We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mariah Wynkoop a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Mariah, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?
Absolutely, I take vacations! The old adage that you cannot pour from an empty cup is so very true.
When I started my business, I was working a full time job as an engineer and also full time in my business as well. I was taking PTO in my day job to work my business instead of actually recouping. It drained me to the point that I felt like I had lost my creativity and my drive.
Vacations are essential to my creativity and my passion for what I do. I do take my phone and answer the occasional email or text message, but I do not take my computer with me.
Everything around us goes through seasons and periods of rest, so why as humans do we think we’re any different?
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hello! I’m Mariah and am the owner and photographer at Wynkoop Photography.
We specialize in weddings, elopements and couples and are STRONGLY passionate about doing your wedding, your way. From the traditional, Catholic Mass to the non traditional adventure elopement, I absolutely love capturing each and every love story. Every couple and their relationship isn’t the same, so why should your wedding be? I work with all couples, all stories, all backgrounds. Love is love and should be celebrated!
I have a different background than most creative entrepreneurs in that I have a Chemical Engineering degree from Colorado School of Mines. I worked as an engineer for over 11 years before going full time in my business.
I’ve been passionate about photography since I was in middle school with my dad’s film camera (over 20 years ago!) I captured my first wedding in 2015 and absolutely fell in love with the beauty of capturing love stories. I still cry at most vows and other beautiful moments through wedding days.
With my background in engineering, I’m a very type A organized person that loves creating timelines with my couples. I love being creative while also striving for the best possible experience for each of my couples. Most come as strangers but leave as friends, and I am so incredibly thankful for that!
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
I mentioned in the main section that I actually have a Chemical Engineering Degree and worked as an engineer for 11 years. I was good at math and science and felt like I needed a career that would make me money.
I photographed my first wedding in 2015 for a good friend for free, and absolutely fell in love with capturing love stories. I started my photography business in Texas at the time and really didn’t do much with it.
I moved to Colorado in 2018, got married in 2019 and started Wynkoop Photography after my name change in January of 2020. When COVID hit, it was apparent that my full time, engineering job was no longer as stable or as solid as I had thought. I started building my business in the summer of 2020, moved to Oklahoma in 2022, had my little one, and really put the effort in to going full time after he was born. I went full time in July of 2023 and am absolutely loving running my business full time while being a stay at home momma as well.
I love talking the journey to full time and love connecting with others on their own journeys.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding thing about being an artist is the moments right after the gallery is delivered. It’s the “OMG, I LOVE THESE” texts and the “I AM OBSESSED” with a large number of emojis emails. (I still get ridiculously nervous every time I hit that send button!)
It’s knowing that the experience with me made their wedding day less stressful than they anticipated but gaining new friends in the process.
It’s knowing that my work will be what’s printed in their homes and hung on family room walls.
It’s knowing that my work will be what they show their children and grandchildren.
It’s knowing that my work is a timeless, heirloom for all of my couples.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wynkoopphoto.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wynkoopphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wynkoopphotography
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Photo of me taken by Ashley Rachelle Imagery, Edited by me All other images @WynkoopPhotography