My journey as a photographer began with my desire to hold onto every special moment after my son was born. Like so many of you, I bought a good camera to make sure I had what I needed to take great pictures. Once I had that amazing camera in my hands, I was instantly overwhelmed and had no idea what I was doing.

I was invited to a wedding and decided to bring my new camera, hoping to get at least one good picture to gift to the bride and groom. While sitting in the third row, playing with my settings, I felt a tap on my shoulder. As I turned around, I wasn’t asked, but rather told that I had a job the couple needed me to do.

Thinking to myself, "Sure, I can hand out rice or booklets—no big deal," I said, “Sure, no problem. I can do whatever they need me to do.” The next words I heard scared me to death at the time, but they would unknowingly change the course of my life:
"Great, Robin and Marie need you to be the wedding photographer."

Excuse me?
There’s no way I can do that for them. I have zero idea how to use this thing I’m holding in my hands, called a camera.
Again, I said, no way.

But then, I was asked—actually, begged—to try. They said that even if the pictures were bad, they’d still be something. If I didn’t do it, they’d have nothing, because the hired photographer had a family emergency and wouldn’t be showing up.

Talk about pulling on the heartstrings. I hesitated, but I agreed, saying, “Okay, fine, I’ll do this, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

I can honestly say I’ve never been as nervous as I was in that moment. The wedding started, and now I was fully in it. Not going to lie, I shot the entire wedding in auto mode, but we got it done. Somewhere during the day, I completely forgot that I had no idea what I was doing and became completely immersed in the creativity and opportunity.

Later that night, I was so thankful to have made it home in one piece, realizing that I hadn’t died in the process—and, to my surprise, I had actually gotten some great shots. I was beyond thankful that I was able to deliver a decent album to this beautiful couple, and I’m proud to say that I still have a few photos from that wedding on my website today. They may not be my highest-quality photos, but they are definitely the ones I’m most proud of.

We can only grow when we plant ourselves in soil that nurtures us. Sometimes, we don’t even realize it, but when we’re challenged and forced out of our comfort zone, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences.

Since that day, I’ve pushed myself to grow in ways I never thought possible. I’ve taken countless classes, attended conferences and workshops, and invested in myself and my business. A passion was born that day.

Now, channeling that passion into capturing special moments for others brings such incredible joy to my life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to my current and future clients. I am truly honored to work with each and every one of you.

~ Amanda Louise