Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Baker.
Amanda, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It’s hard to really pinpoint where my love of photography began. I remember ‘borrowing’ my mom’s Vivitar 110mm camera at a very young age, and the joy looking through its tiny viewfinder brought me. While I know you can’t trust your parents’ perspective of their own child’s abilities, my father said I had an eye for photography even at the young age of six.
Years later, I got my first Chinon 35mm camera during my freshman year of high school, and it became the thing I had with me at all times. I would photograph my friends on lunch, in the ball pit of McDonald’s, and almost always shot black and white film. My first high school job was at MotoPhoto, a small print lab and portrait studio. The portrait photographer there made recognize that you could actually make a living being a photographer. I shot my first engagement session, without even knowing that’s what it was called, and wedding at 19.
Then as most clueless young adults do, I went through the gestures of college, not really sure what to major in. Realizing I was wasting time and money, I decided my time would be better spent figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was a quiet and reserved person who found herself in the service industry. It was here that I found my tribe, voice, courage and realized I actually enjoyed working with people. My quiet demeanor dissipated, and I finally found focus on what I actually wanted to pursue higher education, and it was photography. As I began to build my portfolio at The Art Institute of Colorado, my professor Dave Neligh, an amazing mentor and teacher, guided my focus and talents in editorial and lifestyle photography. I still vividly remember swearing to myself and him, I would never, (like ever), be a wedding photographer.
Upon graduating and not wanting to move to LA or New York, I took my first photography gig. I was a secondary photographer and assistant for a, you guessed it, wedding photographer. I quickly discovered I loved it! It was exhilarating to be part of so much joy, all the emotions, those prized candid moments, and the organized chaos of the day. I have always thrived on chaos, and it was like everything just aligned for me. For the next few years, I continued assisting a few photographers and was working at three bars/restaurants in Denver, all while trying to navigate starting my own photography business.
In 2005 I shot my first wedding on my own and officially launched my own studio. In 2008, I accepted yet another job as a clothing rep and was able to retire my apron and focus solely on that and my photography business. I was officially self-employed, and it was both thrilling and terrifying.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think anything worth pursuing comes easily, and there are a handful of other clichés that come to mind when asked this. As someone who, in their younger years, threw caution to the wind, I would just go after things, no matter how much self-doubt was present. If I wanted something, I would try to make it happen, and almost always ended up with a few scrapes and bruises along the way. I just followed my gut and hoped I would eventually land on my feet. I know there are some things I certainly didn’t reflect on as thoroughly as I should have, but I will forever be the valor of the school of hard knocks in life’s many lessons.
I eventually got to the point where photography was my only full-time gig. In the early years of my business, I was hungry for work and would shoot almost anything, for just about anybody, even if there were a million tiny red flags all over the place. Needless to say, I ended up with a few nightmare clients that seemed impossible to please and got burnt quite a few times by being overly generous and not having the appropriate contracts in place. I have since learned to manage the expectations of a shoot long beforehand communication is key, and to always, even if it’s your sibling, have a contract in place for the protection of all parties involved.
In recent years, the struggles have been more mental and emotional than literal hurdles. About three years ago, I was feeling some seriously big-time burnout and depression. I felt like I had hit a creative wall and was just going through the motions of being a photographer. I did some soul searching and realized I had been in a very toxic work relationship with another photographer I had been shooting for, and it had weighed me down. I had lost sight of myself and my shooting style. It took about a year after we parted ways before I really started feeling confident in my work again, and when I finally got to that space, I felt rejuvenated.
It had also come to my attention that I needed to focus more on working with my ideal clients and less on the financial outcome. Cash does not rule everything around me, and I learned it’s okay to say no. I now find myself working with people I adore and have many clients that are now dear friends of mine. I have leveled up on the happiness scale for sure. Most of the challenges I have been facing in recent years are really in my head and all about perception. I have always been an overachiever in certain aspects of my life and hold a very high bar for myself. I am still learning to be gentler with myself, and even after 16 sessions as a wedding and portrait photographer, I still get imposter syndrome from time to time. But I know I am not the only person that has occasional rounds of self-doubt, and knowing that makes it seem a little bit more okay.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Although I predominately specialize in weddings, elopements, portraiture, and engagement photography, I photograph pretty much everything except newborns. I also do some brand and lifestyle work here and there, but not as much as I used to.
I would have to say that I am most proud of having always been an inclusive photographer since I began my business in 2005. I was photographing same-sex ‘weddings’ before it was even legal in the state of Colorado. I stand strongly by the LGBTQ+ community and always have. I believe in equality, and that has always been incredibly important to me in all aspects of my life and profession.
I have also been told I am super easy to work with and that my client(s) find themselves almost immediately at ease in front of the camera. I have always been really good at reading peoples’ body language, so I can immediately tell when a person isn’t quite comfortable and immediately pivot and get them to laugh and relax a little. I wouldn’t say I am a comedian by any means, but I always bring some comedic relief to my shoots.
My goal has always been to connect with my people and to make them feel like the badass humans that they are. Because of this, I am able to create imagery that speaks of the person(s) personality. I would like to think that my photography represents the humans I am working with, tells their story, and captures the vibrant and candid moments of them and/or their celebrations. Having been a film-taught photographer, I think I am more attentive to the shoots/events I photograph. While digital allows endless image counts, I still have the discipline and eye of a film photographer waiting for that moment, or the perfect lighting, or the perfect framing—quality over quantity.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My family has been the biggest cheerleader of mine, especially my sister and spouse. I really wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for their encouragement and the hand holding I’ve needed a few times in the span of my career. I am so fortunate to have had classmates and professors that pushed me to try new things when I was in college. My portfolio professor Dave Neligh was one of the greatest teachers I had ever had. He didn’t fail me when I opted to retake my final portfolio class a second time to graduate with a stronger portfolio, specifically one I would be proud of.
The photographic community in Colorado is vast and (mostly) welcoming. There is a stupendous amount of talent in this state, and it’s pretty amazing to see how it has grown in the last decade. There are so many talented and kind photographers here, some of which I am lucky enough to call dear friends. It’s refreshing to have a community of people that not only can be a sounding board about things most might not understand but also can give you that kick in the butt when you need it. If you’re just getting started out in the photo world, don’t be scared to reach out to fellow photographers. It can be a daunting task getting started, and it’s a little less scary with someone to guide you. I so wish I had a bigger community to reach out to when I began.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.abphoto.biz (currently being rebuilt)
- Email: info@abphoto.biz
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/amandabakerphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/abphoto.biz
Image Credit:
All photos by Amanda Baker Photography except photo of me. That was shot by Kyla Fear.
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