Kayli Maier Photography: preserving memories through photos

With society’s recent obsession with taking pictures, it is sometimes hard to find a photographer who has the passion along with the schooling for the profession. Area residents can find those traits and professionalism with Kayli Maier and her new photography business, Kayli Maier Photography.

Maier recently moved to Ritzville in August to marry her local high school sweetheart Zach Maier.

The small town lifestyle is nothing new to Maier due to the fact she grew up in Odessa. She enjoys being a part of a small town as an adult because of all the opportunities she has to be more actively involved in the community.

She explained how as a child, her participation in sports and socializing with friends always seemed like the most important aspects of her small town life, but now as an adult, she feels her involvement in the community is very important to her and she hopes she can build relationships with people in town through her business.

Maier said she has always had a passion for photography. She explained how during her childhood she could regularly be seen with a camera in her hands taking pictures of household items and decorations. She would also pose her Barbies for pretend photo shoots and enjoyed taking photographs.

She said the enjoyment of taking pictures made her realize from a young age she had a passion for photography. Despite her early calling for photography, she did not decide to pursue her passion until recently.

Having a passion for her work is very important to Maier. She expressed how her brother influenced her to pursue photography when he advised her to find a job she loved doing.

With this in mind, Maier attended Washington State University (WSU) where she said she originally hoped to receive a degree in psychology. She quickly changed her mind after attending a few psychology classes and then started taking art classes and really enjoyed them.

Maier said one day she picked up a camera during one of her art classes and noticing the manual mode of the camera then began playing with the settings. This event rekindled her love for photography.

Along with photography, Maier said her art classes made her realize she also enjoyed graphic design. Knowing she would be happy in these industries, Maier decided to take her brother’s advice and pursue the career she loved.

Maier graduated from WSU in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and a minor in Photography.

After college, she moved to Spokane where she worked as a graphic designer for a t-shirt company and also for her dad producing graphics for the Spokane County Raceway. Despite being very successful with graphic design, Maier said she always felt the urge to pursue photography.

Starting a photography business of her own had always been a dream of hers but she never had the confidence to go through with it, she said. She explained her family has always encouraged her to make her dream a reality, which is what finally led her to start Kayli Maier Photography.

She said she began with doing some family photos and this year had the opportunity to do her first senior photo session, which she enjoyed.

Maier said one aspect of photography she really loves is being able to go out and find new places and settings for photos. Being new to Ritzville, she also said she loves receiving new ideas for settings and poses, and enjoys building relationships with her clients though her business.

She said she takes her client’s opinions and ideas very seriously and encourages her customers to express their creativity during her sessions.

“Photography is one of those things where I find myself working and losing track of the time because I’m having so much fun!” Maier said.

The recent hype of image-based social media has sparked many people’s interest in photography due to new apps, which contain advanced photo editing. Maier said she realizes there are a lot of people who label themselves a skilled photographer because of this.

Instead of using an app to edit pictures or applying a filter to perceive certain lighting, Maier said she enjoys working with natural lighting in order to get the best results possible. This earned her the title of a Professional Natural Light Portrait Photographer. Working with natural lighting can prove difficult due to the lack of control she has on natural elements.

Even though her mind is more focused on the photography, she said her graphic design skills and training has made managing a business by herself a lot easier.

Maier said she is able to create her own website, business cards and even her logo by herself due to her talent in graphic design. She also does all of her own marketing and social media management.

Due to her business still being fairly new, Maier said she prepared for a slow start and is just happy to be able to know people in the community through her work. She already has some fall family pictures lined up for October she explained and is very excited to see how the business takes off.

Maier is currently offering a first day of school picture raffle on her business facebook page. By visiting Kayli Maier Photography, local Ritzville families can enter for a chance to win a 15-minute; mini photo session at the location of their choice on their child’s first day of school.

She said she remembered standing in the same place every year for her first day of school picture and decided to give parents an opportunity to do something different this year.

The giveaway ends on Monday, Aug. 22, at 11:59 p.m. and two families will be chosen for the free session.

Maier said she is so grateful to be able to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a photographer and cannot wait to see where her business in Ritzville will take her.

She hopes to continue to do events like the first day of school raffle and, by next year, to have started photographing weddings.

For more information on her business and to schedule sessions, Kayli can be contacted at [email protected] or messaged through her business Facebook page, Kayli Maier Photography.