Thanks for stopping by to get to know us! See our bios below if you want to know more about your camera artists that make up Mariah Allen Photography Studios! We are fun & quirky! We love to laugh with our clients, we love to capture memories and we are always pushing our limits to be the best camera artists we can be! We love to be goofy and laugh a lot, but we take our memory capturing, camera slinging jobs seriously!
Oh hey there! I am Mariah! The owner and primary photographer of Mariah Allen Photography Studios! As you can see from the picture, I have 4 beautiful little girls that keep me crazy busy....and well my hubby isn't pictured here because this was a girls shoot LOL and he travels quite a bit! How about a fun Q & A to get to know me better?
Q: How did you get started in photography?
A: My husband and I both modeled for Rocky Mountain Talent Agency (just. awhile ago, wait who are we kidding, like it was forever ago). We ended up buying the agency and my husband was the photographer first. Then I had my first child in 2008 and well I became obsessed with documenting every moment! The rest is history!
I was also obsessed with photographs and scrapbooking growing up! And I took photography in 4-H many moons ago!
Q: Did you go to school for photography?
A: No, I am all self taught. I have spent countless hours reading camera manuals, watching you tube videos and googling everything under the sun! In the past 4 years, I have invested in some amazing workshops, conferences and photography mentors. I never want to stay stagnant as a photographer so I am always pushing myself to keep learning and perfecting my work.
Q: What are your specialties or passions in the photography world?
A: It took me almost 10 years to really start developing my passions. My passion has always been high school seniors! I love this time of life (my senior year was the best). I love helping my seniors make a statement. To be bold. To be confident. Let's face it, we all lack confidence at some point in our life. When I work with seniors they may come fully confident in front of the camera or they may arrive nervous and shy. But I am here to tell you either way, they both leave with more confidence then when they arrived. My favorite part is helping them plan their outfits. I absolutely love fashion and having fun. I have taken myself way too serious over the years and seniors help me realize that life is too short to be too serious! Let your hair down and have some fun! Also, being involved in the modeling and pageant industry, I really feel I can help my seniors pose and model for stunning senior portraits. Working with horses and cowgirls are my second love. Anything that has to do with horses and modeling, I am there! I grew up rodeoing and that industry will always have my heart!
Weddings are near and dear to my heart as well because I love documenting my clients love story. From their engagement sessions to their wedding details. It's a beautiful journey to document!
10 Things You Might Not Know About Me
1. I started riding horse when I was 5. Would rather be in a barn than cooking is what my mom would say.
I would hide in the barn when she called me inside to help in the kitchen. Horses were my life.
2. Horses led me to rodeo, my favorite high school sport. I was on the high school rodeo team and loved every minute. If it hadn't been or high school rodeo, I would've never earned the title of Miss Rodeo Montana. Still a time in my life I truly cherish. Earning this title was a huge honor and representing our state for a year as a rodeo and agriculture advocate was a dream come true.
3. My husband and I were the junior high youth leaders at our church before we had our own kids.
4. Born & raised in Montana. Lived in NC for 17 months and had to get back to the mountains.
5. Earned my BS degree from Montana State University.
It's a hybrid degree based in Communications, Psychology & Business.
6. My dream job in high school was to work for Wrangler doing PR work.
In college I worked for a horse trainer and waited tables to pay to get through college.
7. I thought I would have at least 7 kids and have all boys. 4 is perfect. Crazy but perfect.
And God please help me having 4 girls.
8. Traveling is in my blood. If I don't have a travel date on the calendar I feel lifeless.
I don't care if it's just a drive back home to Helena or to Greece to shoot a wedding, I have to have something on the books.
Yes, I did get to shoot a wedding in Greece! Pinch me!
9. I am the youngest, with 2 older brothers who made me stronger and didn't put up with my whining to get my way.
10. My first job was in 5th grade serving coffee, washing dishes and mucking stalls at the local race track.
I never thought I would own my business, work for myself and set my own schedule. It's been a hard road getting here, its not always the easiest but its definitely been the most rewarding job I've had.
More about Leighton coming soon!