Hi! I'm Maria Beach.

I am a photographer in Independence, Missouri, and I am honored you are taking the time to read this blog! I grew up in small town Iowa, so when I moved to Independence, MO in 2018, I was a little shell-shocked. (That's putting it mildly.) I never planned on moving out of Iowa, but I met my husband and it just made sense. We got married in November of 2018, and although I regretted the move to Independence initially, I love our life here. I have the opportunity to pursue my passions - youth ministry and photography. And I am so excited and blessed to be able to do so!

I have always been passionate about art, but my love for photography came a little later. I went to college with the intention of pursuing art therapy. However, after taking a few classes in college and after taking my first film photography class, I fell in love with the craft. I found I loved looking through the lens to see how the light and composition could frame an image. As I pursued photography more, I fell in love with photographing people. I recognized the beauty and the simplicity of catching people with a candid photograph. I loved being able to capture life! I decided to change course and pursue an education in photography. Now, a few years later, I have finally taken the leap to launch my own photography business. It is scary and exciting all at once!

I started Beach Photography in November, 2020. My goal with this business is to capture the beauty of the life stage that my clients are currently in so that they have physical representation of the memories to last them their lifetime and beyond. Growing up, my family didn't do professional photos, which left us with only a handful of family photos (mostly church directory photos). I wish I had more photos of us growing up. I wish we had some professional family photos that I was confident in. I strive to provide that service for other families at an affordable rate, so they don't live with the same regrets. Memories are in our minds and hearts for our lifetime, but photographs are a gift we can pass on to the next generation. In a digital world where everyone can take photographs, professional family portraits and senior portraits can capture this life stage in a beautiful way that can live on for generations. Every photo shoot I partake in is a new adventure with new personalities which means no two work days are ever the same, and I love every minute!

I am a people person. I am big with connections and relationships! Through this blog, I hope to build more relationships with others who are passionate about photography or looking for a photographer for any reason. I want to genuinely thank you for taking time out of your day to read this. If you have any questions you would like answered, you can reach me at mbeachphotography@gmail.com or fill out a contact form here on my site! If you are looking to book a session, you can find more information under "Investment" in the menu at the top.