Although McConaughey said her interest in photography began from a young age—referring to herself as a “shutterbug”—she earned a clinical child psychology degree while in college. She worked as an information technology manager before pursuing her Cypress-based photography business 10 years ago.
“I had a grassroots, local beginning, and I felt called to learn as much as I could about my camera,” McConaughey said. “I would shoot morning, noon and night and look at my work to see what I liked and what I didn’t like. Experience is still the best teacher for me.”
McConaughey does a variety of shoots, including photographs of newborns, families and high school seniors in sessions that typically last about one hour.
“I’m very much candid, so I will provide an experience: bubbles, hula hoops, or a father and son throwing the football around,” she said. “My style isn’t a formal pose but more families interacting and connecting. I think kids do so much better that way.”
Several years ago, McConaughey adjusted the cost of her shoots to relationship-based pricing, which allows clients to pay over several months as opposed to a one-time fee. About 80 percent of her 150 clients use this pricing, which makes it easier to do multiple shoots each year, she said.
“The main reason for that is it builds a connection—I know these kids, and they know me,” McConaughey said.
When choosing locations for each photo shoot, McConaughey works with each client to select a spot that makes them the most comfortable, many of which are in Cypress.
“It’s about showing up and being you,” McConaughey said. “The location is where you’re the most comfortable. Sometimes that’s near grass, trees or nature, and sometimes it’s a cool metal iron door and concrete columns. It depends on the person and their style.”
After each shoot the images go into post-processing and are turned around shortly thereafter. McConaughey works with several photo editors in her studio who help post the images into an online gallery for the clients, who can then purchase any of the photographs.
One of McConaughey’s favorite parts of being a photographer involves watching her clients see their finished photographs.
“I love for them to see how beautiful they are,” she said. “It’s a total adrenaline high to watch them see the images for the first time.”
McConaughey talks with each client before a shoot to determine which location will be best.[/caption]
