We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Meredith Maag. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Meredith below.

Meredith, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

When we had our daughter, Hattie, who is now three, we were living in Austin, Texas away from all of our family and friends in Ohio. At the time, we were somewhat active in a local church, and I had served with a woman, McKay, a handful of times in the nursery. She was always so kind and I looked forward to serving with her, but I didn’t know her very well outside of our few encounters on Sunday mornings.

Much to my surprise, about two months after Hattie was born and all of our family had come and gone, I received an email from McKay. First, she apologized for not reaching out sooner then offered to serve me and my family a door-dropped dinner. She even offered to come in and hold Hattie so I could shower in peace! Her email instantly brought me to tears. Little did she know, her timing was more than perfect. My husband had a gracious paternity leave but had started traveling weekly for work again. Not only did McKay drop of a delicious dinner that lasted me the entire week, but the following week a woman from her women’s group whom I had never met, door dropped me a meal as well.

These two acts of kindness far surpass the surface level of simply serving a new mom a homecooked meal, and I still get emotional talking about their kind hearts. To me, these two women are powerful examples of the impact we can make in our communities when we choose joy and kindness. By rallying around me, they made me feel loved and supported during a time when I felt pretty lonely, and little did I know these acts of kindness would become a huge part of my business model when launching Meredith Maag Photography two years later.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve had a camera in my hand for as long as I can remember, but in January 2021, after years of waiting, the time was finally right to pursue a career in photography, and I immediately knew my focus: motherhood. As a motherhood photographer, my ultimate priority is to be a blessing to every single mom that walks through my door by capturing the moments they will cherish forever.

My entire business focuses on serving the person who is always busy serving everyone else– mom. We all know that family photos can feel like a chore, but my goal is to take all of the planning and guesswork out of the portrait experience to make it fun and memorable again! Moms are so busy, and their time is valuable. I know that soaking in those long-awaited newborn snuggles or making memories with loved ones is way more important than coordinating their family’s wardrobe while planning their portrait session. I know because I’ve been there, too, and I want to take care of the details so my clients can spend their time where it matters most.

This is why I created a full-service and stress-free experience that takes care of every single detail for my clients. The Meredith Maag experience was is created off of the experience I wish I had when my daughter was a newborn. Really, all my clients need to do is show up! My curated client wardrobe has options for entire families, I am happy to coordinate professional hair and makeup services from one of my trusted artists, and I walk clients through choosing and designing artwork that best fits their unique family. We even offer complimentary installation! In addition to photography, I also offer heartfelt session films, which are always a client favorite! Session films have a special way of documenting emotion and connection that photographs cannot.

I am currently offering maternity, newborn, milestone, and family photography sessions at my natural light, Brookside studio, in-home lifestyle, or on-location. I also host two events each year: The Santa and Holiday Event in November and The Motherhood Event in April. I’m also happy to announce the addition of branding photography for woman-owned brands!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My photography business was placed on my heart back in 2016 when I was still working as a high school English and journalism teacher. While teaching is an extremely fulfilling career, I knew I was being prepared for something greater. One of my main goals in life is to serve and connect with others, and I feel so fortunate that I can do that in a creative way that brings so much joy to my life and the lives of my clients.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The relationships I gain through my clients is, hands down, the most rewarding part of my job. I am honored and humbled at the number of clients who have and continue to entrust me to document their special moments. I say it frequently, but the Meredith Maag Photography community is the best– so kind and so supportive. From the start, my clients quickly helped make Kansas City feel like home, and I’m forever grateful to be here and on this journey with them!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.meredithmaagphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meredithmaagphotography/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/meredithmaagphoto/

Image Credits
Meredith Maag Photography