Megan Morello shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Megan, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
My natural gravitational pull has always been towards wandering. The freedom of being without a plan and just letting life unfold, the anticipation of the infinite number of the possibilities, and the spontaneity that is inherent in wandering still resonate with me deeply. I moved a lot when I was a kid, so maybe this is just a coping mechanism?
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that while possibilities may be endless, time is not. Sometimes going with the flow backfires, and more intentionality is required to make things happen. Right now, with my career, I’m on a path. It wasn’t full forged when I started down it, but with lots of support from loved ones, mentors, and colleagues I’m figuring out how to make it work for me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Megan (rhymes with vegan), a commercial food and lifestyle photographer. Eight years ago, I left a traditional 9-5 to pursue my dream of becoming a full-time photographer. It was one of the scariest, and ultimately best, decisions I’ve ever made.
As a commercial photographer, I create imagery designed to help businesses showcase and promote their products, services, and experiences. I work with a wide range of clients, including restaurants, bars, hotels, tourism boards, agricultural and food marketing boards, consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, alcohol brands, and publications. My work is often described as clean, polished, and vibrant.
When it comes to making photos, I thrive on collaboration. Whether it’s partnering directly with a client, working alongside a team of creatives, or (ideally) both, I love the process of bringing a shared vision to life. The teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity required to produce something beautiful is not only exhilarating, but also my favorite part of the job!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I was diagnosed with Cancer at age twenty, After about six weeks of procedures, tests, and finally a surgery the day before my twenty-first birthday, it tuned out to be stage 1. I am still so grateful.
I’m in my forties now, and I hear a lot of peers comment that they are finally realizing their own mortality. I think my brush with illness helped me tap into that sense of urgency earlier than I would’ve otherwise. How did I really want to spend my short life? Why was I trying so hard to make other people happy? How could I maximize joy?
I still get caught up in the day-to-day and fall out of this mentality pretty frequently. But I feel more grounded for the experience. It reshaped my perspective, making riskier, but potentially more rewarding choices feasible.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I used to think about whether I should give up ALL THE TIME! Did I need to return to a “real” job? Was my dream unrealistic? Did my work totally suck?
At some point, my confidence in the process and in myself shifted, and I began to question less. That said, I still have plenty of tough days. Luckily, I’ve got people to remind me of the ebb and flow nature of both life and work, and to encourage me to, “Just keep going,” which is now repeat in my brain.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’m skeptical that the “public version” of any human is representative of their entire self. The public version of me is just a part of me.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
If I’m on set, and I’m working with a team of people, I am definitely tap dancing to work! The actual photo shoot days are my happy place. We’ve got a good soundtrack going, there’s usually food involved so snacks and little tastes abound, and there is the collective buzz that comes with every crew member feeling excited about their contribution- photographer, food stylist, prop stylist, and of course the client! This is about 20% of the job, but definitely the very best part. I can genuinely say that I love it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meganmorello.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megan.morello.photo
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-morello/
Image Credits
All images by Megan Morello, EXCEPT, photo of me courtesy of R. Mora Photography
