This past year, someone very dear to me—our office manager, Sandi—has been walking through something unimaginably difficult. Her remarkable son, Benjamin, has been in the midst of cancer treatment, and recently, what was hoped to be a season of healing brought a much more complex scenario. With my full support, she needed to step away immediately.

What a gift it must be to have a mother like Sandi!
And what a gift she has been to me, and to this business, for the past 12 years!

In the quiet that followed, alongside the grief and concern for her family, I found myself asking what this next season might look like. At first, I assumed I would simply rebuild—reimagine the structure of the business, refine systems, and hire again.

But as I sat with it longer, I felt a gentle tug toward something I hadn’t allowed myself to fully explore before…perhaps because my love for photography—and for you—is so deep. This has been my life’s work for 27 years!

As I looked at the span of my working life ahead, it felt like I might have just enough time to try something new.

I’ve always been quietly curious about finance. I began investing at 19 and have long loved personal finance as a tool to support and care for a family well. I’m someone who really invests in the work they do, and I especially love work that connects to long-term flourishing.

So, this may come as a surprise…

After this summer, I will be retiring from photography and transitioning into a role with a company I deeply respect in the financial space. For a time, this will mean commuting every other week to one of their regional headquarters, with the hope of eventually being based in Lexington.

And while it may seem like a significant shift, it feels more aligned than you might expect. So much of what I’ve loved about photography—the listening, the collaboration, the depth of relationships—exists in this work too.

For now, I’m giving myself the space to learn as much as I possibly can.  I want to be excellent at anything I do, so I know this season will involve a tremendous amount of learning—and honestly, that feels energizing to me.

Right now, much of my financial knowledge is centered around what we’ve personally needed in each phase of our family life. But now I’ll have the opportunity to learn far more deeply, and I’m excited for how that knowledge help others, and our own family in the years ahead.

When I first started in photography, the field looked very different—largely male, and far less varied than it is today. Finance, in many ways, carries a similar shape. I feel really strongly that  there’s room for someone like me who cares about families, and wants to do an incredible job for others.

Letting go of work I love has not been easy. Not even close. And I’m so grateful for a husband who is supportive and thoughtful.

I’ve been thinking about my grandmother lately. She was incredibly creative and explored many different mediums throughout her life. For years, I believed that if she had focused on just one, her work might have ended up in museums. I internalized that lesson: focus, choose one thing.

But now, I see it differently.

The freedom to explore—and create a life that evolves—is a gift to yourself.

Audrey has a piece of art in her maker’s space that reads:
“You do not find the happy life…you make it.”

So, this is my grand experiment.

Photography has been the most beautiful, meaningful work. And now, with Audrey grown and in college, I find myself in a season where I don’t need the same kind of flexibility—and I don’t want to regret not trying.

There are unknowns, of course. That’s part of what makes this even more exciting!

I’ve thought carefully about what matters most to me — my non-negotiables: a rich spiritual life, daily movement, good rest, nourishing food, and deeply connected relationships. When I mapped it all out, I realized I couldn’t hold photography in the way I would want to alongside everything else.

And so, this is a true retirement of that chapter.

That part is still tender. Because I have loved being with you.

I would truly adore the chance to stay in touch. You can always reach me by text or on Marco Polo (859-935-1999), and I hope to continue sharing here from time to time and will definitely post an end of year update!  I might be ill suited for not sharing!

If you need help finding a photographer, I would be honored to help you review portfolios and be a matchmaker this summer!

My email will remain the same:
melanie@melaniemauer.com

Perhaps the most important thing I can say is simply this:

Thank you for the happiest chapter of life I could have ever imagined.

You have made my life so very good.

If you’re the praying kind, any prayers you could offer for Sandi and her family would be so deeply appreciated.

With unending affection,
—melanie—