We were lucky to catch up with Amy Rouyer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
I’m so thankful that my line of work has allowed me to facilitate and encounter many meaningful projects over the years! My most recent one, entitled Anonymous Stories, has been particularly meaningful for me because of the level of trust given to me by the participants, and that I’m able to witness humans leaning into the power of their own stories and relationship with their bodies.
We all have so many stories within us that want so badly to be told. But sometimes, for whatever reason, it doesn’t feel safe to speak them. This series asks what feelings and experiences are you holding within you that need to be heard? That need to be witnessed? Or maybe you know they would bring some joy or laughter to others? Shared stories bring connection, even when we don’t know the person telling it. They can help us feel seen, understood, and not alone.
We have some shared experiences and similar stories with everyone – because we are all experiencing life through a human body. Bodies tell their own unique stories as well, and seeing other human bodies, especially those that others can see their own uniqueness mirrored in, creates connection between us.
The stories folks share with me are full of so much bravery and strength and personal truths. When shooting this series, after a story is shared with me, I ask my subject to share what area of their body their story most resonates in, which I then focus on capturing photographically. Our brains aren’t the only part of us that hold our stories. The connection we share through our stories and the human experience of living in our bodies can be so cathartic and inspiring – whether you know the person or not.
Currently I have been blogging these stories and portraits, all of which are completely anonymous, on my website. My hope is that in the future I’ll be able to put on a gallery showing of the portraits alongside the shared stories.
This is an ongoing series and free to participate in!
Amy, 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?
I started my company in 2011 and have grown and evolved so much during my years in business! I began my photography journey while in school for studio art. I started out photographing my friends and small events, and over the years have come to find what I’m the post passionate about shooting – which boils down to celebrating folks simply being themselves. My purpose is to help folks reconnect to and celebrate their individual brilliance by providing them a safe, non-judgmental space and creative photographic experience.
I now primarily focus on portrait sessions (individuals, family, and couples), boudoir and empowerment work. My partner Charles and I also work together photographing intimate weddings, elopements, and event coverage.
In regards to my event work, I believe that client’s events deserve to be photographed in a professional and timely manner, with attention to detail, and an understanding of their vision. Whether is a large scale corporate conference, a community event, or even a surprise birthday party, I truly value my clients, and look forward to building a lasting relationship with each of them.
When working with folks on portrait sessions, I focus on capturing authentic and honest emotions in candid images, as well as creating artful portraits. I strive to make things flow as easily and naturally as possible for my clients, allowing them to be themselves and have fun! My process of getting to know each client, giving easy and natural prompts and direction, while allowing for authentic interactions leads to my clients finding themselves at ease during their sessions- whether that’s a portrait session, a wedding, or event work! I apply these practices with every offering I have and work to stay true to my philosophy of encouraging everyone to simply be their unique and wonderful selves.
With my boudoir sessions, my goal is one of empowerment and self-love. It means so much to me to help folks see how incredible they are, to step into their power, and shed any shame or judgment they may have around themselves and their body. I can’t help but find a sense of pride in each person I work with when I witness them claiming their body, finding new confidence in themselves, and owning how much beauty they have within them!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I have many goals around different aspects of my work and within each genre of photography that I offer. I do feel though that all of those goals can be boiled down to the overall goal of documenting and celebrating folks exactly as they are, and where they are in their lives, while providing a safe, accepting, inclusive, and judgement free experience. I feel that a large part of my mission involves helping people to feel seen, to fall a little more in love with themselves, and to capture memories that they can return to again and again throughout their lives. Being able to help folks in this way definitely fuels my creativity and my passions.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I love this question! Learning and growing as a human, and within my business, is something that is so important to me. And unlearning something can be such an asset with growth!
There have been many things I’ve had to unlearn along the way – such as what the realities of running a business on your own is supposed to look like, to technical aspects of shooting that I was taught incorrectly, and the unrealistic expectations I put on myself about how a business owner “should” behave, “should” operate their business, “should” look like, “should” talk about, and “should” create to be successful. As a creative, our unique powers and ability to create art (and serve our clients) have to do with who we authentically are, not how we compare to other “successful” individuals in our fields.
As a boudoir photographer, I’ve also had to unlearn many things I’d been taught and shown around body image and our relationship to our bodies, and how that affects the way we move through life. From the toxic beauty industry, to society’s expectations around how our bodies are “supposed” to look, the way the media teaches us that we have to look a certain way to be desirable, the way some groups teach that bodies (especially women’s bodies and queer bodies) are inherently sinful and worthy of shame. There is SO much there to unpack. These hurtful beliefs definitely make their way into the boudoir industry. There are some absolutely amazing, inclusive, and affirming boudoir photographers out there, and that number is growing and it makes me so happy to see! However, the main thing within my photography work around these issues that I’ve had to unlearn (and will continue to work to unlearn) is the idea of posing and photographing people in what many would say is a “flattering way,” which, boiled down, is actually simply trying to make people look as thin as possible, with curves only in the “right” spots, and to adhere to what is the societal standard of what beauty is “supposed” to look like. This only reinforces the heavy expectations placed on us and our bodies – it in no way celebrates what makes us unique as full humans! In what way does looking at photos that don’t even look like you, that you can’t “live up to” because it’s not even possible to have zero skin texture ( and fyi- I’ve worked with countless clients – every single one of them, no matter their size, has some amount of cellulite. It’s normal and does not make you unworthy) make you want to celebrate yourself? So I no longer “shoot for skinny.” My clients deserve better than that. Being yourself is beautiful!!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wilde-company.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/wildecompany
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildecompanyphoto
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-rouyer-3a74621a1/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildecompanytn
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wilde-company-nashville
- Other: tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildecompanyphotography
Image Credits
All images by Wilde Company