Daily Inspiration: Meet Amanda Scott

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Scott.  

Hi Amanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Fae Laume photography started in 2013, as most photographers, I started out small with a dream of just doing what I love, I went full-time right from the start. I had no clue what I was doing but knew I loved Photography with every ounce of my soul and figured the rest out along the way. I am still working on perfecting my craft but every true artist and business owner we are always upgrading our selves to better serve our clients. My studio has gone through many Glows and changes over the years, from starting in a living room to taking over half of my house until we moved into a storefront, and even that has changed a few times and a few cities. My passion stems from my grandpa and even though he never took a photograph in my life that I can remember he would take me out over the road in his semi when I was a little girl. He handed me a disposable camera and told me to capture whatever I thought should be saved in my mind, for a Picture is a memory you get back when you start to forget and that little line Stuck with me and is the reason behind me the photographer. Granted he did not find it funny when he would pull off to sleep, I would climb out of that truck and wander around taking pictures of landscape and people’s dogs… looking back now… That wasn’t the safest choice, however, I wouldn’t trade those days for anything in the world. Now I’m a big girl living out my dream creating memories that last and helping other photographers along the way, outside of owning my studio I also give back to the photography community by Serving on the board of directors for Professional Photographers of Michigan (ppm) which is the state affiliate for the national organization Professional Photographers of America, (PPA) With PPA I am working on my Craftsmen Degree which is a degree for speaking and teaching other photographers. I would not be the photographer I am now if it wasn’t for those two Organizations promoting community over competition. I love the photography world so much that I am also the Director of the Great Lakes Institute of Photography, which is a weeklong school held here in Michigan once a year for professional photographers to dig deep and gain knowledge with one instructor of their choice for a deep dive hand on the learning experience. As you can see my story is full of photography life and the love of photography. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Struggles, there have been plenty in my almost ten years a few have been life-changing. 

In 2017 I went through a 100yr flood in Midland, mi While My house was flooding, I was out photographing a wedding. During this day I had to have my family evacuated from the house not sure we would ever return. We did and we rebuilt. A few months later our world changed due to a medical issue causing me to have a life-changing procedure to secure I would be around for a while to watch my kids grow up. I also went through a divorce at the end of 17 into 18. 

2018 I closed the storefront in Sanford and the studio took a 6-month move over to caro to see if we could just have a change of viewpoint, decided that was not the place for us, and back to midland we went. I just finished the final touches on the house after the 17 floods and decided to turn the bottom half of the house into my studio and work from home a great move for me. 

2020 this was all changed with the Covid restrictions in a march on photographers and no work being allowed inside our studios and masks made it hard to capture those portraits. I took a pause and went back into the workforce doing Billing for a small company… in May we went through a Major flood that wiped out my studio, my house, and my jeep in a matter of hours… but this time I lost everything, there was nothing left, the city of midland and Fema told me I could no longer fix my house to live in anymore. So now I found myself out of business and homeless… I figured it out and within a few months we moved to Bay city into our new home where the studio was run out of a spare bedroom and a garage… I felt like I Was going backward in my photography career but business picked up and may of 21 I stopped working and went back to photography full time, by Nov of 21 I moved again to a small country town called Pigeon where I decided I wanted to put down roots so, I and my children have created a new life out in the thumb with a blended family and the studio is back in a storefront location, Life is looking Great 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a professional photographer who captures all areas of life, I have many readers’ choice awards for Seniors, Families, and weddings. 

I specialize in Photography as I choose to not niche down, so I cover babies, maternity, live births, as well as seniors’ families and weddings. I love capturing Families for generations to look back on and know where they came from and what everyone looked like. 

I also specialize in Boudoir/ Glamour photography As I love showing not just women but men as well how amazing they are as human beings and capturing the human body at all stages of life is a great confidence boost for my clients. In a world where everyone tries to be perfect, I want to show you that you are perfect in the skin you have and to embrace who you are in this moment. It’s amazing being able to showcase this gift to others. 

The things that set me apart are I’m always learning, being involved with Profession photographers or America (PPA) Professional Photographers of Michigan (ppm) Director of The Great Lakes Institute of Photography (GLIP) as well as a member of the Association of International Boudoir Photographers (AIBP) My work has been published in Shutter up Magazine, Many readers’ choice awards as well as having my work judge and deemed worthy by other professionals around the world in Photographic competitions. The biggest thing that sets me apart though is ME, there is no one out there like me and that is what sets not just me but every photographer apart. 

I am proud that even though my studio has been through a lot it is still standing and I have clients from all over the state and a few from many different places in the Country. I am blessed to be a photographer fulling a dream. 

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Being a creative person in work and out of work 

Always giving a fresh outlook on what is offered in the studio 

Always learning new things in the photography world as well as attending educational events to grow my craft 

Showing my boudoir clients that I Can be vulnerable too. 

Being myself is the biggest thing many people don’t show their true selves in their business but I will always be me and without me, there is no Laume photography 

Pricing:

• Family session $150- $350
• Weddings Range $800-3500
• Seniors range from $150-$500
• Boudoir ranges $200-$750
• Monthly specials for children range from $60- $125

Contact Info:

• Website: www.laumephotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/laumephotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/laumephotography
• Other: www.facebook.com/groups/laumeboudoir

Image Credits
Fae Laume Photography