Today we’d like to introduce you to Meagan Waller.
Meagan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have had a passion for capturing the world around me since I can remember, and I truly mean that. My Uncle, Chris Coombs, sent me a photo about two years ago of him and his friend and my great grandmother that was clearly taken back in the ’90s. I thought it was a bit strange that the photo was taken from the floor where it was basically an “up the nose, double chin” kinda shot. It turns out I was the one behind the camera. He said, “Here’s the first photo you ever took. You were about three years old. You grabbed my camera and started taking pictures of everyone.” And that’s where my photography story begins.
I dabbled in taking pictures all throughout my childhood, and I’m pretty sure my mom got mad at me several times for taking her camera and never putting it back. I officially picked photography back up in 2016 and have been practicing ever since. I continue to look at every session I do as a learning opportunity because I still have room to grow but knowing that someone out there chose me to capture their memories that they will be looking at for years to come brings tears to my eyes. Like, I really do get emotional when I talk about it!
Over the years I’ve been shooting, I have met so many incredible people, and some have even become great friends. People are probably tired of reading my post talking about how thankful and blessed I am to capture special moments, but I just can’t help it because it’s so true. I wouldn’t be able to do what I love if it wasn’t for all the people who have supported and encouraged me along the way.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Challenges are always there, but that’s not a bad thing! Whether they are physical (I don’t have enough time to pursue this passion) or mental (I will never be nearly as good as “so and so”), they are present in everyday life… especially when you run your own business. There have been several valleys that I’ve gone through to get to where I am today, but I am so thankful for them. All challenges, in my opinion, are learning opportunities and opportunities to grow where you never thought you would. If it wasn’t for little setbacks, I would not be where I am today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Portrait photography is my thing, and I love it! I shoot anything from seniors in high school or college to weddings, and I love how unique each session is and the people I get to meet along the way.
My editing style has changed over the course of my career, and boy, oh, boy am I thankful it has. I use to be super light and airy, but over the past two years, I have found myself adding more contrast and vividness to my images. I would consider my editing style to be somewhere between light and airy and dark and moody. It’s a pretty good mixture.
*Here’s a fun side note that will probably make you cringe because when I think about it, I sure do. When I first started out.. like the very beginning before, I considered myself shooting professionally… I would edit all my photos in VSCO. YIKES! (Insert palm to forehead emoji here.)
After that fun fact, I am super proud of how far I have come in this career.
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
It’s all about community over competition, and supporting other small businesses is something I am so passionate about. We all started somewhere, and if it wasn’t for other photographers in the community reaching out to me when I first started officially in 2016, offering opportunities for me to tag along to sessions to learn basics such as composition and lighting, I don’t know what I would do. I look back and think about those moments, and now here I am, having photographers reaching out to me and asking to tag along to sessions. It’s just such a blessing watching everything come full circle.
I say all of that because I am constantly learning new things and would love more opportunities to get out and practice alongside other photographers, whether it’s at a session, a workshop, or just critiquing sessions. ALSO! Social Media is such a powerful thing. I follow so many photographers that I look to as inspiration, and when one of the comments on a post I make or likes the images I captured, you would think I won a million dollars. Support virtually (sharing Facebook posts, like the Instagram post) is always something worth doing.
Contact Info:
- Email: simplymeaganphoto@gmail.com
- Website: simplymeagan.mypixieset.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplymeaganphotography/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplymeaganphotography
Image Credits
Simply Meagan Photography
