Meet Sandy Evans | Pro Photographer + Educator

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

Hi Sandy, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Starting my own business wasn’t something that I really set out to do. I think, for those who are photographers because of the art aspect, we don’t set out saying to ourselves, “I am going to be a photographer”. You start photographing because it moves you, not because it makes you money, because trust me, it takes several years before you are making anywhere near enough to support yourself with your business alone, at least in my case.

My business started when friends and family saw me sharing images of my own children on social media. They would ask me if I could take their photos too. I started a Facebook business page in 2014 and it grew from there, slowly but steadily, into the business that it is today.

I was only running Wild Prairie Photography part-time until the start of summer 2019. I knew it was time to either go all in or let it all go because it was becoming difficult to keep up with business, working for Colorado College, and taking care of my family, let alone getting any self-care time in between. I’ve been full-time since that summer and am grateful for all of the flexibility I have in my life because of it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am most proud that I have something that I created. I put my hands in the mud and sculpted something that I work for every day to keep. My clients are like my family. I care for them and treat each of them like they are my one and only. I found a quote a few years back and I think that it fits my brand 100%.

“Be the person who makes everyone feel like somebody”

Whether it’s access to an otherwise too expensive dress from my Client Closet for a new mama to wear or helping clients choose the perfect location for them with the assistance of my exclusive location catalog or the pre-session video call that I have with each and every client so I can get to know them and their needs better, I am genuinely interested in making sure that those I work with receive a gallery that reflects their authentic love and connection.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ooohhh, this is a fun question. My best friend is my cousin, Jenni, hey girl. So when she visits (come see me?), I would take her to a few of my favorite spots in and around Colorado Springs. For food, of course, my flagship sustenance go to would be Pig Latin. They have the most amazing Island Tacos, think pineapple braised pork, cabbage, lime, and all the yum, and house-made margaritas. It’s pretty legit.

For fun things to do, I am a big hiker and I would take her on a hike near Pikes Peak. Section 16, the Manitou Incline, and Pulpit Rock are all fun and easy hikes that she can do, even coming from a pretty different elevation (hello, altitude sickness, and thin ass air).

The Penny Arcade in Manitou Springs is rad too. Multiple buildings with a mix of old and new arcade games are their style. Don’t expect awesome prizes in exchange for tickets (its the pretty standard crappy stuff) but the fun you will have it worth the trip and parking 100%.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Ah, there are so many people who were integral to the shaping of who I am as a photographer today. My friend Adri De La Cruz, who was the cornerstone of the photographer community, “Dear Photographer”, and all the women who I met through my time spent at photography workshops and online forums, are who I want to thank. They challenged me to be my best self and to think about art in many different ways. They taught me to not be scared of crap light and to make my own way. They cheered me on when I felt like I couldn’t figure it out due to life’s curveballs. All in all, those women saved me. Dear Photographer is no longer an active community but the friendships and allies I made are lifelong.

Website: www.wildprairiephotography.com

Instagram: @wild_prairie_photography

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sandyleeevans/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wildprairiephotographyllc

Image Credits
Wild Prairie Photography