We were lucky to catch up with Brooke Macko recently and have shared our conversation below.

Brooke, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Have you ever worked on a project and, after it is completed, see how someone takes what you have created and make an impact on the world?

Those projects are beyond meaningful.

In the last couple of years, I worked with a beautiful charity called Maggie’s Sole Mission that delivers shoes to children in schools who are in need. I’ve watched the founder push tirelessly to raise funds and deliver needed shoes in memory of her mother. To see how she has used photographs to convey her mission and to raise more money this year than ever before was extremely meaningful.

Brooke, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Sitting at my desk, working on a spreadsheet – who would have thought I would go from accountant to photographer?

The journey from an accountant to a photographer looks like 180-degree turn, but soon enough I realized that my brain was waiting all along for me to catch on to the fact that my love of reading and stories primed me to think like a photographer.

No wonder I was fascinated with how shadow and light traveled through my office during the day.

Portrait photography began in 2010. I left the excel spreadsheet world shortly thereafter. But I wasn’t quite ready to fully surrender to photography and balanced it with teaching fitness classes.

Even though I did not realize it at the time, teaching fitness classes taught me that just because I am introverted doesn’t mean I can’t go into the community and meet great people while making a difference.

Every little road that, on the surface, looked like a detour had purpose built into it.

Fast-forward to 2018, I began working with local singer-songwriters in portrait photography. This opened a new perspective about what stories photography could tell. The branding visuals took on new life.

Now I love spending time with folks talking about their life, their business, their music, their family. All the parts. That’s why it’s my photography tag line is “Tell Your Story.”

These days, I work with music artists, website and brand designers’ clients, and families.

And yes, I still use spreadsheets but haven’t used Vlookup in a while. IYKYK.

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

I consider it a privilege to be a creative. And my mission is to use my creativity and business to be a positive catalyst.

Can you remember a time in your life when someone really didn’t care about where you were headed? A parent? A co-worker? A boss? A business partner? A collaborator? It’s awful and takes the wind out of sails.

As a photographer, I get to be a problem-solver, capture beauty and stories. It’s a privilege to get to care and be a part of someone’s path.

This privilege drives me to work harder, listen more, and constantly learn and improve my skills.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

What happens when you have a child? In a pandemic? And are trying to ramp up your photography business?

Before I had my son, I was concerned with booking as many jobs as possible. Learning that this strategy didn’t particularly fit the type of mom I wanted to be pushed me to rethink my business strategy for the better.

In the last two years, I have focused on two main areas: (1) building relationships (2) being myself.

Being an accountant was a world of soft colors and smaller personality and big spreadsheets. While I can appreciate all three of these things immensely, I hid my quirkiness and my creative side. It has taken some time to let my guard down.

I love that the more I let my guard down, the more I am enjoying my clients and projects. The lesson learned is that the more you are yourself, the better you can build a relationship.

The reality is that building relationships takes time and effort but is more meaningful and brings the volume over time.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.macka-photography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mackaphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/macka.photo.light
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-macko-470a8531/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/mackaphotography.moody/