Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Van Steensel.
Amy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Art has always been a passion of mine and my love of photographs goes back to my childhood. When I was a little girl, I would visit with my grandmother often and beg her to bring out her photo albums. We would go through them together and she would recite all of the memories that went along with each image. This is when I fell in love with “the story” behind photography that drives the inspiration behind my work.
As I grew older, my love for art grew and I decided to major in Art History at the University of Delaware. At that time, my dream was to work in galleries in New York City. In my junior year, I landed an internship at an up and coming gallery in SoHo, Manhattan and I fell in love with the energy and quirkiness of the art world.
After college, fate took a turn and I ended up meeting and marrying my husband and relocating to Massachusetts. Eager for a paycheck and to get back into the art world, I went to work in Boston at a prestigious music school. While I loved every minute of my time there, I knew I was not satisfying my passion to create. I was not feeding my soul.
Shortly after, my husband purchased our first DSLR and I started playing around with photography again. My plan was to make this a great hobby but fate stepped in again. After photographing a few of my friends’ children, word spread and suddenly I was taking on more clients. Two years later, I left my full-time job in Boston, opened my studio and never looked back. I finally feel like I have found that missing piece. And all of this time, it was just about finding a way to tell a story with my art.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Running a business as a creative is not always easy. This has definitely been a great challenge for me. But with most things in my life, I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist and I always put 110% into whatever I do. This drive has definitely helped and this year, in particular, I have set goals to refine my workflow and work smarter so that I can spend more time behind the lens.
In addition to this, I recently relocated to Southern New Hampshire, so I have had to build my business again. In the midst of relocation, I became a new mom which has been my greatest blessing and my greatest challenge. My daughter was born fairly early and due to her rough start, she has special needs. For this reason and without hesitation, I had to step away from my business for a few months right after relocating. This new journey I am on with my daughter is definitely winding but as Milton once said, “Every cloud has a silver lining”. My daughter has already taught me so much about the beauty of simplicity and the joy of celebrating the small things. She has really strengthened my love of storytelling and she has been a driving force behind the work I look to create in the future.
Recently, I stepped back behind the lens and while this year has been challenging, I am so blessed to be able to do what I love and to have amazing clients that travel to work with me and refer me to others.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Amy Linn Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
I am primarily a lifestyle photographer, however, I do dabble in a bit of studio work. I specialize in maternity, newborn and family photography. Regardless of whether I am in the studio or capturing a lifestyle session at a client’s home, I strive to capture candid moments that are full of emotion, truth, and simplicity. I love nature, playing with natural light and using neutral tones. These elements are showcased in my work.
When I book clients, I spend a lot of time consulting with them to style their session in a way that fits their unique needs. It is very important to me to really get to know my clients prior to a session, so I can capture their personality in their images. Being able to offer this personal experience sets me apart from others. Many of my clients leave a session with a sense of ease and almost all of them become my friends. I love telling their stories through photography.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
My father always told me that one day, the right job would fall into my lap. I never really believed that until I finished my first successful year as a paid photographer. I am not sure luck is the word I would use to define it but I definitely feel lucky to be able to do what I love every day. In addition to this, hard work, determination and getting outside of your comfort zone are important for success as an artist and as a business owner.
Pricing:
- Family Portrait Sessions investments start at $300
- Newborn Sessions investments range from $300-$400
- Senior Portraits investments start at $300
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.amylinnphoto.com/
- Email: amylinnphoto@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amylinnphoto/
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