Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Burman.
Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Photography found me twice. I took it in high school and again in college, and then life happened. I became a high school language arts teacher, which felt like the right move at the time. What I didn’t realize is that teaching and photography aren’t separate paths for me—they’re interconnected. I taught journalism and newspapers alongside literature, so the visual storytelling was always there, woven into everything I was doing.
When I had my first baby and took maternity leave, something shifted. I picked up a camera again, and it felt like coming home. Weddings really took off for me in 2018, and once I experienced that work, I never looked back.
But I didn’t just leave teaching impulsively. I made intentional financial decisions early on. I waited until I was vested as a teacher, which meant I’d have a secure retirement fund. That security was crucial. It gave me real creative freedom to pursue photography on my terms, without the pressure of making it work overnight. In 2020, I made the leap to photography full-time.
That vesting decision was one of the best I made. It gave me space to experiment—I started shooting film, I traveled more, I got intentional about the aesthetic and approach I wanted to bring to my work. That’s really what it’s all been about: choosing intention over rushing, and building something that feels authentic to who I am.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The early years were a learning curve, but not in the way people might expect. I took on everything—newborns, senior sessions, family portraits, commercial work, real estate. I learned quickly what I loved capturing and what didn’t align with my vision. That narrowing down to weddings and commercial work wasn’t a failure; it was clarity. Those are the areas where my skills shine, and they attract clients who genuinely value what I do.
The transition from teaching to full-time photography in 2020 was actually seamless. I already had an established client base, so there wasn’t much upheaval—except, well, a global pandemic. That was the chaos, not the business itself.
As my business has grown, so has my clarity about what actually matters. For a long time, I chased external validation—getting published, hitting certain price points. But over time, I’ve shifted to setting my own goals. I want a stable salary. I want to work with clients who genuinely value my time and my craft. I want freedom to spend more time with my kids. That shift completely changed how I approach my business.
I’m also very intentional about capacity. I only take fifteen weddings a year. That boundary protects my creativity and prevents burnout. I shoot both film and digital, and film especially has taught me to slow down, to be more careful, and to truly savor the work I’m doing for my clients.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in weddings and commercial work. My day-to-day is really about communication—with clients, with planners, making sure the creative vision is aligned before we even get to the wedding day or shoot. I love storyboarding. I love understanding the intricate design decisions that go into a wedding day or a brand’s visual identity.
What I’m most proud of is when I finish a complete wedding gallery and the client’s ideas, their details, their story—it’s all woven through the images. That’s what matters to me. I want to be a storyteller for that family on that day. The same goes for commercial work. If a brand is happy with how their lifestyle and values come through in the finished gallery, that’s a win.
I think what sets me apart is that I don’t bring any “look at me” energy to events. My job isn’t to insert myself into the day. I want the couple and their family to shine, or the product and lifestyle they’re preserving to be what stands out most. The focus is entirely on them.
I shoot about eighty percent digital and twenty percent film. Film is honest in a way digital can’t be. You can’t fake emotion or lighting on film. It’s genuine. And honestly, photography is like a science experiment with light. There are rules and composition principles, but then I get to put my own spin on it, create something with intention. It’s incredible.
What I want to be known for is making my clients feel comfortable and valued. When I’m with them, they are the most important thing. That’s the foundation of everything.
What makes you happy?
I’m happiest when clients look at their gallery and see themselves in it, their real selves, not a performance. That’s when I know I’ve done my job. There’s something really special about capturing moments where people aren’t trying to be anything other than who they are.
That same thing applies to my own family. I want my kids and my family to feel that same authenticity when I’m photographing them. I’m not trying to capture a perfect moment or force a smile. I’m documenting who they actually are, how they genuinely interact with each other. That’s what matters to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://burmanphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burmanphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burmanphotography
