I'm a West Virginia-born, adventure-loving, TikTok-obsessed cat mom. I love getting to see new places and have new experiences, which is why I started my photography business.

I love my job because it gives me the opportunity to connect with people on such a personal level. I'm not just capturing a moment in time, I'm helping to create it. My style is vibrant, joyful, colorful, and full of life—a reflection of my personality. I believe that there's nothing better than capturing real moments between people who love one another.

I grew up in the mountains of southern West Virginia (aka, Fayette County). After high school, I moved to Huntington for college, but that only lasted a year. The experience was amazing—but after a few months there, I just couldn't convince myself that I wanted to do anything other than photography.

I have loved making art in all forms for as long as I can remember, but I didn't know that making a career out of it was even possible until after I graduated in 2018. I knew literally nothing about running a photography business when I moved back home after my year in college, but I had been taking pictures since before that time anyway—of my family, friends, fur babies, and cool things I found on the ground with my beginner camera set-up. So it seemed like the next logical step for me would be to learn how to actually run a business.

And so Shayla Rae Photography was born!