Meet Megan Befort | Family Photojournalist & Filmmaker

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

Hi Megan, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind the success of my brand and my business has been finding my niche and speaking in a strong voice to those customers every time I reach out to them. As a photographer, it’s easy to fall into the trap of taking every kind of photo for every kind of person. But when we’re constantly speaking to everyone, we’re really speaking to no one in particular. When I realized that honest, unique, and real in-home documentary photography and filmmaking was my passion, I started speaking to that audience 100% of the time. Does that appeal to everyone? Absolutely not. In fact, there’s a very small group of families that are looking for what I do. However, when they do find me, we connect on every single level. And I don’t need to sell them on what I do because my voice and my mission is so strong in my brand and my marketing. Almost every one of my clients becomes a close friend and that’s important to me. I’m not just building a business, I’m building a community of parents that aren’t afraid to be vulnerable and document their families, just the way they are.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m the family photojournalist, filmmaker and fellow parent at Magpie Love Photography. I make stress-free films and photos that capture real life for awesome families. I believe life is too short for boring photos. Yes, a picture on a mountain or in a field is pretty, but does it tell your story? Life is lived in the in-between moments and it deserves to be documented. The road to where my business is today hasn’t been easy. I have yet to find another photographer/filmmaker in the Phoenix area that does what I do. So there’s a lot of education around what it is exactly I do, and why it’s important for families. I had to get really clear about what my mission and vision was for my business, and make sure that I was speaking that on all my platforms, including my website, social media and marketing materials. I also had to do a lot of reflection and soul searching around what makes me happy. For too long I was looking for validation in others. So when I wasn’t booking sessions because I don’t offer “typical” photography, I took a lot of that personally. But when I started defining my own self worth I realized that I belong to myself first, and others second. As long as I’m speaking my truth, other people that connect with it will find me. Breathe, be patient. I want parents to know that they deserve to have their families documented, even in their imperfection. I know their lives aren’t perfect. Their houses aren’t perfect and their families aren’t perfect. And with social media being so present in our lives, we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. But we don’t need an Instagram worthy life to have a photo session. My biggest fear is that parents are so busy playing the comparison game they forget how special this time is. Every parent deserves real, honest photography that captures their family. These are the moments we will want to remember.

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.
Honestly, I think my neighborhood is one of the best in the city. I live in Central Phoenix which has really grown over the last few years with amazing restaurants and attractions. My absolute favorite restaurant is Persepshen. We love to grab dessert at Sweet Republic. Other restaurants we go to often are Joyride Tacos, George’s Kitchen, Otro Cafe, Base Pizzeria, and Wild Thaiger. We love to walk around the museums downtown. We occasionally go to Stand Up Live for comedy shows, and love to listen live music. But my favorite thing about where we live is how close we are to so many outdoor activities. We would do a lot of hiking around Phoenix Mountain Preserve or the McDowell Mountain Preserve, biking along the canal, walking on the bridal path, and just enjoying the AZ weather. We are outdoors 99% of the time during the winter months.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout first and foremost to my family. They inspire me everyday to document the little moments, and to be vulnerable even when it’s scary. Second, I’d like to give a shout out to my amazing friend Sam Davis at Happy Hippo Photography. She’s the person responsible for putting a camera in my hand and teaching me how to use it.

Website: www.magpielovephotography.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/magpielovephoto
Facebook: www.facebook.coom/magpielovephoto

Image Credits
Megan Befort, Magpie Love Photography