Today we’d like to introduce you to Shae Carpenter.
Hi Shae, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My love for photography started long before I ever considered it a career—back when cameras came with film you dropped off at Walmart filled with with horrid shots and selfies and hoped for the best. As a kid, the zoo was my favorite place, and I rarely walked through it without a camera in hand, often trying to capture my favorite animal-lemurs! One afternoon, I captured a photo of a swan gliding through a pond—its white feathers creating ripples in the calm water and a tree limb framing the corner just right. When my mom saw it, she actually gasped and said, “Wow, Shae… you really should think about being a photographer someday.”
Naturally, I shrugged it off. Not because I disagreed—but because I had absolutely no idea what I did want to be, but a photographer wasn’t on the list for sure.
Fast forward a few years and a few interesting life plot twists later, and I found myself living in London as a missionary. I walked past tourists daily, watching them eagerly capture their family with beautiful cityscapes behind them, and I remember thinking that it would be fun to someday own a nice camera. Still, photography remained a quiet thought—more of a whisper than plan.
When I returned home is where my photography journey actually hit. I was working part-time, stretching groceries, and brainstorming ways to earn a little extra in a fun way that also didn’t burn myself out. Photography kept resurfacing, like a gentle nudge I couldn’t ignore. So I saved up, bought a beginner camera off of Facebook Marketplace, and started photographing friends. I leaned on wiser friends to help me understand manual mode, watched YouTube tutorials night and day, and slowly learned how to compose, shoot, and edit images that felt meaningful and stirred my new passion.
Everything shifted when I began photographing families—especially those with young children. What started as a creative outlet became something far deeper. My why changed. Though I wasn’t married yet, I had mentors who spoke about the gift of being present during their children’s early years—and how having a flexible, creative business made that possible. I realized I wanted that too. I wanted to savor the moments that time so quickly steals.
So I prepared. I turned Shae Carpenter Photography into a business—learning marketing, client care, social media, and how to serve people in a way that felt genuine and lasting. Many of my clients became repeat clients, and many became friends.
Today, I’ve been married for six years and am the mom of two sweet, young boys. Because of photography, I was able to step away from teaching when our first son was born and fully step into motherhood—soaking up the sweet, fleeting moments I once dreamed of. This business allows me to serve families well, pursue a passion that continues to grow, and invest deeply in my own family-of which I will be forever grateful.
Photography didn’t just give me a career—it gave me a life that feels rich, intentional, and incredibly full…and it all started with a silly swan at the zoo and a mom who saw something before I did.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Just like any other career, photography was full of ups and downs. When I started off, I had very few clients. I was doing as much as I knew to do at the time, but the clients weren’t coming. I almost gave up. What was the point in pouring into something when I still didn’t feel successful? I remained steadfast. Each year I began to set goals for the year and specific goals each month including skills I wanted to learn, classes I wanted to save up to take, and new ideas I wanted to try to help gain traction. It took a few years before I saw that traction take place. There was a lot of learning and a lot of experimentation. I had NO IDEA how to market myself and even felt uncomfortable doing so at the beginning. What I found to be true is that when you believe in a product, you WANT to market it!
I realized what I was offering clients was a way to capture the sweet, fleeting moments while I created memories that they got to live and enjoy. I have had clients come back to me, telling me a family member passed and that they clung to the photos in a new way. That furthered my why. Because of this, I wanted to market myself and even passionately marketed because what I offered was something I truly believe serves my clients and friends in the best way possible.
Now, my business is absolutely thriving! I travel around DFW capturing new babies, moms taking in the sweet seasons of motherhood with the littles, and teens that are dreaming of the next exciting stage of college. I am so thankful I remained steadfast in the years that didn’t seem profitable so that now I can stay home, serve clients well, and help families create cherished memories for years to come.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a family photographer specializing in seniors and young families. I also specialize in kid-led sessions that feel stress-free for parents and that capture kids in a fun and natural way! Gone are the days when photo sessions come with full bribery and making kids stand still and smile. White I do love getting those more posed shots for families, most of my full-length sessions are more candid and allow time for parents to play with their kids and simply enjoy them while I capture their genuine smiles and personalities!
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The easiest way to get in touch and collaborate is to visit www.ShaeCarpenterPhotography.com where you can see my work as well as book a session. You can also reach out to me over Facebook or Instagram by visiting Shae Carpenter Photography. I would love to serve many of you and get to know you as well. I also love collaborating with other small business owners as we seek ways to support one another and encourage one another through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
Pricing:
- $395+
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ShaeCarpenterPhotography.com
- Instagram: ShaeCarpenterPhotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shaecarpenterphotography
