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

Amanda, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

I believe I started Amanda Kay Photography at the right time. I just wish I had started taking it more seriously in the beginning! I was 18, just finished high school and knew I wanted to do something to involve my artistic interests in a career. I was going to go to college for graphic design. I took a year off, and then the pandemic started, and I ultimately made the decision to not go to college. Sometimes I imagine what my career would be like if I had gone to further my education, but not having student loans feels pretty good! I will say it’s hard to find regular jobs out there in the world that feed that artistic hunger we have deep down. Photography fills that artistic desire for me.

I was worried in the beginning that I couldn’t start my own photography business. It was always ‘just a hobby’ and would just on occasion take friends and family’s photos for special events.
Each time friends booked with me I realized how much I loved doing photography, and wished that I could someday make a career out of it. I feel I’m still in the beginning stages of my business. But you have to start from somewhere, and I’m glad I made that jump!

This is now my 5th year of business and I am so proud of myself for what I’ve achieved! Running my own business and having a full time job is no easy feat.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started out in photography by setting up scenes to use for art references. I would frequently ask my friends to help model for the creative concepts I had in mind. During this time I worked with my models on posing, learned how to light a scene, and how to compose an image. Having an artistic background made this feel like a second nature. This all felt like art to me, like I was drawing from my imagination, instead of using paper I created the scene in a viewfinder.
I continue to do creative concepts and editorial inspired work in my photography, this is so artistically fulfilling for me!

Creative work is only part of what my business is, I have expanded my portfolio to include Weddings, Couples & Engagement, Maternity, Families, Senior & Graduates, and Business Branding. Most photographers have a niche, but I can’t help but love every single category. Having the opportunity to photograph someone in different stages of life is so rewarding. So I am glad to be the photographer that does it all!

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Facebook has played a huge role in expanding my photography business. It has been connecting me with a broader audience and potential clients. Through Facebook and Instagram, I’ve been able to show my portfolio, share behind-the-scenes glimpses of my work, and engage with a community of photographers to learn as well! The ability to target specific demographics with my ads has been a game-changer, allowing me to reach those who are genuinely interested in my services. Also, the positive reviews clients have left, and word-of-mouth recommendations spread quickly on Facebook, building trust and my positive reputation. I’m so grateful for those who have helped expand my business by leaving reviews! Overall, Facebook and Instagram has been a great tool in my journey to find and connect with photography clients, helping me grow my client list and portfolio!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One common lesson I had to unlearn when running Amanda Kay Photography was the notion that success is solely determined by the quantity of clients and projects. Originally, I believed that taking on as many shoots as possible would be the best way to grow and expand my business. However, I soon realized that quality far outweighs quantity. Not that the work I was doing wasn’t up to my expectations, but focusing more on building meaningful, long-lasting client relationships, creating my own style, and producing exceptional work is what will truly help move my business forward. This shift in perspective has not only improved the overall quality of my work but also made my business more sustainable and rewarding in the long run.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amandakaydphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/amandakay.photography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandakay.photograph