Meet Makenna Shaw of Mak Lee Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Makenna Shaw.

Hi Makenna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey with photography started back in high school when my dad bought me my first camera, an old Nikon he found on Craigslist, for my birthday. Right away, I realized photography was something I felt naturally drawn to. I photographed my younger sister’s senior photos almost immediately, and while I played around with it here and there over the next few years, I never really considered it seriously.

When the COVID pandemic hit, I was in college and living alone. Like many people, I was looking for something meaningful to engage with during such an isolating time. I decided to enroll in a virtual photography class. Learning online was a bit unusual, but it gave me the push I needed to pick up my camera again. The class got me out of the house, exploring my surroundings, and it helped me reconnect with the creative side of photography in a way I hadn’t in years. After moving back home to Colorado, my younger siblings needed their senior photos, and that experience reignited something for me. I realized not only how much I loved portrait photography, but also how naturally it seemed to come to me.

From there, it started to grow organically. I photographed my siblings during sports, then friends and family as they celebrated big life moments, proposals, engagements, family milestones, even my sister’s business opening. Being asked to capture those moments felt incredibly meaningful, and I started to recognize how truly happy it made me. What began as a hobby slowly turned into a passion that people trusted me with. Eventually, I expanded beyond family and friends, created a website, and began marketing my business publicly. That’s when “Mak Lee Photography” really began to take shape, and it’s been growing ever since.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t describe the road as completely smooth, but I do feel lucky that overall the journey has been a really positive one. The biggest challenge has been shifting from photography being viewed as a fun side passion to being taken seriously as a professional business. For a while, it was “the cute thing I did for friends and family,” and making that mental shift, not just for myself, but also in the minds of the people around me, wasn’t always easy.

There’s also been a learning curve when it comes to the business side of things. Photography itself comes naturally to me, but running a business requires a completely different set of skills. I’ve had to teach myself how to market effectively, how to position my work so it reaches the right people, and how to put the right tools in place.

That said, I consider myself really fortunate! Each challenge has been an opportunity to grow, and even the harder parts have helped me build something more sustainable and professional. While there have been bumps along the way, the overall experience has been rewarding and has reinforced that this is the path I want to keep pursuing.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Mak Lee Photography?
Mak Lee Photography is all about making my clients feel comfortable, confident, and celebrated while capturing the milestones that matter most in their lives. I specialize in portraits, but my approach is rooted in storytelling. Every session is about more than just taking photos, it’s about documenting where someone is in their life story and tailoring the images to reflect the chapter they want to remember.

I focus on blending candid moments with styled direction, but never in a way that feels stiff or overly posed. Movement, authenticity, and connection are central to my work. Whether it’s seniors stepping into their next stage, families coming together, or couples celebrating their love, I aim to create photos that are both natural and frame-worthy, images that feel alive and tell a story.

What I’m known for, and what clients often tell me, is my attention to detail and the ease I bring to each session. I genuinely care about the people I work with on a personal level, and I put myself in their shoes to understand just how important these moments are. That empathy, combined with a clean, natural, and warm editing style, ensures the photos feel timeless, never overly trendy.

Although Mak Lee Photography has grown into a business, it will always stem from the pure joy I find in capturing meaningful moments for people. I’m proud not only of the work I create, but also of the effort it’s taken to turn this passion into a brand people trust and want to invest in. At its heart, Mak Lee Photography is about celebrating people’s stories, and my greatest honor is being able to preserve those memories for them to treasure for a lifetime.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
One author who has really influenced me is Vex King. His book Good Vibes, Good Life has become a staple in my reading and a consistent reminder of how to live intentionally. It focuses on mindset and the energy you bring into the world, and I’ve found that to be such an important foundation, not just in my personal life, but in the way I show up for my clients and my business. It’s a reminder that the more you focus on bringing good things in, the more you’re able to give that back out.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://makleephotography.mypixieset.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makleephotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576985697803

Image Credits
Mak Lee Photography