Meet Anyssa Sands | Colorado Springs Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anyssa Sands and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anyssa, what’s your definition for success?
Success to me is not about how many clients I serve, or how well known I am as a business or photographer, but rather, to me it’s about my business thriving in a way that allows me to serve my clients from a place of joy and excitement rather than burnout or overwhelm, and have the flexibility with my business to also spend time with my family and stay at home with my kids. I also want to prioritize my creativity not only as an entrepreneur, but also as an artist and photographer. It’s really important to me that I never lose my wonder in the world and my artistic spirit. This is what drives me and brings me joy! That said, success to me is more about finding this balance between service, art, and my family than it is about making a certain amount of money, having a certain amount of clients, or achieving a certain level of fame. Of course, in a business, my financial goals matter, my marketing strategy and industry reputation do matter, but not at the cost of this balance in my personal, professional, and artistic life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started my business shortly after getting my first real camera! I had always loved taking creative photos and editing them on my iphone and when I realized I wanted to start to a photography business, step one was getting a professional camera and learning how to use it! My artistic background is in music and songwriting which I pursued most of my youth and in college when I moved to Nashville to study songwriting and music business. When I decided to pursue wedding photographer, it was really exciting to me to have an entirely new medium to be creative and artistic visually in addition to musically. I jumped in right away and began doing free photoshoots for essentially anyone who would agree to it. I knew I wanted to work with couples during engagements and weddings specifically. So from there I built my portfolio slowly and then began charging very little for my services and slowly grew over the years. There were definitely challenges when it came to the business side, as I had very little experience in business. As I learned from piers in the industry, my mentors and coaches, and dove in head first to all things business I found that a lot of my organizational and creative strengths would come together to help me blend art and business in a way that fits me, my personality, and my brand as a whole. It’s been really special to create something that is a true reflection of me, but that can also serve my clients in a way that is totally unique to them and their relationships. It’s been a really special time of discovery and growth that I’m so grateful I jumped into!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Colorado as a whole has so much to offer. From the stunning landscapes, to charming little mountain towns, to the buzz of the city, there is no shortage of things to do here! From breweries to hiking to skiing and exploring, there is so much to experience. I almost always recommend people check out Rocky Mountain National Park as it boasts of stunning views, wildlife, and some of the most beautiful trails here in Colorado that truly leave you in awe and represent the glory and nature this state has to offer. I also recommend people check out Telluride and Aspen if possible, as these two mountain towns hold some of the most beautiful views, and delightful downtown areas worth spending some time in. If you’re looking for a city feel, Denver and Colorado Springs are full of great restaurants to check out, bars to explore, and local downtown experiences like the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Denver Botanic Gardens, putt putt, etc. You can pretty much find anything you’re looking for here, besides the beach!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My biggest support in my business and in life is my husband. He truly inspires me and supports me in so many ways, I don’t even know where to begin! First of all, he is one of my biggest inspirations. He can accomplish anything he sets his mind to and his work ethic is unmatched. I’ve been so inspired by how he’s pursued his own goals professionally and perseveres under difficulty. When it came to starting my business, he believed in me and always encouraged me to keep going and giving it my all. He’s my consultant when it comes to big decisions, he’s my cheerleader when I make a mistake or have a problem to overcome, and he’s my favorite person to bounce all my entrepreneurial ideas off of! I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today in life, and in business if I didn’t have his support and encouragement in my life.

Website: https://www.anyssasands.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anyssa.sands.photography/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anyssa-sands-097798153/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anyssa.sands.photography

Image Credits
All images courtesy of Anyssa Sands Photography