Inspiring Conversations with Samantha Baldwin of Samantha B. Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Baldwin.

Hi Samantha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Starting my photography business took me through some exciting and emotional obstacles. I started teaching 1st grade in 2019 and finished my second year in 2021, but I needed more passion to return for the 3rd year. I was mentally and physically drained. I always knew teaching would be a short career, but I had yet to learn what I would do since I only had a degree in education. I looked at returning to school but had no plan on what I would return for, so I started exploring to find a job that suited me. I tried wedding coordinating, dabbled with a little graphic design, & even worked at a boutique.

Summer 2021 hit, and I still had no idea what I was going to do with my life, which was terrifying for me as a very confused 23-year-old, but in the back of my head, I always knew it was kind of a “start over,” and I was still young. At that time, I had a friend who was interested in photography and had some Canon equipment that I was interested in playing with. Everyone always said I had an amazing eye, so I considered that and decided I wanted my camera with having little to no experience in the photography world besides snapping photos of my dog or beautiful views on vacations. Once my camera came in, I instantly reached out to a local photographer I knew to help me with all the photography basics and start a business. After doing a mentor session with her, I contacted a friend who let me capture some photos of her to show what I could do.

I edited the photos (learning from Youtube) with a style I liked and posted her photos on my personal Facebook and Instagram, which took a lot of willpower because I went straight to thinking very negatively about what others would think. Having barely any knowledge of photography, this was difficult for me to do because everyone knew I was just a teacher. Still, once I posted her photos, I started receiving many messages from others wanting photos from me. This was crazy to me. It was time to make this legit. I started by making social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram, which helped me immensely. Weeks went by after shooting a few sessions and posting them on social media, and by this point, I was accepting wedding photo inquiries with zero wedding photography experience. By the end of Fall 2021, I had 6 weddings booked for 2022, and I only had been a photographer for a few months.

It’s 2023 now, and I have 16 weddings booked on top of many other sessions, a self-built website, and 6 weddings booked so far for 2024 in different states and one even in Cancun, Mexico. I am also in the process of growing my business out in Denver, Colorado too. Looking back at the confused 23-year-old teacher, I can be proud of the consistency I have kept during this adventure while sticking with MY happiness.

Let’s dig deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you overcome?
At first, photography seemed challenging, but it got smoother once I started getting the hang of what I wanted for my business and myself. My main struggles were starting a business while making money and constantly wondering if people loved my work enough to continue to book with me. I did have doubts and was always wondering if photography was something I wanted to do with my life at first. Still, I have proven to myself and others that I can consistently build and grow my brand.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Samantha B. Photography?
I am a photographer in Lee’s Summit, MO, but I love traveling for business. I am growing my business outside of Missouri, mainly in Colorado, and accepting more destination weddings. My main focuses are weddings and couples, but I also offer seniors and lifestyle photos. What sets my business apart from others is I have a very timeless feel to my photos. I want my clients to look back at their photos years from now and remember why they chose me as their photographer: because of my style and their experience with me. I am an outdoor-loving, easy-going gal, so I like to capture my photos to look as natural as possible, and I want my personality to show through my photos of others. I also add a vintage twist to my editing style because I have always been passionate about the 70s/80s era. I have been a creative individual since I was young and wanted a career that would let me pursue those dreams. Starting Samantha B. Photography has been a huge accomplishment of mine because I have built on my own and continue to keep growing because of my amazing clients and dedication to it. You can see the difference between when I was teaching and now. I have grown so much because of starting my own photography business. I am passionate about my work and constantly improving my business.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I have always been interested in working for myself and showing off my artistic side, but I didn’t think that was possible because only a few people around my age I knew did that. So I went off to school for 4 years to receive a teaching degree that I thought I wanted and taught 1st grade for two years before I picked up a camera and started my business 2 years ago, which has been the best decision I have made. I am genuinely happy with where I am at with my business.

Pricing:

• Go to samanthabaldwinphotography.com for pricing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.samanthabaldwinphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samantha_b.photography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samantha.Baldwin.Photography