Meet Megan Richards Mawdesley | Fine Art Wedding & Portrait Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan Richards Mawdesley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan, what inspires you?
I am inspired by being able to capture simple, everyday moments and turn them in to something beautiful. Its a way to highlight the beauty in the world we often overlook. Photography allows me to explore my creative side and experiment with different techniques, angles and lighting. There’s an infinite number of ways to capture an image but for me I am inspired by connecting with people from different walks of life. Being able to capture their emotions, their essence, their love, and tell their stories through my photographs is a huge driving force and inspiration in my photography. Photographs are a way of preserving memories and moments and by taking pictures, you can look back on them and relive those moments, which is a huge source of inspiration for me.
 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
One of the best ways I have distinguished myself from other photographers has been by developing a style that is uniquely mine. This can include specific angles, lighting and post-processing techniques that is consistent across my work. When I decided to jump to wedding and portrait photography, I wanted my fine art background to shine. I feel that my background in the arts has set me apart from others in my industry and has been a beautiful blended integration of both fine art and wedding and portrait photography.

I was able to get to where I am today by allowing my passion and enthusiasm to my craft to never diminish. Passion and enthusiasm for photography can be infectious and can set you apart as someone who truly loves what they do. This can inspire others and help you build a reputation as a passionate and dedicated photographer. Owning your own business is challenging enough, adding art and personal style and create even more challenges. I have learned to always be true to myself and my style. I constantly remember that my clients chose me for a reason and its those reasons that keep me grounded and moving in a professional and creative flow.

The biggest lesson I have learned has been to always to be prepared! Always carry extra batteries, memory cards, backing up my images and bringing back up gear to all of my locations. The other thing that has helped me has been to learn from others. I have attended workshops, read blogs, watched tutorials and sought inspiration from other photographers to learn new techniques and stay motivated.

My brand is to capture the essence of the love between a couple or family and create timeless and memorable images. I have always strived to capture raw and candid moments. From the nervous anticipation before the ceremony in a wedding, to the joyous celebration during the reception, every moment holds significance. I aim to document these moments in a way that is authentic, emotive and artistically compelling. I am truly a hopeless romantic and love capturing those precious and tender moments, whether it is a couple tying the knot or a family engaging in playful interactions. I become connected to each client and want them to feel comfortable with me and forget that there is a camera in their face!!!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Delray Beach, which is a quaint beach town that has become a bit of a hot spot. I would love to stay at the Opal Grand Resort that is across the street from the ocean on A1A and Atlantic Ave. They have a great restaurant, Drift and an amazing spa. So many yummy places to eat on “The Ave”. One of my favorites is a chain called playa bowls. I love their classic bowl with Acai, strawberries, bananas, granola and Nutella, They are always fresh and have so many options including smoothies and fresh juices. I would also check out Omar (middle eastern food and bakery), Dada’s (amazing cocktails and ambiance, there is a huge banyan tree out front and the restaurant is located in a restored historic house), The wine bar is pretty cool and you can get a pre-loaded card and sample wines from around the world (they even have a secret speakeasy out back), El Camino (amazing Mexican that is becoming a south Florida staple and Tramonte (the best Italian food in the area). The beaches in Delray offer cabanas, kayaking, SUP and beach volleyball. Lots of fun if you like the sun and the sea! Delray has a long history of being an arts destination and has many options to listen to live music (J Browns) and see national musical acts at the non profit, Arts Garage. The Cornell Art Museum at Old school square has musical performances, plays, art classes and even free yoga. On the weekends you go to the Green farmers market at old school square and once a month they have Coco market which is a wellness market that also offers free yoga. One of the best things about Delray is their ongoing support of small business and over 80% of brick and motor are small, local business. Delray is located just north of Miami and south of Palm Beach so there are so many things to do within a 45 minute drive!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My story began as a child, when I was 6 years old in my grandparents study. They had multiple generations of National Geographic and once I opened my first magazine I was hooked. I knew then that I wanted to be a photographer. My family has always remained supportive of my creativity and love for photography. I dedicate this shout out to them and my daughter, who is my biggest fan! My 7th grade photography teacher, Mrs. Guldenfenning in NY was a huge support and even let me join the photography club even though at the time I was one level too young to join. In that club, at 13, I learned the basic techniques of photography and started printing in the wet darkroom. It was an easy choice to go to school and obtain a fine arts degree and have many professors and friends who supported me and influenced me in many ways.

Website: www.meganrichardsphotography.com

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/meganrichardsphotography

Facebook: https://facebook.com/meganrichardsphotography

Image Credits
All images belong to Megan Richards Photography, LLC