We recently connected with Maddie Shutes and have shared our conversation below.

Maddie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Out of the work I’ve done, the most meaningful project to me has to be photographing one of my best friends & models, Ella. A couple years ago, she was diagnosed with stage 4 Fibrolamellar carcinoma; a horrible, aggressive & rare liver cancer that has affected every aspect of her life, including her image of herself. She lives in Colorado, but I am lucky enough to be able to visit her multiple times a year. On one of my recent trips out, we had the opportunity for an impromptu photoshoot in a creek in the mountains. For the first time since her diagnosis, she was ready to be photographed. No thick clothes to cover her scars, no bandaids over her chemo port, & no wig. Even though she was the most sick she had been, she was just happy to be there in the sun & water posing again & for the first time since her diagnosis, she truly looked radiant & felt that way too. I could not ask for a more rewarding experience. I will cherish that moment & those photos for a lifetime.

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 have loved photography for as long as I can remember, but never did anything about my passion until a few years ago. Just grabbing my camera & venturing out in the world to snap a shot of anything is what kept that love for photos going until I started my business, Maddie Shutes Photography. I always would work with friends as models & do a lot of landscape photography, but now I offer portraits of all kinds: fashion, family, headshots, boudoir, pets, parties, & I am working on creating my own niche in the business! I think what sets me apart is not only the niche I have conceptualized, but the willingness I have to do whatever it takes for the perfect shot. My motto is “empowered people empower people,” so I will never ask my clients to do anything I wouldn’t do. I want my past, present, & future clientele to keep in mind that I will help them to always feel empowered, confident, & secure, even in their most vulnerable states.

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

Personally, I think life flashes us by & everything is constantly changing around us. I’ve always loved photography because of the idea that nothing lasts forever, but a moment can in a photo. Keeping that in mind, helps me to stay driven. Yes, I love scheduled photoshoots, but quickly pulling out my camera to catch my best friends being goofballs, my boyfriend playing his guitar at our place, or seeing people dance in public…those are the moments I live to capture & will always remind me to keep shooting.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The most misconstrued concept with creating in photography is thinking that it’s as easy as a point & click. That is not the case & if it were I would be out of a job. For me, the process starts with a vision. Some creatives do mood boards, go off of location, or build an idea with their clients. From there, you have to have the gear & let me tell you, it’s all about the lens. When you have the lens, then it’s up to the photographer to pose you, adjust lighting, make sure your hair isn’t flying away or is in your face, fix any clothing issues, & then focus on taking the photos at the right angles, distance, & viewpoint. After that, then it’s time to get to work: editing. There are hundreds of different editing programs out there & millions of ways to edit a photo, so at that point, it’s all about perspective & creative outlook. I have struggled in the past to find my sweet spot in all of these aspects, but the more I work & the more I connect with my inner creator, the better it gets.

Contact Info:

• Website: Instagram.com/shutesforthepeople
• Instagram: @shutesforthepeople
• Other: Email for all booking inquiries is maddieshutesphotography@gmail.com

Image Credits
Models: Ella Neal Jasmin Tafreshi Christopher Trimmer Myself