We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Amaya recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I think being successful is understanding and serving your life’s purpose. It takes being so determined and connected to your path that no amount of failure or uncertainty could ever defer you away from it. Success is a mindset. It’s acknowledging the choices, experiences, and patterns in life that have delivered us to our purpose. It’s the ability to reflect, connecting the small dots to see the bigger picture. As a child, I loved taking photos. Whether it was a Polaroid, disposable, or digital camera, I always had one with me to document the world around me. I would develop my photos, organize them in boxes, make scrapbooks, and hang them in frames on the wall. As technology advanced, I would upload my photos to the computer, edit them, and create beautiful albums and slideshows of all my favorite memories. I didn’t know back then that these choices, experiences, and patterns were shaping my journey. I had no idea that the creative processes I developed as a child would be the very same processes I use in my photography business today. Reflecting on this has deeply connected me to my path and purpose. I understand now that my success was a journey that began long before I even realized it. As long as I wake up every day determined to continue on my path and serve my life’s purpose, I know I have what it takes to be successful.

Stephane, 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?

My name is Stephanie Amaya. I am the owner of Amaya Marie Photography, a creative portrait business and photography studio located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I am mostly known for my work with babies, brands, and families, but I never turn away a chance to be creative with my camera! I also photograph boudoir, maternity, pets, engagements, and weddings. My style is bright and earthy, inspired by nature and the seasons. My work is centered on capturing intimate and celebratory moments for my clients.
Although my love for photography started when I was young, in 2015 I was gifted my first DSLR camera for my 26th birthday by my husband who said, “I believe in you and your talents.”  At the time I was in college pursuing a teaching degree but I became obsessed with teaching myself photography in my free time. When I built enough confidence, I started offering sessions as a side hobby. Fast forward to today, I’ve turned that side hobby into a full-time profitable business! I just celebrated my 9th year in business and I’m also going on my third year as a studio owner.  I am so proud of the fact that I believed enough to take a chance on myself. I continued to pursue my passion no matter what obstacle was placed in my path. My future followers & clients should know how dedicated I am to developing my craft and to providing them with an unforgettable photography experience. To me, photography is beyond just taking photos. It’s capturing life’s most magical moments and preserving them into everlasting memories.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my social media presence by displaying my dedication to my photography business. After every session, I uploaded sneak peeks to share with my friends, followers, and potential clients. I took my content a step further by recording video snippets of me photographing my clients during our sessions. I started posting this creative behind-the-scenes footage to my social media stories before it was the popular thing to do. I would pair the footage with music to give my followers a full experience when viewing my content. I used my feed to post the final images from the sessions I photographed. This became a workflow for me, one that I still use today. My clients love reliving their photo session by viewing the videos I create and my followers love seeing the final images from the footage they viewed in my stories. I think it was also important that my followers and potential clients were getting to see the person they would be working with. As reels became popular on Instagram, I had one go viral unexpectedly. It was a simple reel consisting of footage of me photographing my clients combined with the final images from the session. The footage was from a Christmas mini-session with a concept I called “Christmas Morning.” Before I knew it the reel reached 1.5 million people. This put my work on the map both locally and nationwide.
I would tell people just starting to build their presence to post consistently. Find a way to connect to your followers and provide them a unique experience while consuming your content. Make sure your content is cohesive, professional, and identifiable amongst others. I’d also say post! post! post! Try not to think too hard about the content you are creating. There’s no need to make it perfect as long as you’re finding a way to connect to your audience and staying true to your craft.

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

The most rewarding aspect is that every day brings something different. In my personal opinion, complacency doesn’t exist in the world of being creative, especially in the photography industry. I can constantly develop my craft, try new things, and use new equipment. There are endless opportunities to learn and expand my horizons. My passion is my full-time job and that is the most rewarding feeling!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amayamariephotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amayamariephotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amayamariephotography
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@amayamariephotography

Image Credits

Amaya Marie Photography