We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amari Leath a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amari, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

When I first decided I wanted to become a photographer, It was a bumpy road and I put out a lot of bad work. I took in many different values from my life to get better. I learned the aspect of repetition and putting in hours of practice from when I used to play sports. Sports also taught me not to quit. Back then I would give up so easily and when those days came to pass, I vowed that once I found my true talent I would never quit again. I developed a sense of self-initiative from my first job as a dishwasher. It wasn’t much, but I was hungry to work my way out of the dish pit and become a line cook.

I developed my creative eye by studying and finding new artists and photographers. I would read books on art and learn from mentors. I also spent countless hours walking around the city of Jacksonville, Florida, and just photographing whatever caught my eye. It was a thrill every time I embarked on a Photowalk. It was always a rush when I would see art forming before my eyes through my camera viewfinder.

While I was learning this on my own, I worked at a photography studio called Cady Studios. I learned lighting, portraiture, sports, posing, and event photography all from Cady. I was able to practice literally every day and push myself creatively. I would eventually win Photographer of The Year for two years consecutively.

I don’t anything could have sped my process up, I had to do a lot of soul-searching to find my style. I had to find what it was that attracted me to a scene that I was photographing. I did everything from experimenting outside of my medium to studying interviews from photography legends. I don’t think you can rush your process, you just have to trust it.

The biggest obstacle I faced was creative block. I overcame this when I read a quote that went something like this “Photography is like fishing, the more you go out, the more fish you will catch”- Unknown. Once I started forcing myself to practice and taking my camera everywhere with me, I started capturing those once-in-a-lifetime images.

Amari, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Mari Got The Shot is an extension of me. When it comes to my business I try my best to deliver an experience that leaves you with a smile on your face. I love transforming one’s image and making them look like a celebrity through my photography or videography. We are our own brands and having a great representation of that benefits you in so many different ways. I love stepping outside of the box a tapping into my street photography roots with my clients to create a unique image and deliver that WOW! Factor.

I pride myself on being able to work with everyone! I believe that everyone should have the experience of a quality photoshoot. Some people never get a chance to experience this. When you see yourself in an amazing photograph it’s an amazing feeling. Your confidence skyrockets and you are ready to take on the world.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

To fund my business, I invested almost all of my college refund checks. I didn’t spend it on partying or clothes. This set me up to have enough equipment to start taking on clients and larger jobs. Eventually, I was able to start my photography studio.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have had many failures. One of the biggest failures I experienced was when I was scammed out of $3,000. I created a slideshow for a “client” who messaged me over Instagram. they were so convincing and seemed legit. The payment was supposed to be $300 but the scammer sent me a mobile deposit check for $3,000 and asked me to send the change back. I deposited the check and the bank cleared it. Once I sent the change, the check bounced. They got me like this twice. Before the check bounced, I was told that the account manager accidentally wrote two checks and if I could send back the money.

Contact Info:

• Website: marigottheshot.squarespace.com
• Instagram: @Marigottheshot and @Amari_Leath
• Linkedin: Amari Leath
• Youtube: Mari Got The Shot