Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Cooper.
Maggie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
For as long as I can remember, I have always loved photography. I was the weird kid in high school who carried a camera everywhere, capturing all of the moments and memories happening around me. At the time, I didn’t realize just how important those photos would become.
As I finished college and got a “normal” job, that love for photography slowly took a back seat, and for a while I lost touch with the creative part of myself.
Like many others, everything changed for me in 2020.
In March of that year, my mother passed away suddenly. Soon after came lockdown, being laid off from my job, and a complete rush of confusion about who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. It was a season where everything felt uncertain. The only thing I knew for sure was that life is short, and I didn’t want to waste the time I had.
During that time, I found myself looking through old family photos more than ever. One in particular stands out, a photo of my brother and me with our mom at his wedding. That image brought me joy, grief, gratitude, and everything in between. It reminded me that photographs are more than pictures. They are connections to the people and moments we never want to lose.
In that moment, I remembered why photography mattered.
When I picked up my camera again later that year, it felt like reconnecting with an old friend. The passion I thought I had lost came rushing back, and after photographing my first wedding, I knew I had found something special. My husband jokes that I have the “I can do that” trait. Once I set my mind to something, I can’t help but try.
What started as a creative outlet quickly turned into something much bigger. I invested in learning, building relationships, and refining my craft, and before long, photography became not just my passion again, but my career.
As my business grew, I realized my strength wasn’t just taking photos but understanding their weight. Because of my own experiences with loss, I approach weddings differently. I know these images aren’t just for today. They are for decades from now, for the moments when someone wants to remember a laugh, a hug, or someone who is no longer here.
I still remember my first wedding, my first styled shoot, and the first time imposter syndrome started to fade. Those moments keep me grounded and remind me what an honor it is to be trusted with someone’s memories.
Over the years, I’ve found myself drawn to couples who have experienced loss or who simply understand, in their own way, how quickly life can change. Their stories stay with me.
Six years later, what I know for sure is this. Life moves fast, and the moments we think we’ll remember forever are often the ones that fade first. My job isn’t just to take beautiful photos. It is to preserve the people, stories, and memories that matter most, so my couples can return to them again and again.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
On top of the emotional weight of grief and uncertainty, I was also dealing with self-doubt as I rebuilt my skills, stepped into weddings for the first time, and learned how to run a business from the ground up. There were a lot of moments of imposter syndrome and questioning whether I really belonged in this space, especially early on. But even in the hardest parts, I kept coming back to why I started. Photography had already shown me its value in my own life, and that sense of purpose is what carried me through the uncertainty and ultimately shaped the way I work today.
How do you think about luck?
I have never really described myself as “lucky.” In fact, I’ve probably leaned more toward the opposite in certain seasons of my life. But over time, I’ve come to see that luck isn’t the whole story.
Picking up my camera again wasn’t really luck. It was more about needing something that felt grounding and familiar in the middle of chaos. Still, I can recognize that there were moments of timing that played a part in my story, and I don’t take those lightly.
I do believe we have a hand in creating the opportunities we step into. For example, I could say I was lucky to have a supportive spouse, but really it’s about having the right person in my life at the right time and building a relationship rooted in intention. I could also call it luck that when I was looking for a camera again, my best friend happened to be selling hers, but I also think it’s about being open to noticing and acting on those moments when they show up.
From there, it became a lot of learning, trial and error, and saying yes to opportunities before I ever felt fully ready. Confidence didn’t come all at once. It came slowly, through experience and consistency, and a lot of behind-the-scenes work that most people never see.
So while there were moments of timing that worked in my favor, what has really carried me forward is intention, persistence, and staying connected to the reason I started in the first place.
Pricing:
- My wedding packages begin at $1299.
- My engagement packages begin at $199.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://maggieannphoto.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/maggieannphoto
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/maggieannphoto
- Other: https://www.zola.com/wedding-vendors/wedding-photographers/maggie-ann-photography
