Every year, it’s important to me that I do at least one educational opportunity to help me become an even better photographer and to better take care of my clients. This year, I almost didn’t do any official workshops or classes. And then, in the last quarter, I saw a super-limited opportunity for Skype Mentorships with my #1 photographer inspiration, Amanda Hedgepeth. 

I look up to Amanda for a thousand different reasons — not only is she incredibly talented, organized and hard-working — she is all of those things to a 1000%. But, she also is a well-balanced human who also runs a non-profit and nurtures her family with all of her heart, never appearing to feel in a bad spot or stuck between all of her “jobs.” 

Over the summer, Amanda photographed our family while we vacationed in Hatteras on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Being a photographer who is being photographed can be a dreadful experience — I tend to overthink everything; I want everything to be perfect. In about 18 seconds, Amanda made me realize that perfection lies in windblown hair, sandy wrestling with excited kiddos, ugly laughter and the best-laid plans washing out to sea. Amanda took care of us — all of us. And she delivered an entire gallery of final edited images in less than 24 hours. I sat on a pool deck of our beach house thinking to myself, “This is what I want to gift to my clients.”

Before we even began the mentorship, Amanda sent me a questionnaire with great topics, getting my lead and vision on where my challenges were, where I wanted my business to go and so much more. She then tailored a really individualized chat with me where, with coffee in hand, we talked about my dreams and hardships and goals and fears. We put SO many plans into motion that day that I was afraid I was going to run out of paper in my notebook. She’s followed up with me so many times since then and I love knowing that as I think of questions, she’s always there for me.

I cannot wait to continue to improve the process for my clients and I am so grateful that I took this time for me and my business. Look out, 2020!