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I
CAN
TELL
THAT
WE'RE
GOING
TO
BE
friends
OH,
HEY
mckinley
I'M
Since I was old enough to walk, I've been an artist. I come from a deep line of creative women, in which my mom is a K-12 art teacher and my grandma is a painter. I always had this calling to use my talents to bring joy to others, but it took time to figure out how...
In my sophomore year of high school, my youth group presented us with the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Jamaica. I felt called to pursue this ministry experience, but I needed to come up with the money to go. I started to collect funds by doing tasks like raking people's yards and doing exterior painting. At this time, I was also taking photography classes in art with, (you guessed it), my mom as the teacher. I became fascinated with a camera's capabilities and the artistic freedom that came with it. That's when I got the idea to dive deep into learning photography and offering my services to families in the area in exchange for a donation to go toward my mission trip!
I started photographing a few of our close family friends. As my photo knowledge expanded, my donations increased. In 2016, I was fortunate enough to leave the United States for the first time and go on a life-altering mission trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica. However, when I returned from the trip, I realized something... I REALLY liked photography and people were wanting to PAY ME to take their photos. This is when McKinley Rayne Photography was born.
how it started
how it's going
My family and I have been traveling to Wyoming & Montana since I was a little girl to visit our family that lives there. Despite "The West" being home to my biggest fear (mountain lions), it is also home to my favorite things- mountains, wildflowers, my family, blue lakes, cowboy country and big ranches. This is why my photography style incorporates a lot of western and agricultural elements- it's a part of who I am!
In 2019, I was asked to do my first wedding- I was equally part terrified and ecstatic. I went home that night knowing that weddings had my heart. Something about two people in love...gosh, I LOVE LOVE. In 2020, my career in weddings kickstarted and I photographed 20 weddings- talk about jumping in head-first! In 2021, I continued photographing multiple weddings but I also attended my favorite wedding of all time...my own.
On September 11th, I married my high school sweetheart of 7ish years and my very best friend, Kobe. I also got to experience a wedding from the perspective of a bride, which actually helped me become an even better wedding photographer!
Fast forward to the present day- I am continuing to help couples document their special day. This passion of mine has allowed me to go places I never imagined I'd go and create life-long friends that I never imagined I would be lucky enough to have. Whether you are a bride, groom, fellow photographer, or person just checking out my website- here is my advice to you: "You can't tell big dreams to small-minded people" (Steve Harvey), so pursue your goals no matter how big or how many obstacles stand in your way... I promise you won't regret it.
my favorite things
- All things western inspired
- My Highland cattle
- Traveling literally anywhere and everywhere
- Checking the cows with my husband
- My 4 doggos
- Flowers
- Golden hour
- Country music concerts
what sets me apart...
There are a few things that set me apart from other photographers. First, I have a "documentary" style in which I focus more on the moments and less on the posing. I also have almost 10 years of photography experience and almost 5 years in the wedding industry. Lastly, I am one of the very few photographers based in Iowa that specialize in western lifestyle. I love my job, and I like to think it shows!
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