Name: Maura McCarl Chick
Website: Pics By Chicks Photography, Pittsburgh Boudoir Photographer
What do you photograph? I’m a boudoir photographer in the Pittsburgh area. I service the amazing women in the Youngstown, OH, New Castle, Erie area as well, and I’ve even had clients from as far away as Camp Hill, PA.
What do you love most about this type of photography? For me, it’s giving women a unique and uplifting experience that allows them to feel beautiful, grow their confidence, see themselves in a new way and learn to appreciate all they have. I love watching my clients soar during and after their boudoir photo shoot. I believe boudoir photo shoots are for women of any size and I love that my work showcases curvy and plus size boudoir beauties as well. We are all beautiful women and I love that my job is to show women how beautiful they are but more importantly make them FEEL beautiful. And, sometimes, just sometimes, it takes someone else to remind us of how beautiful we actually are!
Years in Business: It’s been 4 year since I got serious about being a photographer, but have had a passion for it since college.
Type of Business: I decided on an LLC.
How would you describe your style? This is always a hard question for me to answer. My style is crisp and clean. Those may be words I’ve made up because I’ve never heard of that style before but when I look at my photos I want to see crisp, clean, classy & elegant boudoir photos.
What do you think is the biggest factor that contributes to success? I call it the 3 Ps – perseverance, passion and personality.
Perseverance – There are many things (positive and negative) that are going to come your way as a business owner and you have to have perseverance to get thru everything. This perseverance drives you when times are good because you have to continue to hustle, and sustains you when you face challenges because you have the grit to get thru the struggles you’ll face.
Passion – Having passion for what you’re doing is super important. As Heather has told me, people are more connected with WHY you do what you do than what you do! I am very passionate about my boudoir photography, the experience I provide women, and the transformations that have happened. Ultimately, I think my clients are immediately connected to that. Your passion should come thru in your words, your actions and interactions.
Personality – Having a personality is so critical when running a business where YOU are your business. Clients need to be able to connect with you, understand who you are and why you do what you do. I am very open about who I am, what I’ve been thru in my life, and the struggles I currently face. I hear from so many clients that they feel like they know me before I even photograph them!
Where do you find inspiration? Anywhere and everywhere. I love looking at old painted portraits.
Why are you a part of the Flourish Academy? I want to be able to provide a perspective of those that are relatively new to the industry and how you can achieve your goals in a short amount of time. As I look back and think about my journey, I’ve come a LONG way in just 4 short years and have built a very successful boudoir photography business.
