My family has always taken photographs, whether for holidays, special trips, or just because we were gathered together. All (okay… most) of those ended up in photo albums. We have a bookcase of photo albums, documenting our lives.  Some of those albums, however, didn’t survive well; you know the kind with the peel-back plastic over strips of adhesive? Wanting to better preserve the images and the stories behind them, I became a scrapbook consultant. 

In over a decade of teaching scrapbooking classes, I realized that I did not see very many pictures of “mom” in those memory books. She was usually too busy taking pictures to be in them, or the snapshots that did exist she didn’t want to include because she didn’t like the way she looked. This bugged me… a lot… but other than encouraging them to step out in front more often, I wasn’t sure what to do.

Inspiration to start my portrait photography business came from the moms who asked if I was a professional photographer in addition to scrapbook consulting. I wasn’t truly comfortable as anything more than serving as photo historian of my own family, and guide for them, however.

The idea became fully enabled, finally, by my “little” brother, who gave me my first digital SLR camera for my birthday. Best thing ever, and it changed my life! I’m not sure either of us realized the impact of that most thoughtful gift. I had a little digital point-and-shoot, but it just didn’t make pretty pictures like my film camera. Now I had “real” camera that did what I wanted it to do.

I started searching out books and classes to learn more about going pro… and I got my first business license on May 19, 2010, in Virginia Beach. I was riding an inspirational high following a two-day online conference on the business of photography. It was the last day of my job at a nonprofit from which I was being downsized. I was feeling froggy, so I jumped. It has been an incredible journey that has introduced me to so many of my friends and has taught me so very much.

My first sessions were, of course, thrilling… and frustrating… and rewarding… and true learning experiences. I look back now, almost ten years later, and cringe a little bit at the quality of those early shots. Thank you for those brave subjects who gave me the opportunity to grow!

The photos here are from two of those early sessions. I couldn’t just leave them as they were, so beside them is a more-current edit that’s closer to what I wish I had done then. Still not great... or "finished" as I like them now.... These copies don’t have the highest pixel count, and I can’t re-take ten-year-old images to hit the focus or adjust the lighting, white balance, posing, etc., but this was 2010.

In the beginning... In the beginning, I didn't really know what I was doing.... In the beginning... In the beginning, I didn't really know what I was doing....

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Ready for some great photographs? BETTER THAN THESE !? Let’s get to know each other over coffee (or smoothies… or milkshakes…), and talk about celebrating your life’s true beauty in images you love. You can reach me at [email protected] or (434) 226-0365. You can also schedule a consultation at https://calendly.com/maggietakespix; pick a time convenient for you, and let me know where you'd like to meet!

My Promise: Together, we will create amazing photos you’ll want to share. How do you want to be photographed?