Today we’d like to introduce you to Peyton Mullins.
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?
My photography journey actually started long before I ever imagined turning it into a business. When I was 13, my grandpa gifted me my first camera, and that’s where my love for photography began. I photographed on and off throughout the years, but I never really thought of it as something I could build a career around.
Everything changed when I met my soon-to-be husband, Nolan, who is also a photographer. Being around someone who shared that creative passion with me helped me rediscover how much I truly loved photography. He encouraged me to take it more seriously, experiment, and believe in myself as a photographer.
In March 2025, I officially started my photography business, Peyton Desiree Photo. What started as something I simply loved doing has grown into a business that allows me to meet incredible people, document meaningful moments, and create images that families and couples can hold onto for years to come.
It’s especially meaningful to me knowing that the person who gave me my very first camera is no longer here to see where that little gift ultimately led me. In a way, I feel like I’m carrying a piece of him with me every time I pick up my camera.
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?
Definitely not! Since I only started my business in March of 2025, I’ve had to figure out a lot as I go. I think one of the hardest parts has been learning to believe in myself while I’m still learning. Photography is something I genuinely love, but turning something you love into an actual business comes with a whole different set of challenges.
There have been plenty of moments where I’ve compared myself to other photographers, questioned whether my work was good enough, or wondered if I was really capable of making this into something bigger. It can be intimidating seeing people who have been doing this for years when you’re still finding your style and figuring out your place in the industry.
I’ve also learned that running a photography business is so much more than taking pretty pictures. I’ve had to learn the business side, marketing, client communication, pricing, editing, and all of the little things that happen behind the scenes. A lot of it has been learning through experience—and sometimes making mistakes along the way.
But honestly, I think that’s what makes the journey so special to me. I’m proud of how much I’ve grown in such a short amount of time. I’m still learning, and I still have moments of doubt, but I’ve gotten better at reminding myself that I’m allowed to be new at something and still be good at it. I don’t have everything figured out yet, but I’m building something that means a lot to me, and that makes all of the hard parts worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a lifestyle photographer based in the DFW area, specializing in couples, families, maternity, newborns, and the little in-between moments that deserve to be remembered. My style is warm, romantic, and natural, and my goal is always to create photographs that feel genuine rather than overly posed or staged.
One of the things I’m most passionate about is being a “memory catcher.” That phrase means so much to me because of my own childhood. Growing up, we didn’t really have photographs displayed around our home. There aren’t pictures of my mom pregnant with me, or a lot of those little moments from my childhood that I wish I could see now. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how priceless those photographs would be—not just to look at, but to have as pieces of my family’s history.
That experience has completely shaped the way I view photography. I don’t want to simply take pretty pictures for people. I want to catch the memories they might not realize they’ll miss someday. The way a couple looks at each other, a toddler’s little personality, a mom holding her newborn, the chaos of a family laughing together—I want to preserve those things because they only happen once.
I’m also passionate about making people feel comfortable in front of my camera. I don’t expect my clients to know how to pose or feel like models. I guide them through movement, prompts, and genuine interaction so they can focus on each other while I focus on catching the moments in between.
I think that’s ultimately what sets me apart. I’m not just creating a gallery of photographs; I’m creating a collection of memories that someone can come back to years from now. I know firsthand what it feels like to wish you had more photographs, and I never want my clients—or their children—to have that same feeling.
I’m incredibly proud that Peyton Desiree Photo has become a way for me to give other people something I wish I had more of growing up: tangible memories of the people they love and the life they were living. Being their “memory catcher” is so much more meaningful to me than simply being their photographer.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think the most important quality for my success has been being genuinely passionate about what I do. I’m someone who cares deeply about people and about the memories I’m trusted to capture, and I think that comes through in my work.
I also think perseverance has played a huge role. I started my business at a time when I was still figuring out who I was as a photographer, and there have definitely been moments where I’ve questioned myself. I’ve had to learn to keep going even when things don’t happen as quickly as I hoped they would.
But more than anything, I think empathy is what makes me successful. I want to understand my clients—not just what kind of pictures they want, but why those pictures matter to them. I want to know the story behind the people standing in front of my camera. When I remember why photographs are so meaningful to me personally, it makes it easy to care about preserving those memories for someone else.
I think you can teach someone how to use a camera, edit a photo, or run a business. But genuinely caring about the people you’re photographing and the memories you’re being trusted with—that has to come from you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://peytondesireephoto.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peytondesireephoto?igsi=MWZhd3hteWZtOWlv&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1cT4THmYjr/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@peytondesireephoto?_r=1&_t=ZP-99RV6nH1y9O
