10/23/2026
HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY TO MY RIGHT-HAND MAN, CARLOS! 🥂📸🖤
I wanted to come on here because this week, we have a very special day at Outcast Photo Co. It’s Carlos’s 21st birthday, and I couldn’t let it pass without sharing a little bit about the person who has become such an important part of this company and my life.
Carlos and I met a little over a year ago, and I swear time has absolutely flown by. I’m going to be honest about how we met because this is OUR platform, and if there’s one thing we’ve been practicing this year, it’s not caring what people think. We’ve stepped away from the pressure to post 24/7, play the social media influencer game, and feel like we have to prove ourselves every second of the day.
So, here’s the story. 😂
I was added to a photographer group chat by a photographer who, ironically, doesn’t particularly like me. I remember thinking, “What the hell is this about to be?” I stayed quiet for a while, just observing everyone. I was still new to the industry and had only recently started finding my footing. Being about a decade younger than a lot of the other photographers in my area made finding my voice, building my name, and establishing myself in this industry an interesting experience, to say the least. But baby, it didn’t take long for me to be myself, build my own platform, and say BYE to the haters. 🤣
Somewhere in that group chat was Carlos, who eventually messaged me saying he loved my work and wanted to second shoot with me. What he didn’t know was that, for weeks at that point, I’d been talking with my mentor, James Young, in California about finding an associate. I was getting overbooked, trying to do everything myself, and realizing that if I wanted to grow Outcast into what I envisioned, I couldn’t do it all alone.
I’d always dreamed of expanding this company, building a team, and connecting with talented creatives and vendors in different areas. So, I told Carlos I was looking for an associate, and we met up for coffee.
And honestly? After that first meeting, it felt like I’d found a missing piece of my company that I didn’t even realize was missing.
I genuinely don’t think Carlos fully understands just how BIG his role is in Outcast Photo Co. Over the past year, he’s worked alongside me, constantly pushing me to think more creatively, come up with out-of-the-box ideas, and see things from a different perspective. He’s given me the freedom to travel for weddings while still allowing Outcast to serve our Tennessee couples on the same dates. He’s helped make opportunities possible that would have been incredibly difficult for me to take on alone.
He’s my second set of eyes. The person who catches the moments I miss, sees details I overlook, and brings his own talent and perspective to every wedding we photograph. As a creative, I’m not afraid to admit when someone brings something to the table that I can’t replicate myself. Carlos has brought SO much to Outcast, and I can confidently say that the company wouldn’t be what it is today without him.
But beyond the cameras, weddings, late nights, creative ideas, and everything that comes with running this business, I’ve gained a genuine friend. Someone I can laugh with, share stories with, and sit around a dinner table talking with friends for HOURS without even realizing how much time has passed. 😂🖤
Carlos, I hope you know how appreciated you are, not just as my associate, but as a person. I’m so thankful that one random group chat led to a friendship and partnership that has become such a big part of my life and this business. I’m proud of the work we’ve created together, excited about everything we’re still going to create, and grateful that I don’t have to do this whole crazy photography thing alone anymore.
Here’s to 21, to another year of making art, traveling, catching the moments nobody else sees, coming up with questionable ideas that somehow turn into masterpieces, and making memories along the way. 🥂
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST SECOND SHOOTER, ASSOCIATE, AND PHOTO PARTNER I COULD HAVE EVER ASKED FOR. I can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes you, and I’m so damn glad Outcast brought us together.
Now let’s go make some art, Carlos. 🖤📸
— Eva Maye | Outcast Photo Co.
