We recently connected with Maggie Amos and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Maggie, thanks for joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

This is an interesting question, because I didn’t start my photography business all that long ago (I officially started in December of ’22), but I already have things I would go back and do differently. When I first started out, I poured all my time and energy into a website and social media presence for my business. And while those things ARE important and helpful for growing a small business, they’re not the MOST important aspect. This is especially true in an industry like photography. One thing I’ve learned about growing a photography business (and probably most businesses that offer personalized services to clients) is that perhaps the best way to gain business is through ensuring your clients have such a good experience that they want to come back again AND refer you to friends. The majority of my clients are either returning clients or clients who were referred to me by previous clients. I’ve only gotten a couple of clients through social media. Word-of-mouth is so powerful. So if I were to go back and start over today, I would focus more on offering sessions to friends & family, and then working hard to make those sessions something that they love, so that I can build that reputation that gets me clients through word-of-mouth a lot earlier. Then, in my spare time, work on building a website and social media presence that represents that business well.

Maggie, 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?

Hi! I’m Maggie!

I am a lifestyle photographer located in Tucson, Arizona. I’m also a stay-at-home mama to three little ones ages 2-6. I have always loved photography, and enjoyed experimenting with it ever since my parents got me a cheap little camera from Walmart for my 13th birthday. Then I bought my first REAL camera when my first baby was one year old. At that time, the thought of becoming a professional photographer wasn’t even on my radar. I just wanted a high quality camera to be able to capture my baby growing up & all our family memories along the way. As time went on, I fell more and more in love with photography. I have never considered myself a very creative person, but when I was behind the camera, all the artistic passion I didn’t think I had started surfacing. It was so fulfilling and I wanted to be able to share that passion with other people! I started taking pictures for friends just as a side hobby, and then friends & family started encouraging me to turn my passion into a business.

When we moved to Arizona, I decided that a fresh start in a new place was the perfect place to try to start a new venture like running my own photography business. I initially started by building a website and a social media presence, but found that that wasn’t really getting me any clients. So I started putting myself out there and offering really discounted sessions to folks to build my portfolio. As that happened, I found my business growing as people referred me to their friends and came back for more sessions.

Through that process, I was able to find my niche in photography. I’m really passionate about lifestyle photography, which is essentially the process of capturing your subjects in the most natural state possible. I want to take pictures of peoples lives as they are, not just forced smiles and stiff poses to frame and put up on the wall. If I’m taking pictures of couples, I want them to feel like they’re on a date, just being themselves & enjoying being together. I want to photograph genuine love. If I’m taking family pictures, I want to capture the children and parents having fun together, loving on each other and living in the moment; not just bribing their kids to smile at the camera.

My biggest goal as a photographer is to provide my clients with pictures that actually capture memories and don’t feel fake or forced. I want to capture moments that can be cherished forever, that can inspire memorable stories and conversation for years to come.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative for me is watching something that starts in my head as an idea become a real, tangible thing that I can put out into the world and share with other people. When I have an idea for a certain shot or theme for a photo shoot and then I get to bring that idea to life, it is such an incredible feeling.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for me has simply been prioritizing giving my current clients the best experience possible. When I schedule a session, I try to prepare as best as I can to personalize the experience to that client. I ask them to tell me a little about themselves (and their family or significant other, if applicable), so that I can tailor the session to suit them best. I work with them to find a location and outfits that really fit them. At the session, I work hard to engage with them and not just treat them like a client, but like a friend. And then, of course, work my hardest to give them the best pictures I possibly can. I find that when I pour energy into giving my clients an excellent experience, that they will largely grow my clientele for me by coming back and by sharing their experience and photos with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maggieamosphotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: @maggieamosphotography
• Facebook: Maggie Amos Photography

Image Credits
Rosey Tones Photography Maggie Amos Photography