In May 2017, I started taking photos with our Canon Rebel which had been sitting in our closet for nearly 10 years. I was at a point where life was stagnant and I didn't have much vision for the future; what - and where - I thought I would be was nowhere near reality.
But a very expensive career assessment confirmed that I might have a natural gift for photography. I didn't want to waste our investment so I committed to giving the camera a serious shot for a month.
One of my earliest shots - pre-discovering Lightroom

A year later here I am, still loving every moment and (hopefully) growing more and more each day. Photography has given me hope and fresh eyes with which to see the world - and I am incredibly thankful for that gift!
Here are a few of my favorites over the past year:
The Kentucky barn we pass by whenever we drive up to see family in Indiana

Happy Dino in the summertime

One of the sweet babies I met being a preschool teacher at Promiseland this year

Another sweet Promiseland family (Side note: that boy is too cute for his own good! LOL)

Cutest tiny slippers ever

Politics aside, I thought it was pretty darn awesome that I was paid to photograph VPOTUS!

Helping capture precious moments like this is by far the biggest blessing for me in doing photography...

...and getting to meet stunning and inspiring young people like this young lady going to prom

As a child learning to play the piano, I was taught strictly by the book; mistakes meant failure and improvisation wasn't an option. I'm grateful to have a creative outlet that is truly my own, one that I can freely "play" around with and learn in my own time. This new chapter in my life is certainly one that I am excited for God to write!
Thank you for your encouragement and support. Here's to more photos, more hope, and more joy...
<3 amanda mae