We recently connected with Samantha Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Samantha, appreciate you joining us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

My love for photography started at a very young age, from my grandfather. He would take my grandmother all over the world and he would document every second with her. Naturally, he gave me my first camera, so that I could document my life. But, I didn’t truly understand photography until High School. Where my favorite Art Teacher taught me how to process my own film in the dark room and the history of photography, that is when I knew this was what I meant to do. From there my teacher had a college recruiter come into our class and I was hooked, I was going to Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida.
I spent 4 years at Ringling College of Art and Design learning Photography and Digital Imaging and graduating in 2013, thinking that I would spend my life working in a studio doing fashion photography. I worked for local Florida Magazines and Fashion Photographers for a few years. But, it just didn’t feel right.
So, I moved back to Columbus, Ohio in 2016 and found a normal 9-5 job. Until one day I decided to throw myself back into photography and started taking engagement photos for some friends.
That is when I figured out I loved to document people and their stories. From that day 5 years ago I decided to start my business, Samantha’s Forget Me Nots.
I do wish that I would have stated my business sooner, but with what was taught at school being a wedding photographer wasn’t really something talked about. Nor, was it really taught how to start your own business. That was something I had to learn on my own and honestly, still learning. Especially with how social media is now.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Samantha and I am a 32 year old plant lovin’ dog owner, living in a 1940’s cape cod house in the heart of Columbus, Ohio. Walter (8 years old) and Louise (4 year old) are my Bernese Mountain Dogs and they sure do make my heart so happy. My husband, Mike, decided to add a new member of the family and now we have welcomed Gilmore a 1 year old Bloodhound. So, you may say we have a wild pack. My first camera, which was a very fancy Kodak FunSaver 35mm disposable camera, which was given to me by my grandfather (Bobo) at a very young age, I wanted to take pictures just like him. He would travel the world and filling tons of photo albums full of special memories with my grandmother.
Bobo was over 6 ft tall and his one rule for a great image was to “not cut off the top of my head”. After mastering the art of composition at an early age, he gifted me a proper Nikon film camera. From there, I was sold! My love for art and photography took over.
The moment I realized that I wanted to be a photographer was when my high school Art Teacher brought in a recruiter from Ringling College of Art and Design. I learned two things that day: 1. That I could do what I love for a career and 2. I was going to attend Ringling College and no one was going to stop me! (I mean who would say no to Sarasota, Florida!)
At Ringling, I learned about Lighting, Camera, Photoshop, Art History, etc…, was published in Creative Quarterly and got to work with Saks Fifth Avenue.
After graduating, I worked for a few local magazines and a wonderful Fashion Photographer.
But after all of that, I learned that something was missing and it was people and their stories. I love documenting Engagements, Weddings, Newborn and Families. You can say that I love to just follow people through all life events.
My main goal when photographing anyone is to make them feel comfortable, so they are their true self. I do often hear from a couple that they are awkward in front of a camera, but after a few minutes they often forget that I am taking pictures of them. Because, I make sure that they are having fun and enjoying themself.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Now that both my grandparents have passed, I will always cherish all the photo albums from their travels and be able to share all their stories to my children and their children. And that is the exact reason I find being a Photographer so rewarding. Because, I get to document special moments in people lives. And for them to have them forever, to share the past with the next generation.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My main goal for Samantha’s Forget Me Nots is to be a Full Time Photographer. Currently, I am working my 9-5 and running my Photography business. Yes it is a lot of working long days and often weekends, but it will not be forever. Especially because I love photography and I love documenting love. I will say that I am so thankful to have a wonderful Husband that is understanding and very supportive towards my goals. Without his support and a few other local photographers, this goal sometimes feel impossible. But I learned from a very young age to never give up on your goals, especially when it is for something you love.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.samanthasforgetmenots.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthasforgetmenots/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthasForgetMeNots/

Image Credits
Headshot of myself was taken by Chloe Horvath Photography, but edited by me.