Austin Family and Wedding Photographer

Hi,

I’m Amy

People often ask me how I became a photographer. It’s simple really: I’ve always been drawn to stories. For a while, I thought I would be a writer, but eventually I found myself in this space, telling stories through photographs rather than words.

My passion for documentary photography is rooted in my own belief of the importance of relationship and our desire to be seen and known. It’s a rebellion against our culture’s obsession with appearance, perfection, and social influence. It’s a creative version of therapy- to show families the beauty and importance of their own unique love and daily rituals. It’s a visual story that reminds us why our relationships and our lives matter so much. Documentary photography exposes us, but I believe it exposes us in the most beautiful, healing ways.

My own life has been most impactful in my journey as a photographer; being willing to process and engage my own story and then engage people from a place of empathy and compassion. I grew up in a big family and now I’m a wife and a mom of 4 myself. Relationships are hard. Family is hard. But it’s also what’s so insanely beautiful about being human. What once I held on to, I’ve learned to let go. What once I valued highly, I’ve found to be deficient. I’ve always been a perfectionist, but parenthood shows me perfection is unattainable. My kids show me how much presence, curiosity, and courage can be enough.

We can carefully curate our lives for others to see, but what we really long for is to be seen for who we truly are and loved for that person. So I embrace my own chaos, so I can embrace other’s. I remind myself why love is worth it, so I can show up curious and create photographs that will remind you why it’s worth it. I could show up and prompt people in ways that can make them look happy, but I’d much rather show up and be patient, waiting for spontaneous moments of genuine delight, true comfort, and real personality.

You found me because you were looking for something different. I don’t want to style you to create images that look like my work, because your family is its own work of art. I simply want to take photographs that hold your story.

"One day we'll sit together and you will ask me about this time. We will peruse the old photos of us, and talk about the stage of life you won't remember a lot of but which I'll never forget. I'll tell you that we lived here in this house, in this kitchen, in each other's arms. I held you like this, and you watched me like that. I'll tell you that these were the best days, of us at home, doing everything some days and nothing other days. It all went too fast. We'll relive it together. One day. But for now, let me live it longer."

-Emma Heaphy
 

Trust me: unposed, natural photography is the easiest experience you’ll have in front of a camera.