Meet Samantha Maye | Wedding, Elopement, and Adventure Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Maye and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I think the most important factor behind my success has been persistence and dedication. Ever since I decided to start my photography business I’ve worked hard and never waited for things to come to me, I’ve gone out and actively worked to find opportunities. Opportunities to help me grow as a photographer, grow as a business owner, and to financially support myself. I’ve always tried to learn more and do more. It helps that I absolutely adore photography, editing, and learning. I’ve never had a job I cared more about or have been more invested in. I work hard to make sure I get the perfect image, over deliver, and have happy clients.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Hey there! I’m Samantha Maye, the photographer behind Maye.Be Take A Photo. I’m all about love and adventure, no matter what that looks like for my clients. I focus mostly on capturing weddings, elopements, engagements, and proposals in beautiful locations. My dream clients are couples who are wildly in love and adventurous and want to capture their relationship while making memories along the way. I’m always ready for adventures—I love getting to know my clients by creating fun experiences that are also photo-perfect. I’ve made so many friends in the photography business because I form great relationships with my clients and truly care about their stories. I enjoy getting to meet people who are just as excited about having their photos taken as I am to capture their moments.

I started photography because I wanted to be able to document my life better. I do a lot of traveling, and wanted to have a million memories to look back on, especially memories with my significant other and with my dog. I loved it so much that I started feeling drawn to capturing other people’s memories too. At the time, I had just finished my undergraduate degree and had applied to veterinary school, but I wasn’t feeling as sure about my chosen career path. I decided I would put veterinary medicine on hold and try new things, so I started a graduate program and launched Maye.Be Take A Photo. I didn’t start photography to make money or find a new career. I started to foster a passion, something I had never done before. As soon as I started offering photography services to clients, I realized that all parts of this business came naturally to me—from taking and editing pictures, to running and promoting my business, to communicating with clients and providing them with the best possible experience—and that I was absolutely on the right career path.

I think my photography style is perfect for Colorado because I absolutely love bold and colorful moments. I love the intersection of capturing stunning locations and people’s emotions—I want to do my subjects as much justice as the beautiful mountains, arches, and sunsets they’re in front of, and provide them with completely unique photos that are unlike anyone else’s. I like to seek beautiful lighting wherever I am, and I have a knack for finding the best locations and angles to not just document the moments, but also the gorgeous settings they occur in. I have the know-how and equipment to make locations like remote alpine lakes just as accessible to my clients as a small park in town. But I also highly value leaving no trace and never doing anything to harm the nature I’m so lucky to share with my couples.

I’m always adaptive to my clients’ wishes, to make sure I’m capturing what’s important to them—from big dramatic moments to little details—whether we’re documenting a once-in-a-lifetime event in real-time or setting up the perfect portrait. My editing process emphasizes color and making my clients pop and nature look untouched. I don’t accept anything less than perfection. But I’m also never afraid to try new things and make mistakes along the way to discover amazing, unexpected results.

I think one of the things that sets me apart from other photographers is that I’m never stuck in a box—I love listening to my clients’ ideas and turning them into reality. I have the knowledge and skills to facilitate photoshoots way out in nature, whether that means snowshoeing or off-roading to off-the-grid locations. But, I’m also more than capable at figuring out how to take the most stunning photos at whatever location or venue is in front of me.

In addition, I love helping my clients plan their perfect session—there is so much more to my job than just snapping photos. I can be an involved as my couples need to help every part of their day(s) go smoothly, including:

-Choosing an activity for an adventure session
-Timing sessions for the best lighting at different locations
-Picking amazing outfit(s)
-Orchestrating a perfectly timed surprise proposal
-Hiring other wedding vendors
-Writing the best commitment ceremony for each couple
-Creating an entire wedding timeline
-Brainstorming their ideal elopement and making it happen

Overall, I think the most important thing that sets me apart is that I really truly care about my clients and their stories. I want to make sure that whatever makes their love story unique is translated into their day and their photos. When clients hire me, they get so much more than just a photographer. They get a planning, creative, adventurous friend to bounce ideas off of and make shit happen. I’m going to be just as excited to be there, fix problems before they happen, and make the images better than they expected. My goal is not just to take beautiful photos of your day, but to help make sure your entire wedding or elopement is a success from start to finish.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a travel fanatic, so if my friend came into Denver I’d have us road-trip around Colorado and Southern Utah! We’d have to make a loop, making sure to hit Rocky Mountain National Park, the Maroon Bells, Silverthorne/Dillon, Ouray, and Moab. Rocky is my “home” national park—I spend at least a day there most weeks and know it like the back of my hand, so I’d have to show them at least the Bear Lake Corridor and Trail Ridge Road. From there, we’d have easy access to Silverthorne and Dillon, where we’d camp at some of my favorite campgrounds and off-roading spots (I love having an off-roading vehicle and a rooftop tent). While in town, we’d have to drive over Loveland Pass and stop at The Dillon Dam Brewery. From there we’d be able to go down to Leadville and maybe stop to check out Melanzana and buy yet another Melly, before heading to Aspen via Independence Pass. In Aspen, we’d check out Maroon Bells, and I’d probably try to convince my friend to stay up ’til the middle of the night to do some amazing astrophotography there. Before we left, we’d have to stop by the Aspen Thrift store, “just to look.” From there, I’d take us towards Moab to go hang out in the desert. I love the slot canyons, arches, and big views so much. We’d have to hit Arches National Park, the Needles District of Canyonlands, and some other hidden gems. In Moab, we’d have to stop and shop the town, before eating at The Spoke on Center or Moab Garage Co. To make our way back to Colorado, we’d drive down to Durango, before heading to Ouray over Million Dollar Highway. In Ouray, we’d hit up the hot springs and go to Ouray Brewery for dinner. I know this probably is unrealistic to do in a week, but I love going places and sharing the beauty of this area with people!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wouldn’t be where I am without the incredible amount of support from my fiance, Camden. He has believed in me every step of the way, always telling me how much I amaze him and telling everyone else that they should hire me/follow me/look at my work. He hands out my business cards like crazy. I don’t know if I would be where I am now without him.

I’m also incredibly thankful to all of my clients, for supporting me and my business. To my friends for letting me (constantly) take pictures of them, and for liking and sharing my posts. And to my parents, who bought me my first camera.

Website: mayebetakeaphoto.com

Instagram: instagram.com/maye.be.take.a.photo

Facebook: facebook.com/mayebetakeaphoto

Other: samantha@mayebetakeaphoto.com