Today we’d like to introduce you to Amara Shanks.
Amara, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always enjoyed taking pictures, whether it was of myself or others. I didn’t start taking photography seriously until my freshman year of high school. My first photography class was Photojournalism 1, and that class informed me about the basics of photography. In the beginning, I was not invested in anything that was being explained to me because of course, I assumed I knew everything but, I was proven wrong when I received a sixty-nine on one of my assignments. I was so adamant about taking pictures that I failed to realize that I needed to educate myself about the process of taking photos. I realized that I had a lot more potential than what I believed when my photo one teacher promoted me to the Student Media class. During my sophomore year of high school, I was granted the opportunity to become a photographer for Legacy Student Media. Legacy Student Media is a popular publication at my school. Being in photo two teaches you to humble yourself because there is more than one good photographer in the program. The first time I saw one of my photos published in the yearbook, I was exhilarated to see that my pictures were good enough to be published for the entire school to see. Later on, I started the business Cymonesnapss during my sophomore year of high school. My business didn’t start to get noticed until last summer when I took pictures of my best friend and posted them on Instagram. I immediately began to have people ask me to book them for a photoshoot. Now I have a website, more clients, and I’m currently working on copyrighting my name and getting my business cards out.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting my own business has not been a walk in the park. At times it was hard to believe that my business was even good enough to withstand other photographer’s work. Still, at times it feels like I’m not receiving enough support or opportunities that I should, but I realized that you can’t rush the process. My advice for young women trying to fulfill their goals and start their own business is never let someone tell you that your dream is worthless or that you’re not worthy of success. Someone is always praying on your downfall, but only you can determine your success! Follow your heart, and always remember to do what makes you happy.
What should we know about Cymonesnapss? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I specialize in Portraits, Sports events, and Birthday shoots. I’m known for some of my football pictures and Candid photos. When I see how far that Cymonesnapss has come, I get excited to see just how many people want to book with me and support me striving to expand my business. I believe my photos set me apart from most photographers because I prefer to use raw images instead of edited pictures. I don’t have a specific photo editing style, but most of my clients prefer the original photo rather than the edited photo.
Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
The most important advice I can give to young women just starting their career is that not every day is going to be perfect. There will be some hard times, but with the right attitude and perseverance, you can achieve anything.
Pricing:
- BIRTHDAY $45 2 hour session 2 outfit changes 1 location
- HOMECOMING $45 2 hour session 1 outfit 1 location
- FAMILY PORTRAITS $65 2 hour session 2 outfit changes 1 location
- STUDIO $175 2 hour session 2 outfit changes 1 location
- SENIOR SUNDAYS $55 2 hour session 2 outfit changes ( 1 outfit must be cap & gown) 2 locations
- SOCIAL MEDIA $35 2 hour session 1 outfit 1 location
- All sports are $55 *an additional $5 will be added if the location is out of the DFW*
- Additional/ Fees $10 deposit fee $5 for more than one location $2 for an extra outfit change $10 for an extra hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cymonesnapss.wordpress.com
- Phone: 8173717903
- Email: Cymonesnapss@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cymonesnapss/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/home
Image Credit:
Amara Shanks
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