Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Odom.
Hi Amy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Unlike many photographers, I didn’t grow up with a camera in my hand. In fact, I had zero interest in photography. About ten years ago, I had an experience with being photographed that completely changed my life. I was fascinated with the whole experience and watching the photographer work. The final product she delivered was breathtaking. I thought, what a gift she gave me.
Soon afterward, I received my first digital camera, and I became completely obsessed. I dove in headfirst to learn everything I could about photography. It turns out, like everything else worthwhile, it’s a lifelong journey and you are always learning, growing, and refining your photographic voice.
At the time, I was a career Labor and Delivery nurse and decided that photographing newborns and maternity sessions made sense. I spent six years refining that craft, finding my style, and opened a studio in my home.
Along the way, I became intrigued by the thought of photographing weddings. On a whim, I volunteered to carry the bags and be of assistance to a local wedding photographer during one of her weddings. She was pregnant at the time and graciously accepted. This was my first look at what it would be like to photograph weddings and I knew that day it was what I wanted to do.
My parent’s wedding album is one of my greatest treasures. I remember flipping through the pages as a little girl mesmerized by the classic beauty of those images and how young and happy my parents were. These photos document the start of their lives together. A time before me and my sisters and all that was to come after. These photos have even more meaning for me now as my parents are aging.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh gosh! It has not been a smooth road.
First, I knew nothing about photography, and I have no formal training. I’m self-taught all the way. I joke that I got my degree from the University of YouTube. Eventually, I invested in in-person workshops and hired some great mentors that helped me grow along the way. This is something that I still do today. I love learning.
Second, as I said, I was a nurse. I had no knowledge of how to start, run, market, and grow a business. That was an entirely new concept for me. There has been a ton of trial and error along the way. I had to learn that patience is a virtue and things take time.
Finally, I found it increasingly difficult to juggle my nursing career and my growing photography business. I came to a fork in the road, and I had to make a decision. The biggest business risk I took was when I quit that secure 9-5 job (more like 7 am-7 pm, weekends, holidays, and lots of on-call shifts). Sometimes we have to choose to play it safe or take a risk.
I choose to get out of my comfort zone. I decided to take the risk because I found something I was incredibly passionate about, my husband gave me the encouragement I needed, and I was able to have more control over my life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Today, I’m a full-time Austin-based wedding photographer. It took years of hard work and dedication to become the photographer I wanted to be and grow my business into what it is today. I truly believe I have the best job in the world and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Working with clients who value the hard work I put into the work I do is incredibly rewarding.
I’ve been honored to have had my work featured in national and local wedding publications and blogs.
What sets me apart? I believe my ability to connect with people and make them feel comfortable is one of my greatest gifts. This is a skill I learned as a nurse, and it carries over into my business now.
At the end of it all, the heart behind my business is rooted in documenting love and legacy. I desire to provide my clients with romantic, timeless, and sophisticated images that will bring them right back to all the emotions they had on their wedding day. I imagine little hands flipping through their parent’s wedding album just like I did as a little girl.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I love expanding my network and meeting new people. I’m always up for collaborating on different wedding-related projects. Anyone interested can reach me through my website, email, or on any of my social media channels.
Contact Info:
- Email: amyodomphotography@gmail.com
- Website: https://amyodom.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy_odom/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyOdomPhotography
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/amyodomphotography
