We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sarahmae Atchley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, SarahMae thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?

To be honest, I think it can feel a bit awkward to ask friends and family to support your business. It’s great when support happens naturally and respectfully, but pressuring them is not the best approach. It’s important not to make them feel uncomfortable or obligated to choose you over someone else.

For me, the line is crossed when they assume I’ll do things for free just because we’re friends or family. As a creative, my time and effort have value from start to finish, and it’s essential to respect that.

I’ve never pressured anyone to support my business, I don’t think. Sometimes you just have to make sure you’re aware of their response if you mention it and if they are a little hesitant, then try again another day in a different way. Maybe wait for them to bring it up and see if they want to be apart of your next project!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hey friends! I’m SarahMae, a Portrait & Pet Photographer.

Married to my best friend and sharing life with our energetic corgi, I’ve found endless inspiration in capturing the everyday magic around us. My love for photography grew alongside my love for our furry family member, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Growing up, I was often in front of the camera as my parents captured countless moments of me and my sister. Those memories sparked my curiosity, and I started experimenting with their film camera, then a Canon PowerShot, and later upgraded to my first Canon Rebel t6i in 2018. By the end of 2022, I upgraded again to a Canon DSLR 6D Mark III.

I love being behind the camera, shaping my own perspective, and turning moments into timeless images. My style is all about capturing real-life moments—lifestyle, natural, candid, bright, and fun.

I’d be honored to turn your precious memories into lasting works of art!

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I use to have a full-time job doing data entry at a desk 8 hours a week day. On the weekends, I would have time/energy to take photos and edit. After 5 years of my full time job and building my portfolio, I decided to turn my side hustle into a full time job. It has been a process. A year after quitting my full time desk job, I was slowly getting my full time photography going but then our little family had a change… a good one! We moved across the country. So now, I have to start over in a new city/state, rebuilding my portfolio and trying to market my business to have clients! It’s a process and takes time,

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is having my own perspective, my own schedule, and doing it all at my own pace.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.SarahMaePhotos.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmaephotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahMaePhotography