Work Well Feature Stories

Each month, we shine a light on someone from our Work Well community, sharing their journey. These are honest conversations to inspire, encourage and remind you that you’re not alone on the path to creating work that feels good and does good.

Real stories from real people building meaningful businesses in the wellbeing space.

Our January feature is Maggie, a photographer who has a relaxed and informal style who loves capturing moments as they naturally happen. Maggie has her own business Magpie Photography where she can help people feel more confident as she takes the awkward poses away and captures the real person with her unique style. Let's dive straight in to see what she has to say..

Magpie Photo Instagram

Q. What inspired you to start your wellbeing business?

A. I've always been interested in photography ever since I was little and my Grandpa took family photos of us - though looking back now some of the poses were a teeeeny bit on the cheesy side. We had his old minolta cameras in our dressing up box and the different dials and flip back for putting in and removing film used to fascinate me. I've always been creative and carried that interest and curiosity about photography into adult life. When my career became less and less creative I realised I needed a creative outlet and decided to take a night class in photography and things gradually built from there.

I'm also very interested in the positive impact creativity has on my mental health and have found that mindfulness is a very positive perk of taking photographs. One which I'm looking to explore more in 2026.

Q. What’s one unexpected lesson you’ve learned since becoming self-employed?

A.  Freelancing life is unpredictable and whilst I'd expected that to be the case I don't think I'd fully registered it. There are natural peaks and troughs throughout the year and initially this made me quite uncomfortable, but I've realised it's all part of it. I'm just over a year into being self employed and feel like I know more about what to expect as each new season comes round and can plan for both quieter and busier times without feeling too overwhelmed or guilty.

Q. What part of your work fills your cup and reminds you why you do what you do?

A.  It's the people and the types of photography that remind me why I do what I do - lots of variety. I'm in a really lucky position where I get to meet lots of different people from very different industries and I find out little nuggets of information about careers I wouldn't otherwise have had a clue about. When I'm taking headshots I get an almost potted history of people's lives which is absolutely fascinating. 

Events are different again and just as enjoyable, but in a different way. I recently photographed the Christmas Parade at Stanley Square and it was amazing. A fantastic atmosphere, lots of creativity on display, lights and puppets and all to the beats of a band of drummers. 

Q. What’s one thing you do regularly that helps you stay balanced?

A. Get outside in nature. I've always loved being outdoors, particularly in green spaces. It's a chance to switch off, enjoy the fresh air and the surroundings. I always feel calmer and 'refreshed' when I get back and a bit of space away from a task that I'm getting a bit lost with helps me refocus. I usually gravitate towards spaces with woods or water - luckily I have both trees and a river very close by so I can get out and enjoy those in all weathers. Weirdly I never tire of the same route and I'm often a person who enjoys variety.

Q. What would be one free tip to help others Work Well?

A. It might sound obvious but plan out your day and schedule in time for regular breaks. I use the planning tool trello to organise my week and I find it helps keep me focused and organised, which stops me procrastinating. It's also good in that you can mark off each task as you do it which helps me manage any feelings of doubt when I get to the end of a day and start questioning what it is I've actually done. I'm often surprised when I look back through the tasks I've finished and see that I've done a lot more than I thought I had. I always add some sort of exercise into my daily tasks whether it's yoga, getting out for a walk or going to the gym, otherwise I'll tend to prioritise other things first and I know how important exercise and fresh air is for my well being. 

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