Ok… so full disclosure here. I'm not your typical photographer with a polished origin story about always knowing I was meant to be behind a camera. My story is messier than that, more interesting, and honestly — I think it's a big part of why I'm good at this.
Hi, I'm Stacey. Your BFF + Creative Photographer.
Meet Stacey
I was young when I found it - an old Nikon half-frame tucked away like it had been waiting for me. My dad taught me how to use it. Not just how to point and shoot, but the whole process: composing the shot, developing the negatives, standing in the darkroom (our kitchen on the weekends) watching an image slowly appear on paper in the developer tray. I was hooked. Black and white film photography became my first love, and it never really left.
But life had other plans for a while.
It started with a camera in my dad's closet.
22 Years in the Classroom
I spent over two decades teaching in Title I middle schools - the kind of schools that require patience, creativity, and the ability to read a room in about three seconds flat. I taught band, orchestra, modern band, general music, computer skills, chorus, guitar, and even math remediation. If it needed a teacher, I probably did it at some point.
What that career gave me - beyond a deep love for my students and a truly impressive tolerance for chaos - was the ability to work with absolutely anyone. Shy kids who didn't want to be there. Big personalities who wanted to run the show. Nervous parents. Skeptical administrators. I learned how to meet people exactly where they are and make them feel comfortable enough to do something hard.
That skill didn't stay in the classroom. I use it every single day behind the camera.
About twenty years ago, I had my first boudoir photography session. I walked in feeling one way about myself and walked out seeing something completely different in the mirror. It wasn't about the photos - it was about what the experience did to how I saw myself.
I couldn't stop thinking about it. About what it would mean to be the person who gives that experience to someone else.
So, in 2015, I started shooting. Slowly at first, alongside teaching, building a portfolio, figuring out the business. In 2022, Stacey Marie Photography became official. And I haven't looked back.
The Session That Changed Everything.
I photograph boudoir, headshots, families, and real estate across Bradenton, Sarasota, and Lakewood Ranch. My studio is in Lakewood Ranch, but I'm out on location just as often - riverfonts, courthouses, parks, your office, wherever makes sense for you.
For every single session, I guide you through the whole thing. What to wear, how to stand, where to put your hands, how to angle your chin - all of it. You don't need to know how to pose. That's my job. You just show up.
What I Actually Do
A Little More About Me
I'm a mom of two incredible adult daughters, a grandma to three grand babies, and a wife to a husband who has supported every wild idea I've ever had. We share our home with three cats who are very opinionated about my work schedule.
I'm a musician - clarinet is my main instrument, but I also play flute, saxophone, a little violin, and a little trumpet. (Yes, really.) I'm an Enneagram 3, a chronic overachiever, and a perfectionist who will tweak a photo seventeen times before I'm satisfied. I run on coffee and pizza, in that order.
I love what I do. It shows.
COFFEE
can't live without
BRIDGERTON
favorite show
GARDENING
CURRENT HOBBY
REALITY TV
GUILTY PLEASURE
JENNIFER GARNER
CELEBRITY OBSESSION
Ready to know more about how it all works?
Check out the FAQ page.