We recently connected with Alexandra Contreras and have shared our conversation below.

Alexandra , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I like to say I’ve always been a photographer—because I really have. My dream started young, before I even knew it was a “dream.” My dad used to hand me the family film camera on our vacations to the national parks, and that was it. I was hooked. I didn’t care if the roll of film came back with thirty pictures of squirrels and blurry mountains—what mattered was that I had a camera in my hand. By middle school, I was the kid with a little digital camera shoved in my backpack, sneaking pictures in between classes and at every school event. By high school, kids had nicknamed me “camera girl.” (All out of love… at least that’s what I tell myself!)

So when I graduated high school, there was never a question of what I was going to do. The only real option, the only thing my heart ever wanted, was photography. But passion doesn’t pay the bills—not at first, anyway. I worked three jobs while going to school full-time, all while slowly, quietly, building a little photography business on the side. For years, I balanced it all—coffee in one hand, camera in the other, wondering how I was going to pull it off.
I also worked in the restaurant industry for a long time, and honestly, I think that job taught me more about running a business than business school ever could. Money management, teamwork, customer service, resilience—when you’ve survived a Saturday night dinner rush, dealing with wedding timelines and photo edits feels almost relaxing. (Almost.)

One day, I was sitting in class editing a session for a client, answering emails, and working on contracts, and this thought popped into my head: What am I doing here? And that was it. That was the last day I sat in a classroom as a student. I decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship.

It wasn’t glamorous. There was no grand unveiling with balloons and champagne. It was me, at my kitchen table, teaching myself how to write contracts, figuring out what an LLC was, nervously telling everyone I knew: I’m a photographer. This is what I do. And then relentlessly backing it up by doing the work, day after day, session after session.

People doubted me—a lot. I heard “Are you sure you want to do this?” more times than I can count. Friends, family, strangers—everyone seemed to have an opinion. Some told me I should get a “real job” with a steady paycheck. But every time someone said I couldn’t make it, it only added fuel to my fire. My answer was always the same: this is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.

I hustled, I failed, I learned, I picked myself back up, and I kept going. Slowly but surely, House of Amsel Photography grew into something real—something that supported me, something I was proud of. Owning my first studio before the age of 30 was one of my biggest goals, and hitting it felt like such a full-circle moment.

Looking back, the process was messy, scary, and far from perfect—but it was also thrilling, meaningful, and worth every ounce of effort. It wasn’t just about starting a business; it was about building a life doing the one thing that has always felt like home to me: photography.

Alexandra , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi there! My name is Alexandra, and I’m a 33-year-old entrepreneur and photographer born and raised in the beautiful state of Virginia. I’m the heart (and hands behind the camera) of House of Amsel Photography, where I specialize in maternity, family, and wedding photography—most often in the stunning Shenandoah Valley.

My journey into photography started way before I ever thought of it as a business. When I was little, my dad would hand me the family film camera on vacations to the national parks, and I took that role very seriously. (Let’s just say the squirrels of Yellowstone had a full-on professional photo shoot thanks to me.) By middle school, I was the kid with a digital camera in my backpack every single day, documenting anything and everything. By high school, people knew me as “camera girl”—a nickname given out of love, of course. So by the time I graduated, there wasn’t a Plan B. My heart only wanted one thing: to make it as a photographer.

Of course, the path wasn’t smooth. There were doubts—lots of them. People suggested I get a “real job” with steady pay, but those words only pushed me harder. Every “are you sure about this?” felt like kindling for the fire that kept me moving forward. I stumbled plenty of times, but each mistake came with a lesson. I learned how to run a business on the fly, how to connect with clients, and how to keep showing up even when the odds felt stacked against me. By the time I was in my twenties, all that grit and determination finally came full circle. Before I turned 30, I had opened my very first photography studio—a dream I had carried with me for years. That leap of faith, the scary decision to walk away from the safe and predictable, ended up being the best decision of my life. Today, what started as a side hustle with borrowed cameras and late nights has grown into a full-fledged business that feels less like work and more like my life’s calling.

So what do I do at House of Amsel? I do so much more than simply take photos—I create an experience. Every session begins with dreaming alongside my clients. We talk about what matters most to them, the kind of atmosphere they want, and the memories they hope to hold onto. From there, I help them find the perfect location—whether it’s a mountain overlook in Shenandoah glowing with golden hour light, a meadow filled with wildflowers, or a hidden place that holds sentimental value to their story. I love weaving the setting into the emotion of the shoot, because location isn’t just a backdrop—it’s part of the story.
Styling is another huge piece of the process. I don’t just show up and say “wear whatever.” I work closely with my clients to pull together mood boards, offer outfit suggestions, and make sure what they wear reflects not only the aesthetic but their personality. My goal is to help them feel confident, comfortable, and completely themselves in front of the camera. Because when you feel good, the photos radiate that.

