A Family & Commercial Photographer in Virginia

Capturing Real Moms &
The Brands That Believe In Them

mary-otanez-photography-about.jpg

Photographer,
Producer,
Artist, &
Proud Mother

I am a family & commercial photographer specializing in all things motherhood and brand photography.

It is my sole mission to support and empower all women by creating beautiful imagery that reflects their current life journey; whether growing a family or their business brand. I’m here to tell their story.

The trusted photographer for all things motherhood & brand.

Stress Free

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Empowering

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Authentic

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Nurturing

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Stress Free - Empowering - Authentic - Nurturing -

MATERNITY & NEWBORN

My Anthem to All Mothers

Here's to the real moms.

The ones who wear love on their skin. The makers of laundry piles and birthday parties.

The gentle warriors braving every bedtime battle.

We know these days are wild and weary and wonderful — then gone in a blink.

We hold them in our hearts. We capture whatever we can.

Because our lives don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

Our homes don’t have to look like a magazine to be overflowing with love.

And these seasons that stretch and strengthen us will soon be no more than a memory.

So let’s embrace the sea of toys, the soft morning snuggles,

the way your little one’s eyes light up when they meet yours.

Let’s hold space for every moment of chaos and connection.

Let’s document this time that deserves to be seen, celebrated, and cherished for generations.

Long live the messy magic of motherhood.

BRAND & COMMERCIAL

Full Photography & Post Production Services:

+ Discovery Meetings

+ Strategy Calls / Treatments

+ Clear & Focused Communication

+ Position the Clients & Product as the Heart of the Project

+ Access to Full Production Capabilities

+ Consistent Visual Style & Brand Voice

+ Pre-Production Meeting & Call Sheets

+ Full Post Production Capabilities

+ Access to BTS coverage for Social Media

+ Access to Rush Deliveries

+ Stunning High Resolution Imagery / Top Quality Equipment

Client’s Real Results & Takeaways

  • "Mary immediately erased all of those anxieties and was such a calming, warm presence. She put me at ease from the get-go by chit-chatting and sharing her own vulnerable experience in early motherhood. Not only did I receive a beautiful gallery of images, but I feel like I made a friend by the end of our session. If you're looking for artistic, graceful set of portraits by a wonderful human being - Mary's your gal."

    Kate Thompson

  • "One business strategy of Citi Collective is to partner with outside service providers that act and feel like an extension of our company, not a third party. Mary quickly achieved this. What we love about working with Mary, beyond her amazing end product, is how easy and seamless it is. We can spend minimal time describing our vision and she brings it to life quickly. We don’t need to hire several different companies or a plethora of staff because Mary manages every minor detail. With ease she goes from vision to production and delivery and communicates proactively and consistently along the way. Mary took the time to understand our company, our values and the feeling we want our brand to instill in our audience. Mostly, it is her organized nature, superior communication and innate ability to naturally bring this all to life that makes her a valued asset to Citi Collective."

    Maria Lechner / Founder & Owner of Citi Collective

  • "You’re immediately comfortable around her and the images reflect that..."

    Courtney O'Hara

  • “Motherhood is an isolating experience, and there’s power in having this female champion capturing the things that don’t get talked about or noticed.”

  • "Mary finds a way to capture real-life moments, joy, and the beauty of relationships. I want my customers to see themselves in my photos. I want them to be able to picture that closeness with their baby. Mary’s able to capture that. They’re beautiful photos, but you don’t look at them and think, ‘Oh, my body would never look like that.’ What she’s doing is real but beautiful. Anyone can take a beautiful photograph — she finds a way to capture the beauty of real life.”

  • “It’s such a comfortable, enjoyable experience. She’s silly and vibrant and empowering; she’s just got this inner calm that puts you at ease. She’s vocal about complimenting how I look and how I’m doing and I feel more empowered and confident as our sessions go on.”