maybe approach and why it is different?
At the heart of my work are ethics, intentionality, and genuine connection. I believe every person has a story worth telling, and I create an environment where clients feel comfortable being themselves. Those authentic moments become the images that resonate most deeply with their audience.
Creativity is my gift, but strategy is what transforms that creativity into measurable impact. Every gallery is curated with versatility in mind, providing content clients can use across websites, social media, marketing campaigns, speaking engagements, and publications. My clients leave with more than professional photographs—they leave with the confidence to show up authentically, communicate their value, and share their story with purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hawaimages.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hawaimages/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawaimages/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxanne-engstrom/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@roxanneengstrom-hawaimages
- Other: https://roxengstrom.com/
