Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan Whitney.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Long before shooting weddings & portraits, my career actually began in the surf & action sports industry. Being self taught & motivated, it took years of dedication to my craft. In 2006, Florida based surf mag, Eastern Surf Magazine published my work in their exclusive Media Kit edition. Within a few years, I was recognized as one of 5 East Coast female Senior photographers. I was lucky enough to travel as a surf photographer, capturing some of the best surfers in the world & earning numerous publications in renowned surf magazines. This was a very male dominated industry at the time-and with only a handful of female surf photographers in the world at the time-let alone South Carolina-this was a huge accomplishment for me. Looking back, those years not only helped me to carve out a space in the industry, but also allowed me to develop into the photographer I am today.
After years of shooting action sports, I expanded my work beyond surfing & my focus shifted to wedding, portrait & lifestyle photography. With every session, I aim to create a judgement free environment, filled with creative freedom. As a natural light photographer, I am best known for my detail oriented, organic & authentic style…as well as my feel good approach. I have been fortunate enough to work hard & create meaningful relationships through the years with so many incredible people through my photography. Shooting weddings, capturing family memories & documenting kids growing up, in the Pawleys Island area, has been a highlight of my career. Tons of local families (and lots of visiting families) have grown up with me documenting their every occasion. After 20 years in the photography industry, I now do yearly “looking back” posts on social media, so we can all reflect on our locals & community through the past 20 years.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I actually had a pretty incredible road to my photography career. My husband, a surfer & photographer, and his friends, challenged me to capture what they considered a good surf shot. That challenge lit a fire in me. I shot surf photos from every beach, pier, rock groin, cliff side etc that I could. At that time, I was shooting with film cameras, so it took me years to get a shot I, & my surfer subjects, were happy with. Because action sports photography is critical to timing, I knew when the guys started calling me to shoot with them, that I could finally nail the shot. Being self taught, a female & from a state that isn’t known for its waves, I would have thought it impossible to carve out a space for me. Im not sure what Eastern Surf Magazine saw in my work at the time, or why they were willing to take a chance on a budding new female photographer, but they taught me so much, which gave me so much confidence. I took those lessons & my new found confidence in my work & went for it! And soon after, Meghan Whitney Photography was born.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a professional portrait & wedding photographer, specializing in capturing meaningful moments in natural light. I am known for my naturalistic style & attention to detail-or at least thats what I’m told! Im also known for my longevity as a photographer in the Pawleys Island area. A generation of kiddos have grown up with me from babies to graduation to weddings-to new parents themselves!
I think my surf photography sets me apart from others. Such a fast paced, exciting industry to be a part of-especially as a new female, photographer. The “behind the scenes” lessons I was taught, the confidence that was bestowed on me so early on in my career, cannot be underestimated. I learned so much of the business side of photography while working with the surf magazines, as well. That info, all the travel experiences, all the surfers & surf magazine gurus who listened to my questions & gave me real opinions & worked one on one with me, so early on- thats what helped me build my business into what it is today.
Another exciting aspect of my wedding & portrait photography, as of late, is that I have several local photographers in the Pawleys Island area, who all own their own photography/videography businesses, who work with me-and I with them-each time representing the contracted photographer’s business. We are all able to support each other, learn from each other, collaborate together, borrow each other’s gear or bounce new ideas off of each other. Instead of being each other’s direct competition, we have chosen to support & represent each other. There is room for us all to carve out our niche & when we work together, we can do more…and lets face it-Have more fun while doing it!
It has been one of the most fulfilling & fun part of recent years.
What matters most to you?
In my photography career, there are a few things that matter most to me.
Communication. My word means the most. For obvious reasons-Doing what you say you are going to do-matters most to me. And if I cant do what I say I will do, then communicating & coming up with a new plan is key.
This is a life lesson as well as a business lesson & has served me well.
“The Moment” matters to me….and you have to be ready for it. THE moment always happens, but being ready for that moment, takes patience, time & a bit of humor.
and also LOVE matters to me-
because where would we be without it?
I strive to “feel the love” in my photography-capturing those little fleeting moments, creatively, so when you look back on them-the love is felt and the moment is re visited.
one of my favorite magazine editors, Matt Pruett, wrote this about me:
“The best way to extract beauty from the barren is by believing in it more than studying it. Maybe thats why Meghan’s most fruitful photo shoots are weddings. She understands love. Believes in it.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meghanwhitneyphotography.com
- Instagram: @mwhitneyphoto
- Facebook: Meghan Whitney Photography