And here’s the thing—I am not the photographer for stiff, “stand here and smile at me” portraits. If you’re looking for perfectly lined-up, everyone-looking-at-the-camera shots, there are plenty of wonderful photographers who excel at that. But me? I’m for the adventurous souls. For the couples who want to wander barefoot in the backcountry, who don’t mind climbing a hill for that once-in-a-lifetime view. For the families who prefer giggles, tickle fights, and running through fields over sitting still and saying “cheese.” My sessions are about movement, emotion, and connection. They’re about telling your story the way it really feels, not the way it looks in a posed picture.

The part I am most proud of isn’t just the finished gallery—it’s the way people feel during and after their session. Time and time again, clients tell me, “That didn’t even feel like a photo shoot. It felt like us having fun together.” That, to me, is the greatest compliment. The photos themselves become timeless keepsakes, but the experience—the laughter, the comfort, the moments in between—that’s where the real magic happens.

If there’s one thing I’d want potential clients and followers to know, it’s that House of Amsel is about so much more than photography. It’s about honoring the fleeting seasons of life—pregnancy, childhood, engagements, weddings, family adventures—and turning them into memories you can hold in your hands. Photography has been my dream for as long as I can remember, but what makes it truly worthwhile is capturing your stories. The real, the messy, the beautiful, the unfiltered, one-of-a-kind stories that make you who you are. Because at the end of the day, those are the images—the ones filled with heart and honesty—that you’ll cherish forever.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Without a doubt, the single most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been networking—but not in the “hand out 100 business cards and hope for the best” kind of way. Real, intentional, relationship-building networking.

A few years ago, I joined a BNI (Business Network International) group, honestly not knowing what to expect. I walked into that first meeting nervous, thinking, ‘Okay, this will probably just be another sit-and-listen event.’ But within minutes, I realized it was different. Here was a room full of business owners, all from completely different industries, genuinely invested in each other’s success. It wasn’t about the hard sell. It was about building relationships, showing up consistently, and becoming part of a community.

What clicked for me almost immediately was BNI’s philosophy: people who know, like, and trust you will be the ones who send you the most business. And it’s so true. Over the last three years, I’ve been part of a chapter with about 50 other small business owners—everything from financial planners to contractors to florists to marketers. We meet every week, share what we’re working on, and actively look for opportunities to help each other.

And the magic isn’t just in the referrals (though those have been huge for growing my photography business). The real value is in the collaboration and the support. We bounce ideas off each other, talk through challenges, celebrate wins, and sometimes even commiserate over the struggles of being entrepreneurs. It feels less like networking and more like having a personal board of cheerleaders and mentors who also happen to send me clients.

BNI completely changed the way I look at growing a business. Before, I thought it was all about marketing strategies, perfect websites, and Instagram algorithms. Those things matter, of course, but nothing compares to the power of real relationships. I can confidently say some of my biggest opportunities have come not because of an ad or a post, but because someone in my network said, “I know the perfect photographer for you—let me introduce you to Alexandra.”

I am endlessly thankful for what BNI has brought into my life—not just the referrals, but the friendships, the professional growth, and the reminder that business doesn’t have to be lonely. Networking has shown me that when you surround yourself with people who believe in you, support you, and trust you, your business (and honestly, your confidence) can grow in ways you never imagined.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building my audience on social media has been a decade-long journey—and I’ll be honest, I’m only just now getting close to hitting my 10k follower goal. Ten years might sound like forever, but that’s the truth: social media growth isn’t always instant, and that’s okay. What matters most isn’t the number next to your name, but the opportunities, relationships, and connections you create along the way.

For me, social media has been so much more than just a place to post pretty pictures. It’s been the door that’s opened countless opportunities I never would’ve had otherwise. Clients have found me through Instagram. I’ve connected with fellow creatives. I’ve been able to share not just my work, but the heart behind it. Honestly, sometimes it still amazes me that by showing up online as myself, I can reach people across the world who resonate with my story.

If I had to boil down my best advice for those just starting out, it would be this: be relatable and be yourself. I know that sounds cliché, but there’s so much power in it. Your clients aren’t just hiring your services or buying your product—they’re buying you. Your personality, your vibe, your quirks. When you let that shine through, you attract the people who will love working with you most.

One of the simplest but most impactful things I’ve done is actually show my face. As photographers and creatives, it can feel natural to hide behind the camera or the work, but the moment I started showing up as me—sharing my voice, my story, my everyday life—that’s when people began to truly connect.

And here’s the best part: when you stop trying to fit into the mold of what you think social media wants you to be, and you start leaning into who you already are, you’ll find the right audience. People don’t want another cookie-cutter account—they want you. They want the behind-the-scenes moments, the real stories, the honesty, the things that make your brand human.

So my story is ten years in the making, with slow and steady growth, lots of learning, and plenty of trial and error. But I wouldn’t change it. The journey itself has shaped me, and it’s given me an audience that feels more like a community than a number. And at the end of the day, I’d take genuine connection over vanity metrics any day of the week.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.houseofamselphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseofamsel
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houseofamselphotography/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-contreras-30619627a/