We had the good fortune of connecting with Maddie Sullivan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maddie, what do you attribute your success to?
Relationships are the heartbeat and success of my brand! When couples choose me to document their celebration, they are placing a high level of trust not only in my work as a creative but also as a documentarian of their defining moments. It’s paramount that my team and I build and establish trust from our first inquiry with a client to their wedding day and beyond in order to create a stellar client experience. I do this by focusing on building authentic relationships with my clients, listening to their story, and learning as much as I can about who they are and what they value!

I want my clients to feel safe enough to be vulnerable with me on their wedding day so they can be present for every moment and emotion. I’m grateful that my relationships with my clients don’t just end on wedding days. Many of my clients become long-term friends that welcome me into their ongoing celebrations as their families and love stories grow and progress!

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention that any success I experience is due in large part to the ongoing support of friends, clients, and family. Having a team of people to cheer me on, encourage me, and speak life into me is something I lean on often for strength and inspiration.


Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Growing up, I always had a million little passions and hobbies – my parents could hardly keep up with my changing interests! However, photography has been a constant among it all since I was a child. I vividly remember the first time I found my grandmother’s old photo albums. I was mesmerized by the pictures of family I’d never met. That experience sparked a love for legacy through photography that inspires my work to this day.

Photography was always the dream career for me since I was a kid, but I wasn’t sure if I could actually make the leap. To close the gap in experience and knowledge I knew I had, I started building out skills I knew I would need if I wanted to pursue photography as more than just a hobby. I took jobs in brand strategy, marketing, and sales to better understand how to build a successful business. I interned for other photographers, took on shoots of my own, and built out my portfolio to hone my creative skills. I slowly scaled up my photography business while working full-time before I went full-time with photography in December of 2021. While it was often challenging balancing everything, I’m so grateful to be in a spot where I can now fully commit my effort and energy into partnering with my clients to memorialize their most defining moments and celebrations.

I’d describe my art as connection-driven, evocative, and true-to-life. It’s such an honor to be invited into my clients’ stories and something I aim to steward well. With every client and shoot, my aim is to make my client feel confident and cared-for so that I can honestly tell their story. At the end of the day, my work will live on my clients’ walls, will communicate their legacy to their families, and will serve as a tangible reminder of their love story. I want their imagery to not only be beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint, but also communicate true emotion and feeling that will transcend time.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite thing about Atlanta is there is always something new to explore. If I had friends in town, we’d start the day at The Forum Athletic Club in Midtown taking a Fast Twitch class, head over to Le Bon Nosh in Buckhead for some pastries and matcha lattes, go for a quick stroll around Piedmont Park, head to dinner at Barcelona Wine Bar in Inman Park, and then grab post-dinner drinks at St. Julep before catching a show at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur. If we had extra time, I’d also take them to the High to check out some of the recent exhibits. Whether trying a new restaurant, finding a concert, or going out for a night of dancing, I love that Atlanta always has something exciting to offer.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I was 15, I reached out to Jacqui Cole, a wedding photographer in my area and asked to assist her as I was wanting to learn more about the industry. She was shooting luxury weddings and was already a big name in the industry at the time so I honestly wasn’t expecting a response. Not only did she respond, but she let me come along with her to weddings, taught me how to guide and support a couple on a wedding day, let me shoot alongside her, and instilled so much confidence in me to explore wedding photography as a career. It’s largely because of my experience working under and learning from Jacqui that I’m shooting weddings today!

Website: www.maddiesullivanphoto.com

Instagram: @maddiemsullivan

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelynsullivan/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maddiesulllivan

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