Meet Haley Brown

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Haley Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Haley , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

“How did you find your purpose?”

That’s a question I’ve been asked a lot lately, and for a long time, I didn’t have an answer.
Because truthfully, I didn’t find my purpose. I became it.

My purpose was buried underneath the chaos I created, under every hangover, every apology, every night I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the person staring back. For years, I tried to fill an empty space inside me with anything that would numb the noise: alcohol, distraction, denial. I thought fun and fulfillment were the same thing. I thought being the life of the party meant I was alive.

But I wasn’t living. I was disappearing.

When I decided to get sober on October 17, 2020, it wasn’t because I had suddenly found clarity. It was because I had run out of excuses. I had run out of tomorrows. In that breaking point, I realized that if I wanted to find my purpose, I first had to stop running from the person I was.

Sobriety stripped me down to my most honest self. It forced me to face every wound I had covered up and every truth I didn’t want to speak out loud. It wasn’t glamorous. It was lonely at first. I lost friends, routines, and parts of an identity I thought defined me. But what I gained—peace, strength, love, and self-respect—was worth every single thing I gave up.

My purpose didn’t show up all at once. It showed up in quiet moments.
In the first morning I woke up without guilt.
In the laughter I could actually remember.
In the way my daughter looked at me and saw safety instead of chaos.
In helping someone else take their first 24 hours sober.

That’s when I realized my purpose was never something I had to chase. It was what I built when I finally stopped destroying myself.

My purpose is to live a life that honors the version of me who almost didn’t make it.
To be proof that change is possible. Not perfect. Not easy. But possible.
To turn my pain into a story that reminds someone else that they can start over too.

Five years later, I still wake up grateful. Not because life is suddenly flawless, but because it’s real. I feel everything now—the joy, the peace, the lessons, even the hard days—and that’s how I know I’m alive.

So how did I find my purpose?
By losing everything that wasn’t mine.
By choosing to live when it would’ve been easier not to.
By getting sober and staying that way.

10.17.20, the day I stopped looking for my purpose and started living it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a professional photographer of 3 years!

One of the greatest gifts I’ve ever created through my business isn’t just a photo, it’s a second chance.

The I Do Redo was born from the belief that every couple deserves to feel the beauty of their wedding day, even if things didn’t go as planned the first time. Sometimes life happens.. the weather doesn’t cooperate, the photographer cancels, the stress takes over, or maybe the couple simply couldn’t afford the experience they dreamed of. Whatever the reason, they walked away with photos that didn’t tell the story they always hoped to remember.

That’s where we step in.

Through The I Do Redo, couples are given a completely free wedding photo experience. Everything is donated: the venue, the dress, the bouquet, the hair and makeup, even the cake. All they have to bring is their love story and the courage to say, “Let’s try again.”

This project isn’t just about pictures. It’s about healing. It’s about rewriting a memory that once hurt and turning it into something beautiful. It’s about reminding people that they deserve to be celebrated, and that love is still worth capturing, no matter how much time has passed or how imperfect the first chapter might have been.

As a photographer, this is my favorite part of what I do. My camera has always been a tool for storytelling, but through The I Do Redo, it becomes a tool for restoration. Each session is emotional, filled with tears, laughter, and the kind of joy that only comes from getting back something you thought was lost.

I started this project through Shutter by Haley Brown LLC because I wanted my business to stand for more than just portraits and pretty images. I wanted it to stand for people. For grace. For do-overs that turn into forever memories.

And the best part? The I Do Redo has become a community effort. Local vendors, venues, artists, and stylists have come together, donating their time and talent to make these experiences magical. Together, we get to gift something priceless: peace, closure, and a second chance to fall in love with your wedding day.

Because everyone deserves to look back at their photos and smile.
Everyone deserves a redo of their I do!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Empathy
True connection starts with understanding. Empathy allows me to capture genuine emotion and create safe, meaningful experiences for every client especially through The I Do Redo, where healing and hope are at the heart of every photo.

2. Creativity and Skill
A deep understanding of light, composition, and camera mastery brings my creative vision to life. Every session becomes a story told with purpose and intention, not just a photograph.

3. Leadership and Collaboration
Building Shutter by Haley Brown LLC and The I Do Redo takes strong organization, teamwork, and leadership. It is about inspiring others, building trust, and creating something bigger than myself.. a community rooted in kindness, artistry, and second chances.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

I would spend it exactly how I try to spend every day now, with intention. I would love deeper, live slower, and capture everything that truly matters. I would pour my heart into people and purpose instead of things.

I would continue photographing stories that mean something. The quiet love between couples who have fought for each other. The laughter of families who finally get to stand in front of the camera together. The “I Do Redo” moments that remind people that healing is real and that it is never too late for joy.

I would make sure my children knew what it means to live honestly, to work hard for what you love, and to always choose kindness. I would teach them that life is not measured in years but in memories, courage, and second chances.

If I had only ten years, I would create art that outlives me. I would give back every ounce of grace that once saved me. I would travel, laugh until I cry, say yes more often, and take more photos, not for perfection but for proof that I lived.

And when my time came, I would want people to remember not just what I did but how I made them feel. That I gave more than I took. That I believed in redemption, beauty, and the power of a fresh start.

Because life is not about how long it lasts. It is about what you build with the time you are given.
If I had ten years left, I would make every one of them count.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shutterbyhaleybrown.squarespace.com/?fbclid=IwRlRTSANs8I1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHlktJEgc1VvbnS6_t6-QnhO0TlavixJKXiE9FUrhlO5GZ7q2Af28pl5qTdBV_aem_UhH0F80Om1nAZG3cqyx6Mw
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shutterbyhb?igsh=c2dnMDFlMDExcW5x&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14P8ojgLGxe/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits

I am the photographer and editor of all images. Shutter by Haley Brown, LLC.