We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Helmick and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Amanda, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
My favorite quote, and one that drives what I do in both business and life, is from Judith Katzir:
“There are moments that I know I will long for, even as I live them.”
To me, it is the acknowledgement of those moments in life where you feel completely and utterly happy, and embracing everything about that moment because you know one day you will long for it. It’s kind of like how some people say, “These are the good old days.” Those moments can be so fleeting; we all know time flies when you’re having fun. As an elopement photographer, I strive to capture both the story and scenery of the couple’s wedding day, documenting each of those moments of peace, joy, and love so that the couple can relive them through their photographs.
Wedding days are magical and so quickly passing, and giving my couples a tangible way to hold on to the moments they know they will long for is why I do what I do.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been photographing weddings for ten years now, and elopements for eight. I started out in college doing my friends’ senior photos who were still in high school, when a family friend who was a wedding planner asked if I’d thought about doing weddings. She connected me with some professionals to second shoot and shadow for a while, and I fell in love instantly. There’s something so intoxicating about being part of someone’s best day ever, every week! I went to school for writing so I combined my two passions and started a blog for my sessions to tell my couples’ stories, which in turn got me a lot of exposure online. I credit my blogging with most of my success, if I’m honest.
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.
My ultimate itinerary for getting to know the western slope would be to hang out in Grand Junction first as they acclimated to the elevation. We’d go to Kiln Coffee Bar for our morning caffeine boost before driving across the Colorado National Monument. Then we’d get Hot Tomato Pizza for lunch, grab a beer downtown from Ramblebine Brewery or Gemini Beer and do some shopping. After that we would head to Palisade for some fresh produce and enjoy dinner at The Goat & Clover Tavern back downtown. If we had time that week to go out of town, I would take them to Crested Butte, Ouray/Silverton and Moab.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I should ultimately thank my mom, who always had a camera around us growing up as part of her scrapbooking addiction. I also want to thank Amber and Erika for giving me a chance to photograph my first elopement.
Website: www.amandamatildaphotography.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/amandamatildaphotos
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandamatildaphotography