Meet Trailblazer Samantha Hines

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Hines.

Samantha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve tried out a lot of different professions in my life – from working as a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist at a mental health agency in Oklahoma to working toward a master’s in Spanish Linguistics at a university in Spain. But I could never find the thing that truly ignited my passion. That is until I picked up a camera.

After documenting my family road trip through the western United States, I found myself wishing that a job existed in which I could simply document families as is – no posing or directing or fake stuff involved. Imagine my delight when I discovered that such a job does in fact exist: it’s called documentary family photography. This, I decided, is what I’m going to do with the rest of my life. I have to. So I cast aside all other professions and refocused all efforts toward becoming a documentary photographer.

I began practicing by forcing every single family I know to let me document them. I’d go to their home for the day and ask that they simply be themselves. I’d follow them around and make artful photos of their real-life – of their connection, their routines, and their rituals – creating a still image diary of their life at that particular moment in time. I practiced constantly and learned voraciously from those I admire until I felt ready to begin my business in 2017.

And now here I am. I currently document families, weddings, and events (such as birthday parties, adoptions, memorial services, anything you can think of) and I’ve also begun to document small businesses, providing them with authentic photos that can be used on websites, social media, brochures, or any other promotional material. But whether I’m documenting your business, your wedding, or a normal Tuesday afternoon in your home, my goal is always the same: to provide artful imagery that tells the truth. The truth about who you are and who you love.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge I’ve faced while attempting to accomplish every single goal I’ve set out to achieve is probably the biggest challenge faced by many of us (especially women): fear. I used to be absolutely paralyzed by fear, avoiding all possible risk lest my efforts result in failure (or embarrassment, or both).

But one day I got sick of it. Being afraid all the time is exhausting and incredibly limiting. So I set a new rule for myself that I still follow to this day: If the only reason I can think of to NOT do a thing is because I’m afraid, then I have to do that thing. This mindset takes the influence of unhelpful fear completely off the table. And it cannot be overstated how much this rule has changed my life. If I had tried to be a photographer in my 20s, before I adopted this new philosophy, I would have failed miserably. Because being a great photographer, like being a great *anything*, requires gumption. This rule requires you to be brave and the best part is, the more you do it, the easier it gets.

Tell us about Samantha Hines Documentary Family Photography – what should we know?
What sets me apart from other photographers is my steadfast dedication to telling the truth in images. Your real-life matters. Honesty matters. I want my clients to look back at my photographs and see, feel, and even taste what that day in their life was like, whether it was their wedding, bar mitzvah, or a normal day at home.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
I love to read, although I rarely have the time I’d like to dedicate to it anymore. My favorite genres are mystery (I even named my son Jury after the Richard Jury mystery series – check it out, it’s amazing) and 19th-century British literature (think Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters). As for podcasts, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more engaging series than Radiolab, although I also love the murder mystery podcast Crime Junkies.

Contact Info:

• Address: Denver, Colorado
• Website: https://www.samanthahinesphotography.com/
• Phone: 4056123638
• Email: samanthahinesphotography@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthahinesphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samanthahinesphotography/

Image Credit:
Photo of me arm-wrestling at the birthday party (I’m the one on the right) taken by Lori McCurdy

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