Today we’d like to introduce you to Annette Ambrose.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I graduated from college, I started flying as a flight attendant for American Airlines. My girlfriends and I started seeing the world at a young age on a penny. We would go to a new country every month or every other month and were living life staying in hostels, meeting new people, making amazing memories.
Over the last six years, I was that one friend who always had the camera. I would always take all my girlfriend’s pictures abroad. It slowly shifted into me taking people’s pictures like family portraits and headshots. I thought I was just taking pictures for fun when another one of my coworkers who is a flight attendant wanted me to shoot her wedding in Ireland. As a beginner, I was freaking out because I didn’t think I was that good enough to shoot someone’s wedding.
After a couple of days deciding if I was the right match for her I finally said yes to shooting her wedding and I devoted my whole year to learning wedding photography. I took classes, watched youtube videos, went to styled shoots, even had another photographer take me under her wing and show me everything on shooting weddings. I started second shooting for many photographers and I really just put all my effort into photography and learning everything I can.
Being one year into the wedding business, I absolutely found my passion. I know I am supposed to be here. I absolutely love photographing couples, weddings, etc. It was one of those things that I just picked up and I didn’t think It was going to boom this quickly. I have always loved taking pictures of people and now I get to capture the love of two people during their big day. I am all about an adventure and capturing the candid moments of two couples wildly in love.
My friends and I still travel quite a bit. Currently, we just got back from Turkey and the traveling will never end. Traveling heals something inside me. I have traveled to over 37 countries and continue to explore and make new memories year after year. There is something that rejuvenates you after exploring a new country & culture. I have seen amazing landmarks, eat food I would have never eaten, traveled to far to places I only could have only dreamed about but made real. I travel because I would rather look back at my life saying, “I can’t believe I did that”.
“The purpose of life is to live, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for the newer and the richer experience.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
Has it been a smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. As a beginner photographer, we all go through a lot of emotions, “Am I good enough”, “Do I have what it takes”, “Will I ever be as good”? We judge what we are doing comparing ourselves to other seasoned photographers, especially with social media and Instagram.
One of my biggest struggles is I shoot with Fujifilm and a lot of photographers don’t think I was good enough because I wasn’t a Canon or a Nikon shooter. I shot with Fujifilm because I am passionate about the brand and the gear traveling abroad is three times as small. I knew when I first started shooting to get people to notice me I had to prove my worth. I have realized who I am is enough, What I do is enough and what I have is enough.
Self-love in this business is everything. Community over competition is truly what I believe in with this business. When I first started getting into the wedding industry, I just moved to Dallas and I had to restart all over again with this business in building my clients and meeting new people. I have found meeting other photographers to help you along the way is what makes you survive in this business. I have learned to admire the beauty in others and I don’t judge other people. We are all making art and everyone sees art differently in their own eyes.
My biggest advice to others is to do what makes you happy and don’t let others put you down. The hustle is worth the outcome. Surround yourself with good people and let the positive energy uplift you. Choose Faith over fear. Believe that good thing will happen and do not compare yourself to others. Community over competition!!!!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Annette Ambrose Photography story. Tell us more about it.
I specialize in weddings and couple photography. I am known for my travel photography. I am slowly shifting both those into one with shooting engagements in adventurous locations around the states.
I love being able to bring both my travel and wedding photography passion into one. One day I would love to be shooting elopements around the world.
I am most proud of my brand as being an adventurous soul and always down to shoot anywhere. I love to travel and I will travel anywhere with my clients to capture that wild love on a mountain top. I provide a fun and energetic service that lets my couples feel comfortable and free. I want them to have a fun time while we are shooting to loosen them up so we can get the playful love, candid picture.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
The biggest barriers are women become very closed off and don’t like to share much with this industry. A lot of starting our own business in photography is learning on our own. I have gotten a lot of cold shoulders in women thinking I wasn’t good enough and a lot of comments made that have brought me down. Some women don’t like to see others succeed and it’s hard for them to be team player. Jealousy is a huge barrier especially with social media,
Contact Info:
- Website: Annetteambrosephotography.com
- Email: ambroseann@comcast.net
- Instagram: annetteambrose.photos
- Facebook: Annette’s Photography
Image Credit:
Annetteambrosephotography
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