Meet Maggie Keim | Photographer & Screenwriter

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

Hi Maggie, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
I consider myself a multi-hyphenate creative. I’m a screenwriter and I’m 10 years into running my own photography business. While these can feel like vastly different creative endeavors, I could probably boil the ‘core values’ they each require down to two things–kindness and commitment to the truth. Whether I am serving a couple on their wedding day or pitching a take on a script to an executive, the success of those interactions hinge on how I treat those people. When I treat those people well, I can feel good about my connection to a community larger than myself. When that sense of community is unlocked, I can more easily overcome anxiety and enter a true flow state in my creative process and ideation. The creative-genius-that’s-kind-of-a-jerk trope is so overrated, such an eye roll. The fact is, most people want to work with someone who is kind and ready to put in a joyful effort.
The second, truth telling, is huge for me since both photography and screenwriting are forms of story telling. If I’m forgoing the truth of a good story or a beautiful wedding day for what is “trendy” or what I think “might sell” I’m already setting myself up for failure. When I stop comparing and live out my own creative truth–whether that’s in the way I edit or in the story I want to tell–I’ve always attracted more interest with that kind of authenticity. I mostly just shoot myself in the foot when I pursue profit or instant results over what’s true to me. As of right now, that means leaning into documentary style and clean edits in my photography business. In my writing, it’s no longer trying to predict what a studio wants and unabashedly pursuing the story I am personally passionate about.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been taking pictures since high school. I have built up such an ease with the camera and been in the game long enough to know my own style versus a trend. I take a lot of pride in my ability to capture images that feel like your memory of them, which probably felt like you were in a movie. Cinematic, clean. That’s always the goal. I’ve always allowed my interest in film to inform my photos–I want artist’s portraits, wedding days, family sessions, etc to always tell a complete narrative, full of emotion and truth. Clients should feel the main character energy in my photos, the luxury of a documentary style with a seasoned director behind the lens.

My life as a photographer has had its busy seasons, its pauses, and its restarts. Since I call myself a multi-hyphenate creative, balance can often be the struggle. When I took the big leap of going to my dream graduate program to pursue screenwriting, photography definitely had to take a back seat. A wedding and portrait business that was thriving had to scale back quite a bit. I’ve spent the past several years building my business back up while also balancing life as a writer in hot pursuit of her film dreams. I’m glad to say that despite the stress of ‘branding’ and ‘marketing’ things back up to speed, I know that these two creative experiences bolster one another. I’m a better writer when I photograph and a better photographer when I write. An ability to tell stories with visuals and the written word go hand in hand.

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.
My life in LA was mostly planted in Highland Park–whenever I come back to visit I’m straight to a few classics. Good Housekeeping HLP was a teeny cocktail bar just a block from my apartment that I couldn’t get enough of. I’d have to take any pal worth their salt to Triple Beam Pizza or El Huarache Azteca. We’ll probably hit each of these spots twice. Beyond Highland Park, I’m taking all my buds to all the art museums and not one will ever be overrated. We’d run to Silver Lake and hit up Alimento for every pasta dish they have and a radicchio caesar. Izakaya Osen for my favorite sushi. And if you’re in LA and want to actually feel the magic of this town of broken but beautiful dreams, we’ll go to a Groundlings show, maybe see if any of our favorite comedians are testing out material at UCB. This is truly where all that goofy magic happens. Oh, and we’re hitting In N Out cause I’m an east coast girl who is simply deprived of the good stuff.

I’m now based out of Charleston, SC and am finding my own obsessions here. Historic streets we could wander for days and a real cocktail capital. We’ll shop up and down King Street, knock on the rickety door of Faculty Lounge for a drink, and end our evening at Leon’s, being loud and slinging back fresh oysters. We’ll remember our LA roots and enjoy a movie at the charming little art deco style Terrace Theatre on James Island.

Dual city recs for a dual creative!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to shout out my cohort of fellow screenwriters and the professors at the University of Texas at Austin’s MFA Screenwriting program for the way they celebrated the art of story with me and pushed my growth as a writer. That program was a massive life pivot into a serious pursuit of film and writing for the screen. Not only that, this crew modeled what kindness and creative collaboration really looks like, how it trumps competition nearly every time. My manager, Bryan, for sticking with me through the years and always pushing me to just. keep. writing. my. truth.
My family members will all claim to not have creative urges like I do–but they have all inspired me in their many endeavors and shown me that art that can be found in the every day. They have always supported their goofy daughter/sister/aunt through her various artistic phases and (occasionally) life-long obsessions.
My husband, an incredible songwriter and musician, has cheered me on for over ten years now. He’s also modeled what creative discipline looks like every damn day. He’s a modern marvel.

Website: https://maggiekeimphoto.com/

Instagram: @maggiekeimphoto

Other: caltonmaggie@gmail.com

Image Credits
Maggie Keim