Daily Inspiration: Meet Peyton Hayes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Peyton Hayes

Hi Peyton , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Magazine interview

I always loved when the camcorder got brought out as a kid. Something about documenting a moment of time and cherishing it forever lit up some sort of fireworks inside of me. My mom had gotten a beginner level cannon camera that slowly began to collect dust on the shelves, and so I decided to take it in as my own. I never took any photography classes, but I was always taking some sort of marketing or entrepreneurship class, As I started to get into photography, I realize pretty quickly that I had a business and a product to sell that I was obsessed with!! I decided that I was gonna make it happen no matter how hard it was. I remember being in middle school and thinking that I was never gonna work for anybody else but myself I just wasn’t really sure what that was yet. Delusion? Blind confidence? Whatever it was… I’ll take two of them please!! My whole junior year of high school. I spent reaching out to all of my friends and just taking as many pictures as I could to get my name out there. Athletics was always my main focus, so when Covid hit in March of 2020 and my club volleyball team and my high school tennis team all got shut down at once, I decided to officially launch my business in the midst of a pandemic. I was living in Olympia, Washington at the time and they took Covid pretty dang serious. I was booking shoots for 50 bucks and I felt like I had made it haha! My parents owned a restaurant my whole life and Covid slowly, but surely took that out. My family called me on the phone and told me we were moving to Southern Utah in eight days, three days before my senior year started. Sorry? Come again??? As 17-year-old girls are naturally dramatic, I bet you could assume that I felt like my life was over. I didn’t realize how easy I had it starting a business in the town I knew everybody in. It was officially over… kinda.. I was still extremely confident I was gonna figure it out, I always thought photography classes were a waste my time and so I really wanted to participate in the school yearbook, but you had to apply the year prior. I wasn’t gonna let that go that easily. I went to the teacher and showed him my Instagram/ portfolio. Luckily, he was impressed enough to not only allow me to join year book, but also to start referring me clients, which helped me get back in the mindset that starting this business wasn’t as ridiculous anymore.

I struggled to make friends for the first time in my life at this school, but it felt so damn good to walk through the hallways and see all of my pictures chosen out of the class to be hung up, framed, and I swear I could hear the angels singing as I passed them by.

I was working at some local coffee shops and used every single opportunity I could to ask people if I could take their pictures and I literally would try to tell everybody about my business. Eventually, I was able to quit and go full-time, but I was so burnt out from working non stop for others and myself that by the time I went full-time I just stopped working and I totally failed. After three months, I decided to go back to work at the coffee shop even though it felt like a huge step back. somebody told me, “It doesn’t have to be a step back, it’s a step in any direction” and that totally changed my perspective on the whole situation. After a few months of going back to work, I was able to get back on my feet and go full-time again and I’ve never looked back since. I’ve been lucky enough to document lovely couples in Paris, New York, LA, and many other beautiful places. I’ve met the most amazing incredible humans in love along the way. All I have to do is thank that little confident, delusional, dramatic little girl I was. I’m extremely passionate about encouraging anybody from anywhere to start that dang business because If I did it three separate times, I genuinely believe anybody can. And I hope they freaking do it because owning your own business is such a huge blessing. I am so so grateful for all the support I’ve gotten.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I definitely think the classic “comparison is the piece of joy” is a classic for a reason. It’s ridiculously easy to look at anybody and observe what they have going on without acknowledging that they have likely been in business for 6 to 10 years longer than you. Our day 100 is not gonna look like their day 928. I definitely had a few extended family members that laughed at the idea of my photography business and asked what my real life plan was. Which I responded, I’ll show you.

You just have to choose not to listen to those people because it’s coming from somebody that never believed in themselves enough to start their dream career. Instead of feeling hurt by these comments, I now just feel a huge wave of sympathy that they truly feel that way about their dreams.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a destination luxury wedding photographer. I specialize in love and all shapes and sizes and forms. I am proud of the bestie energy I provide each client. As a photographer, we possibly spend more time with you than your own spouse on your wedding day, you best believe I will be hyping you up, offering you water, and allowing you the space to feel every single emotion that arises. It doesn’t seem that complicated, but you would be surprised how a lot of photographers approach weddings with stressful and stiff energy. That’s the last thing the bride needs. This approach has allowed me to create very beautiful, natural, iconic, and candid moments that are 100% authentic to the wedding I am at. I refuse to approach weddings with routine and repetition. Every couple is so different, every love story is so different, so why would I photograph it with the same approach? I don’t simply pose, I direct in a way where each individual can interpret my direction uniquely to them.
I’m three steps ahead to capture moments that are authentically happening from lovely angels. I am proud of the variety I offer, I have a cohesive mix of a ton of different styles because I refuse to niche down and I am truly inspired by everything and everyone.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think we always have to take risks in order to move forward. You will never improve by doing the same thing, by copying what has worked for other people, and especially if you never take the time to try new things on your own. what’s really the point of creating art in the first place?
We as individuals are truly beyond unique. It’s crucial that we go above and beyond with exactly who we are. We all bring something unique to the table. This may sound silly, but one huge risk that I have taken, was allowing myself to rest the amount I should be. I see a lot of photographers in this industry are professional go go goers. Been there… done that. It’s definitely a blessing and a curse, but mainly a curse. I am still navigating this and I’ve learned that productive resting is sooo beneficial to the creative process. Sometimes it feels as if you take a day off or even set stricter business hours, you aren’t being as productive, and you will fall behind. REST IS PRODUCTIVE. We HAVE to rewrite this narrative. It’s so important that we are humans outside of our career and creations. That’s why we are ALIVE. Finding hobbies outside of work has only benefited my creative processes immensely. If you are an artist reading this, I’m sending you a hug, I’m proud of you, and you are doing AMAZING!!!! Keep it up!!!

Pricing:

• in state weddings start at $4,000
• Out of state cinematic couples shoots start at $2k
• In state cinematic couple shoots starts at $1k
• Out of state weddings starts at $5,500

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.peytonhayezphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peytonhayez/