Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Knauss.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have always enjoyed photography. I remember my parents getting a fancy 35mm camera back when I was young – 7 or 8 maybe, and I loved playing around with it. I continued to dabble in photography through high school and college on travels. I photographed a few weddings on film, but eventually, I completed my college degree and went into my career working with mentally ill felons. I worked for 12 years and photography made huge changes as far as technology was concerned. Eventually, I was gifted my first DSLR from my best friend who knew my passion was in photography. Once I picked that camera up and started taking pictures again – I was hooked. A friend asked me to photograph her sister’s wedding and that pretty much sealed my love of photography. Ever since then, I have been working hard to build my business and document peoples BEST DAY EVER!
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s definitely not an easy road to start your own business. All of my education was in psychology and I had a ton of experience working with the mentally ill felon population. Very little of that translates to photography! Business skills, marketing, website development – I had zero experience in. All I really had to go on was my passion for the art, and my desire to document the good in this world. We are so inundated with negativity and after working in criminal justice, I had forgotten how much love and beauty there was. Now, instead of seeing people on the worst day of their lives, I get to see them on the best day of the life!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Golightly Images story. Tell us more about the business.
My business name is Golightly Images. I started dreaming about photography when I was home on maternity leave with my 2nd child. I am a huge Audrey Hepburn fan and I would watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Funny Face, Roman Holiday. When I decided to start a business, I used Holly Golightly as my inspiration. She’s daring, fun, a little whimsical, classy, timeless, and most importantly has a strong love of her family. This is exactly how I wanted my business to be. Classy, timeless, and a lot of love. I originally did not plan to photograph weddings, I had wanted to photograph newborns and children. I had photographed several weddings on film back in my college days and it was just so different. After I started my business, a friend asked me to photograph her sister’s wedding and that was pretty much it! I was hooked! I love documenting weddings. Recently I have started photographing seniors and sports and have added a branch to my business – 12 by Golightly Images. So now I specialize in weddings, seniors, and what I call “sportraits” (portraits that highlight the sport that you participate in).
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I would love to see my business stay in the areas that I have been photographing – weddings, seniors, and sports. I love documenting “sportraits”, because I feel that your sport or activity really helps shape you. You learn your limits and how you can push them, discipline, drive. As far as high school seniors, your whole life is before you and there are so many new experiences to come. It is a time of reflecting on your life growing up and dreaming of the future to come. And weddings are just beautiful, and fun, and filled with so much love. So these are the areas that I would really like to see Golightly Images and 12 continue to grow in.
Pricing:
- Weddings start at $1999.00.
- Senior Sessions start at $199.00.
- Sportrait Sessions start at $250.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 2707 Lakefield Dr
- Website: www.golightlyimages.com
- Phone: 214-417-7036
- Email: amber@golightlyimages.com
- Instagram: golightlyimages or 12bygolightlyimages
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/golightlyimages/ and https://www.facebook.com/12byGolightly/
- Twitter: golightlyimages
- Other: www.12bygolightly.com
Image Credit:
Your Candid Memories
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
