Arizona Wedding Photographer
Meet Maya Papaya
I’m a wise-cracking, extroverted Capricorn who excels at corralling your rowdy family for photos and charming Aunt Carol, the self deemed professional iPad photographer.
so here's the tea...
maya papaya
meet the maestro...
It was during that wedding that I realized how cinematic weddings were, and how a wedding day told not only the story of the couple, but also their guests. Each person had an involvement in the couple, and so their presence to witness the couple’s union is very important. I was inspired to capture as many moments as I could to tell the story of a day that lasts a lifetime.
Ever since I was little, huddled on the couch with my four siblings rewatching The Lion King, I knew that I wanted to be a storyteller. Growing up in a creative household, I studied a wide range of arts before settling on filmmaking. I envisioned in my head that I would be the next Spielberg, but after shooting my first wedding back in 2013, all my plans changed. I decided to become an Arizona wedding photographer instead!
providing a positive force on your wedding day
providing a positive force on your wedding day
providing a positive force on your wedding day
As a Black businesswoman it is very important to me to support my community. And while spreading the word in social media is nice, I’d rather put my money where my mouth is. That is why a portion of the proceeds from every sale I make will go to organizations helping Black and LGBTQ communities.
activism
I didn’t get into this industry to only shoot Instagram influencer couples. I became a photographer to tell everyday couples’ love stories. I value each couple I work with regardless of race, religion, body type, or sexual orientation. All are beautiful to me and are worthy of being captured.
inclusivity
As someone who has 5 adult siblings, I completely understand how hard it is to get everyone to come together at the same time. So when it does, it’s a miracle that needs to be photographed. That’s why I focus on getting all your family’s in-between moments so you can see the impact you have on your family and friends.
the importance of family
What I stand for
I'm not the photographer that lurks in the shadows while others are on the dance floor. I will 100% get down with your family and friends. (If I hear Crazy in Love, I'm running to the dance floor)
I don't lurk in the shadows!
I have pretty eclectic taste and listen to everything from Bach to Beyonce. I'm always done to hear new music and expand my horizons. Some of my favorite artists are Hiatus Kaiyote, Yebba, Hozier and The Punch Brothers
I went to a performing arts high school and have a love for music.
Whenever I’m there I feel creatively reinvigorated. I will never turn down a session that takes place in Sedona.
Sedona is my second home.
I love watching movies and TV whenever I can. Some of my favorite TV Shows are Yellowstone, Peaky Blinders, and Battlestar Galactica.
I'm a bit of a film junkie.
While I can burn water, I love going out to eat. One of my favorite restaurants is Postinos (If we ever meet in person I will 100% recommend this place).
I'm a bit of a foodie
Kevin Wilson
Happened to be lucky enough to have Maya take photographs of the reception at our wedding and I absolutely loved her passion and her vision to her craft. Maya was out there having a gas dancing it up with guests at our wedding and capturing all the best moments. It takes a special ability to be able to switch between having a great time and setting a vibe for others to feed off and then transition right back into the capturing the moment through photography. Maya definitely nailed it and made me feel comfortable throughout the entire reception. I definitely will recommend Maya to anyone in the future she da real MVP!
Maya truly is the life of the party!
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
Kaitlin Vigil
My fiancé and I are typically camera shy people, but Maya's energy and her prompts made our engagement session so easy breezy. It felt like we were hanging out with a friend. The pictures are STUNNING and her editing style is warm and cozy. We can't wait to work with her team for our wedding day!
We love Maya!
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
Michelle Bissonnette
She made us feel like super stars on our wedding day. She was warm, personal, clear in her directions and made everything run so smoothly. She captured EVERYTHING. We're so lucky to have these memories to look back on and remember our special day. :)
Maya was absolutely amazing!
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
Ado & Kyira
We were introduced to her by a friend of ours when looking for a person to shoot our engagement and wedding. They gave us a few options, and we went with Maya immediately after seeing her work. She's literally the best photographer and our personalities mix so well together. She is so fun to work with, she makes you feel comfortable, and she obviously produces amazing work. So lucky to have her as our photographer and friend.
Maya is the very best!
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
Deborah Missel
She answered all of our concerns and was so much fun to be around for our engagement photos and wedding. Her sense of humor kept us smiling all night. She has so many creative poses and ideas for pictures. My partner and I are both plus size and she made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera and captured our personalities perfectly.
Maya was an absolute joy to work with.
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
weddings are a movie in real life
With a background in filmmaking, my job is to approach your wedding like I would a film – balancing between the director and a fly-on-the-wall approach. My primary focus is on documenting all of the emotions in the room, that way in the end you get photos that reflect how the day felt, and not just what your shoes looked like.
Cinematic wedding photos
