Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha (Sammy Jean) Eckenrod.

Hi Samantha (Sammy Jean), so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

I have always been interested in photography and capturing a feeling. When I was a kid, I would walk in the woods near my house and take pictures of the nature. I always wanted to photograph people, but my opinion about myself and my lack of confidence got in the way. As I grew older, the desire to put forth effort into photography became stronger as I saw people around me doing it. When I looked at a picture, my first thought was usually how I would want to capture it. In 2023, I got my first camera since I was a kid. This lead me to start at my roots of photographing nature; however, this quickly transformed when I brought my camera to my first concert. It was a small venue with terrible lighting for photography, but it started me wanting to be better. This grew over the next few months until I met my, now, friend, Megan. She told me that it’s usually about faking the confidence until you have it. Reaching out is the first step, and that’s what I started doing. When I got my first press pass a month later, I credit it all to her. It was uphill from there through meeting other photographers to contacting magazines to press passes. This helped my confidence as I got more and more positive feedback for my work. Since my work had some recognition, people started becoming interested if I did other types of photography such as grad photos. This is something I had always been interested, but never acted on. After the first shoot, I fell in love with portrait photography as well. Now, I am at the point where I have developed a style in concert photography and absolutely adore portrait photography. My goal one day would be to do weddings.

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?

My confidence and taking initiative to dedicate time and effort to start. I struggled to give myself the space when it felt like everyone was inherently better than me.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I love portrait and concert, but I still love some of the photographs I have done in nature. However, usually the photos revolve around people.

I am known for concert photos that don’t feel like they’re taking being taken at a concert. That was one of the biggest compliments I’ve ever gotten and I realized that that was my niche. This is not as common in the concert photography world.

One of my proudest moments was when Violet Chachki reposted one of my photos. She was known for being on RuPaul’s Drag Race and was known for being brutally honest. To have her see and appreciate my art, not out of obligation but because she liked it was an incredible feeling.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?

I feel like it’s a surprising fact, but I share it often because of how much time it takes up: I am currently in school for environmental engineering. I have had to work on high profile sites, like the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio!

Pricing:

• $15 headshots
• $100 grad photos for 1 hour (20-30 edited pictures)
• $100 band photos pre-show and during

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @lemonwater.orgg

Image Credits

Me! : )