Lisa-Marie McGinn is a young Scottish beauty and fashion photographer, who’s been amassing quite a following. Having relocated from her native Highlands to Canada, in order to pursue her art, Lisa-Marie discovered that art really is an international endeavor. As a largely self-made woman, and a phenomenally gifted photographer, we were keen to catch up with her, and see what the world looks like through the eyes of an artist.
In her decade-long career, Lisa-Marie has seen everything the industry has to offer. She worked as a fashion writer for Practical Photography Magazine, was a speaker at ProFusion in Toronto, and has traveled Canada extensively, speaking and teaching about her craft. At the moment, she acts as ambassador for Elinchrom, specifically for their lighting equipment.
And according to Lisa-Marie, one of the biggest helps in her career has been a powerful presence on social media.
“Social media is incredibly important to my brand. It is how people find my work and contact me from seeing my latest shoots,” says McGinn, whose behind-the-scenes reels are drawing new followers on Instagram every day.
Of course, in over 10 years of being in the photography world, Lisa-Marie has come away with a lot of lessons. Asked what she might’ve done differently, were she able to start over, she says:
“I would tell myself to stop comparing myself to others. It’s easier said than done because I still find myself doing that. As artists I think we are our own worst critics, and we need to focus on our own work and stop comparing.”
She also warns young photographers against the common misconception that being a photographer is easy. Quite the contrary, says McGinn. Not only do you have to worry about the shoot itself, techniques, lighting, setting, and so many other elements; but once that’s done, you’ve got editing and retouching to do. According to McGinn, the work itself never stops, but “[she] wouldn’t do anything else though, [she] love[s] this industry.”
But first and foremost, before being a photographer, Lisa-Marie is a mom of two boys, whom she describes as her world. When away from the camera, she loves spending time with her children, going to adventure parks, pools, walks, scooter rides, you name it. Lisa-Marie is a devoted mom, who shares everything with her kids, including her music.
“My 3-year-old loves music! We are loving Ed Sheeran, Lizzo and Harry Styles!”
The photographer also credits Beyonce as a musical muse, helping her wind down after a long day, or when driving somewhere. Close to her family, McGinn also credits her mother with believing in her throughout and inspiring her to never give up.
“I could never thank her enough.”
Overall, life is packed, both by the excitement of the present, and also by plans for the future. Lisa-Marie hopes to return to traveling and teaching photography all over the world one day. If she were to give one piece of advice to young photographers just picking up the camera, it would be,
“Keep shooting! Shoot whatever idea you have. Some work, some don’t and that’s okay! In a year from now, look back at your work and you will see how far you’ve come.”
