We recently connected with Allison Maxwell and have shared our conversation below.

Allison, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

Back in college, I documented everything, from late-night pizza runs to impromptu dorm dance parties with my trusty point-and-shoot camera. Fast forward a couple of years, and I’m marrying my college sweetheart in our university town, with friends capturing all those pre-wedding moments on that same beloved camera.

When my college boyfriend and I got married, that same camera captured all our special weekend moments and our perfect Cancun honeymoon…until the last day. We were enjoying drinks and nachos poolside when we turned to find my bag had been stolen…along with my camera. All those irreplaceable memories just… gone. We searched everywhere, I cried a lot, and eventually we settled for one poorly lit palm tree photo as our only honeymoon keepsake.

Fast forward seven years… I’d built my photography career and was sitting in our living room in Richmond, Virginia when a complete stranger from Colorado messaged my husband on Facebook. She’d found a random SD card in her suitcase after her own Cancun trip only to find pictures of an engagement party, a “Congratulations Jake and Allison” sign, wedding prep shots, beach couple photos…

So she did what women on the internet do best, and she turned into the FBI. Somehow, she tracked us down just to make sure our memories got back to us. How that SD card survived seven years in Cancun only to find its way into her specific suitcase remains a beautiful mystery.

The photos themselves aren’t technically impressive—they’re blurry, underexposed, nothing I’d include in my portfolio today. But they’re some of the most valuable images I have.

Those “technically” garbage photos matter more to me than the most perfectly lit, expertly composed images in my portfolio and every time I look at them, they remind me the true value of photographs goes far beyond just pixels on a screen.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I photographed my first family back in 2012. At that point, I had a decent camera, didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, and had the luxury of time to do some soul searching. So, I picked up my camera and asked a few friends if I could take pictures of their families. After a LOT of practice and learning, I eventually built enough skill and confidence to find myself photographing weddings full-time.

A few years into this venture, my husband and I decided to grow our family. I knew I wasn’t ready to pack up my camera, but I felt that my wedding days might be coming to an end. I wanted to be present with my family, not working long weekends to pay the bills. There’s often this misconception within the photography industry that the only way to make a living as a photographer is if you’re photographing weddings. That didn’t seem fair to me, so I decided to build a business that was both sustainable and allowed me to create the schedule and life rhythm I wanted.

My family moved to Central Arkansas in August of 2023. It was the second time I had to restart my business in a new state, and trust me, it is NOT for the faint of heart. Shortly after we arrived, I dove headfirst into marketing myself. I reached out to a couple of small businesses to pitch collaboration ideas (because everything is better in partnership!), and the way it has snowballed since then has truly blown me away.

What I’m most proud of now are my Playful Portrait pop-ups. I partner with local businesses, bringing my portable white backdrop and lighting equipment into their spaces to host 5-minute back-to-back sessions for KIDS! Families pay a session fee to reserve a spot ahead of time, then purchase only the images they love after their album is delivered. These pop-ups have become wildly popular—20+ time slots sell out nearly every single time! They’re fast, they’re fun, and they’re EASY for families.

I’m now able to do what I love and serve families who appreciate my work, without feeling burnt out or missing out on time with my own kids. I’ve built a business model that lets me capture special moments for others while still being present for the ones happening in my own home.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Do something new and different. Partner with other businesses. Find the gap and fill it.

The photography market is so wildly oversaturated. I’ve been in business in 3 different states, and I can tell you one thing for sure: there is never going to be a shortage of photographers.

I am proud of my work. I think my pictures are beautiful! But lots of photographers have beautiful work, and many of them cost less than I do! So, I had to ask myself: what sets me apart? Why should anyone invest in ME, when there are so many other options?

This mindset is what has driven a lot of the decisions and processes I have implemented for my business. When I started partnering with other businesses, it did two things: (1) it widened all of our audiences, and (2) it created a small business community and some really special friendships.

Look for opportunities to do something new, and get creative with how you can partner with others to bring it to life. Don’t view other businesses as a means to get what you want, but look for opportunities to serve them as well. Small business life is so much more fun in partnership!!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Childhood is fleeting. In a blink, these babies are pre-teens, with the weight of the world on their shoulders. There will come a day when our kids will care how others view them and what people say about them. They’ll start to make decisions based on the status quo, not what they want for themselves. And it will all happen way before we’re ready.

I already see this playing out in real-time with my own children—my 7-year-old is already noticing what the “cool kids” wear while my 4-year-old still belts out made-up songs in the Costco checkout line.

Kids should be free to be kids. I want them to be fully and unapologetically themselves for as long as their little brains and hearts will let them. When I photograph family sessions or Playful Portraits, my number one priority is to make sure the little ones feel safe and comfortable. I don’t want to bribe them into smiles with gummies or ice cream (though there’s no shame in ice cream, let me tell you…), but I want to connect with them through playful engagement.

Just last night, my oldest lost another tooth and suddenly her smile looks completely different than in photos from three weeks ago. These phases pass just like all the others—and that right there is what we’re after during these photos.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://allisonmaxwell.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/allisonwmaxwell
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/allisonmaxwellphotography

Image Credits

Allison Maxwell Photography