Hi. I’m Maija*
*the J sounds like a Y
Thanks for stopping by.
I’m a Chicago-based branding photographer and visual strategist with 20+ years in the arts. I help people and businesses build visual marketing libraries that actually work — because they’re built around real humans, not stock photo fantasies.
My approach is combines art, psychology, and strategy. We plan every session with intention. We leave room for spontaneity. The entire experience is about collaboration.
The spark was always yours.
It just needed somewhere safe to land.
I’ve been making art since before anyone had the chance to stifle my spark. (The girl in the photo is 6 year old me!) None of that has changed — just the tools and the people I get to make it with.
The electricity — unfiltered, a little weird, totally genuine — is exactly what I’m chasing in every session. Yours included. Your inner kid, the one with the weird ideas and the unselfconscious energy, that’s your spark. It isn’t gone. It just needs the right conditions to show up.
My job is to make enough space to allow that person to show up. That’s when you’re most photogenic.
This work is human work.
Creativity thrives in diversity. Black and Brown lives matter. Women’s voices matter. Immigrants are welcome. Gender and sexuality are personal, human experiences. Open hearts are a strength.
These aren’t footnotes. They’re the foundation. If that resonates, you’re in the right place. If it doesn’t, I wish you well — and also wish you luck finding someone else who is a better fit.
My Story…
I came to Chicago to teach.
I moved to Chicago from Minnesota in 2003 (yes, the accent is real) after passing through UW-Madison for a BS in Art Education. (Go Badgers!) After teaching art in a Chicago Public Schools High School for a few years, I learned a needed another tool in my back pocket to better serve my students. I received my Masters in School Counseling and my LPC. Turns out, helping people feel seen and understood never gets old — it just looks different now.
Then the camera took over.
Photography was always there. I grew up with it, studied it before everything went digital, and it formed the foundation of so much of my mixed media art. I eventually realized it was the perfect combination of everything I love: people, art, and a little bit of adventure.
Now I do both.
I still teach — Phone-tography workshops, walks, and sessions for anyone who wants to make better photos with the phone already in their pocket.
It’s all about teamwork.
Collaboration is the key to the magic.
My team:
Meghan Mullen – True Edits
Meghan and I joined forces in 2019 and have since become friends. She’s based in Rochester, NY and is the reason your gallery lands in your inbox faster than you expect. She’s my second eye — finding the best of the best and matching my edits perfectly. When she’s not working on your photos, she’s wrangling two boys and one wild dog.
my business-owner community
This is a business built on love and community. I often reach out to other small business owners for support and to utilize their services. If you need a service or connection within your brand, let me know. I might know someone.
YOU
Seriously. Without you, none of this works. You bring the stories, the personality, the energy that makes every session its own thing. I’m just here to make sure it shows.
Most people feel awkward in front of a camera. Same.
It’s the reason I work the way I do. Comfort isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s how the good photos happen. When you’re relaxed, directed without being stiff, and actually having a decent time? That’s when your face does the thing it’s supposed to do.
You bring the energy. I handle the rest.
Yes, that’s my photo of a sloth. sometimes taking it slow like the sloth is the way to go. read more on the blog…
A sneak peek:
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How to Choose a Brand Photographer Who Actually Gets You
You can Google “brand photographer Chicago” and get a hundred results in four seconds. Plenty of talented people. Solid portfolios. Professional websites. Reasonable prices.
Why does it still feel so hard to find the right one?
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You’re Not Boring – But Your Brand Photos Might Be
I’m bored. I’m seeing the same photos everywhere — same studios, same poses, same “authentic” laptop laughter. So I sat down with my sketchbook, did a free write, and painted over everything that didn’t matter. What was left clarified how I think about brand photography. Here’s what I learned about stars, constellations, and why playing it safe is the enemy of being seen.
