A little history…
Hi! I’m Sara. I live in Bozeman, tucked away into a corner of the foothills in an old, creaky house (that is also my studio) with my partner, Will, and our dog Bird aka Birdie. I grew up near the Twin Cities, and I moved to Montana in 2012.
I started Saxton Studios while I was in my undergrad at Montana State University’s School of Film and Photography. Originally it was a space I carved out myself to practice my photography professionally while diving headfirst into the real world to find my post-graduate community.
Saxton Studios foundation was built on taking portraits and doing brand photography for my friends and family. But my experience in marketing grew rapidly as I tried on and wore many different hats within a local business, Salchicha. My roles involved store management, inventory management and marketing management. It allowed me to understand so many different parts of a business, especially the importance of creating genuine community relationships.
The work I did at the shop included tasks like creating and implementing content to media channels such as email campaigns, their website and social media. My job also reached into print design with printed marketing materials and billboard design.
I was constantly researching and optimizing systems to bring structure to aspects in the back end of the business, like staff communications, special ordering, rewards programs. I also did front of house sales, hiring and management of a sales team.
In the fall of 2022, I decided to go full time with my small business, leveraging all of my management and marketing experiences to help other businesses find their groove in marketing content and systems. My services are built for each small business I have the pleasure to working with.
But I never want the the foundation of Saxton Studios to be lost: photography that captures families, couples, pets and events.
saxton .studios
saxton .studios
Employee Of The Month
Bird
Bird (aka Birdie) is my tiny sidekick, she makes my world go ‘round. She’s the doxie-mutt that changed my life!
Her top skills are digging holes, fetching, being the office/shop greeter when we’re on site, and snuggling. And giving feedback.
She will often attend meetings with me, she is already excited to greet you with tail wags.
Playlists that I’ve been loving lately…
Q&A with Sara
If you were to be anything other than a photographer and marketing consultant, what would you be?
I would probably open a printing studio to sell my own prints or host workshops to provide a learning space for photography and printing techniques.
What draws you to photography?
I have always loved the idea that you can capture the world and people around you into a little box and keep it forever. Finding glimmer-y moments in the everyday- it’s pretty magical that I can share that with other people. My passion runs deep for the technique, connection and creating images that tell a story how I unfolds in front of me.
Dreamiest place you’ve traveled to?
I grew up visiting my family in England. the cold coastal countryside is romantic and haunting, in a Bon Iver type of way. The UK has my heart forever [fun fact, I’m a dual citizen of the US and the UK.] But I think the most magical trip I’ve ever been on was a roadtrip from Rome up through Italy and Switzerland. Driving through to different countries and seeing that change and seeing the changes between the cities in such a short amount of time compared to the US was incredible
What’s your favorite smell?
There are so many ways to interpret smell. Like, the perfume I wear is amber oil- I love that smell and that people think of me when they smell it. Or the smell of my grandparents houses always bring me back to the warmth and outpouring love I felt while I was there. Or the comforting smells of my dog: her corn chip paws or how she smells when she wakes up (like maple syrup).
As I’m writing this, the seasons are changing and I really love being able to take in the smells of each season in Montana, or any place I’m in. Springtime in MT smells like warm buildings, mud and fresh air. Summer smells like tomato plants, rain on pavement and hot sagebrush. Fall smells like crunchy leaves, apples and crisp mountain air ready to turn to winter at any moment. Winter smells like musky cedar cabins, pine trees and smokey fireplaces.
What People Are Saying
“We have two young kids and live 90 miles from Sara. Yet, we REALLY wanted to have her do some family photos of us. Instead of packing up the kids and slotting us into her schedule, she cleared her day and came to us. THEN, she took photos of us in our home in the most natural way. No posing, no pressure, and no kid meltdowns. She was a joy to work with and got our photos back to us in record time. She’ll be our go-to from here on out!”
— Jamie
“Sara is a delight to work with. An artist, a true professional and simply a lovely human being. I had a very specific vision for my branding shoot and Sara captured it so beautifully. Cannot recommend her enough.”
— Emily, Embodying Wild
“I have been working with Sara from Saxton Studios for my small business and couldn't be happier with her. She is creative, knows how to pivot and adjust based on feedback and is just an all around lovely human to work with! Would highly rec for any photography or digital marketing needs!”
— Kait, Salchicha
“I had such a wonderful experience working with Sara. She is incredibly professional and kind. Sara is open to listening to my needs, and the food pictures turned out exactly as I needed. Since it was our first time working together, she made sure during the photo shoot that I liked the style of the photos she was taking. Our communication was so open and effective. She also helped me feel less shy in front of the camera. I am looking forward to working more with Sara in the future.”
— Linda, The hummingbird’s Kitchen
“Sara made us feel comfortable during our photo session and captured very natural pictures of a very special time. Sara is incredibly easy to work with and very professional!”
— Mary
“Sara’s thoughtful and personalized approach makes all the difference as a small business owner. She takes the time to really understand your needs and helps you anticipate things you didn’t even think of.
As a photographer- she is incredible at capturing the most beautiful imagery. Her ease puts the subject at ease. I’ve never liked being photographed and I actually look forward to seeing the photos Sara takes!
Working with Saxton Studios is always such a pleasure and I can’t wait for all of our next projects!”
