Meet Max Duckworth

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Max Duckworth. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Max below.

Hi Max, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?

Art is so therapeutic to me. I can process my thoughts and emotions through any color or medium that I choose. Art helps me connect with the world in all different ways. Sometimes I connect with a subject from a far, quietly observing. Other times I am checking out at the grocery store and meet someone who needs a flamingo sticker, which I happily give to them.

I would not be able to engage so freely with my art if it were not for attending regular appointments with my trusted therapist. Taking care of my mental health is so important because it affects all areas of my life. My therapist helps me understand my thinking patterns and asks me questions to help uncover truths within myself. Therapy has helped me through serious issues including addiction, divorce and death. Lately, conversations are often enjoyable as I am working through some exciting changes in my business and conquering old fears.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a professional photographer with experience in many different fields of photography. This year I have made a bit of a shift in my business. After several years of trying to do “a little bit of everything,” I am bringing all my skills together to offer something new and unique.

I am offering a new kind of portrait experience for the person who is looking for something to help feel beautiful and confident, but also wants something other than a typical boudoir photoshoot. I believe every single object and person has a beautiful angle. Whether someone wants to capture their beauty in a subtle yet empowering way or ready to unleash their wild side, I’m dedicated to creating a safe and comfortable space where my clients can unapologetically be themselves.

I work collaboratively with my clients to bring their visions to life. Whether someone is looking for a classic portrait with a subtle twist or an adventurous outdoor shoot that pushes boundaries, I’m here to make it happen—no idea is too wild or too unconventional.

We work together through the whole process, including location scouting, outfit selection, thematic props and assistance posing with everything during the shoot. After, my client gets an online proof gallery to view the images and select favorites. From there, I make final edits and order your art!

I am different from a lot of other photographers in that I insist on my clients experiencing their photos in print. All my photo packages come with mounted prints that are ready to display or frame in addition to the digital file.

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?

My ability to learn and adapt has been the most important thing to me on this journey so far. I blindly stepped into the entrepreneurial ring with no solid knowledge of business, thinking my creativity and photography skills were all I needed to run a successful business. I quickly realized how wrong I was and was able to pivot energy into learning new business skills. Staying open-minded always helps me adapt when facing new challenges.

If it were not for my creativity, I would not survive. It is a quality that I believe everyone has and is certainly not limited to the arts. My creativity helps me in so many different ways–whether it is making art to keep myself calm or coming up with a new photoshoot idea to help empower a client. It is both a quality and a skill that I hone every day. Staying creative to me means trying new things on a regular basis, making art every day or even coming up with new ideas of things to do in an area I have lived in for 15 years. For any person who wants to live a more creative life, regardless of their current occupation or circumstance, I would suggest reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

I insist that hate cannot be cured with more hate, but can possibly be cured with kindness and love. Facing the world with this attitude is not always the most financially profitable, but has made all the difference in my days. When someone is rude or angry, people often instinctually react the same way. It is challenging to respond with kindness instead, but the results have been surprising. While I do not usually change people, I am less upset. If more people could increase their awareness of their emotional well-being, the world would be a much more peaceful place. This is one of the many reasons that raising mental health awareness is one of the core missions in my business. Improving my mental health has improved my life in so many ways.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

I read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron with a book study group at the beginning of this year after years of the book being on my to-read list. I had not made it a priority because art and creativity is already so prevalent in my daily life and there did not seem to be anything missing. I only decided to read it because I wanted to participate in the group. There is so much information that applies to anyone who wants to get to know themselves better in many different creative and open-ended spiritual ways.
The journaling exercises and “artist dates” helped me uncover valuable personal insights. The end of the book talks about the importance of community and building one’s own group of reliable creatives. I am lucky enough to be a member of The Club by Dear Handmade Life, an online community of creative business owners, and my life has changed in many positive ways since joining as a founding member in 2021.
Without my creative friends, I would have quickly given up on my business. It is so important to have kind, honest, authentic people around to help boost us up when we are down as well as celebrate with us when we win.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maxduckworth.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maxduckworth
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duckworthmax

Image Credits

Max Duckworth