Meet Amanda Leise | International Wedding + Elopement photographer

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

Hi Amanda, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The year was 2012. I was a college student with little to no idea where my life was headed. I was more concerned with what I was going to wear to College night on Thursday. I majored in Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design, so Photography was never even on the horizon.

I was gifted a Canon Rebel my Junior year of college, and to be honest, it sat under my dorm bed for MONTHS. I was like…what do I do with THIS?! I can still remember the pink and black box it was stuffed in with random odds and ends that would naturally end up under a bed.

I can still remember the specific project for my Graphics class. We were instructed to design a “perfume ad,” and I remember being really inspired by this specific project for some reason. So, I dusted off my camera and decided I was going to learn how to use it. I set up a “styled-shoot” that was vintage inspired, and found two lovely friends to model.

I remember that night going through the photographs as I edited my first batch, trying to figure out why I loved it so much. I felt like I had found some inspiration, and creativity started flowing. Over the next year, I would make my college friends model, I started the ever so famous Facebook page with all of the “albums” us old school oldies used back then before the days of Instagram, and people started noticing what I was doing. I photographed my first wedding in 2013 right on campus where it all began for the couple, and for me.

So, to answer the question. There was no process. Photography found me. I was filled with self doubt back then, and being an artist was meant for me. I see the world differently because of Photography. The simplicity, the light, the colors. The process for me was a simple one. I knew I was meant to do this.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I would be completely lying if I told you owning a business was easy, and the journey getting to where I am now was a breeze. It wasn’t. I spent a lot of time budgeting, doing projects for little money or for free, spending ALL day at weddings when I was charging 1/4 of what I am now for hourly packages, and sacrificing time away from Nebraska football games, nights out with my friends on Saturday nights, etc. I had to be disciplined.

When you love your job, and your job feels more like a hobby that you have to pinch yourself about every so often, you’re in the right place. It makes all of the long hours and journey getting to the top, worth it. If I had one piece of advice for a younger photographer, I would tell them to not give up and to work really hard, it’ll pay off!

There were roadblocks and challenges, of course. I’ve had close people in my life ask me if Photography was a real career, so self doubt was usually the hardest one to overcome.

The biggest one, though, was my social anxiety. How does one that panics in social situations supposed to lead a wedding day? I have no clue. When I am working, and when I have a camera in my hands, I feel like I have It all together. My anxiety is at bay. It truly gets me every time. This confident outgoing girl who struggles outside of her career to be authentically herself, shines.

I have learned SO MANY LESSONS. Within the last couple of years, the biggest lesson is to make time for myself, too. I have been burnt out too many times during a wedding season, and this year has been the best one yet in terms of taking time for myself. I feel more inspired if I take breaks, go on hikes, little day trips to buy plants, hang with my dog every few hours in between edits, and master the craft of coffee and paint. It is important to have other hobbies when your job is your main hobby. Burn out is REAL, so always make sure to take time to enjoy life too!

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.
When I travel, I tell people I am from Nebraska, and the look on their faces (if they even know where or WHAT Nebraska is), is confused. I have had many laugh and ask if we still ride horses and if we have electricity. My response is always the same to these confused faces…The people in Nebraska make living there my favorite part.

Truth is, Lincoln is a place I settled after college, and it is so charming, and the people are so great, I haven’t left. I have my favorite coffee shops, trails for bike riding, local shops, and the feeling of “home” when I see people I know everywhere I go.

If a friend from out of town was visiting, I’d take them to get coffee first. The Mill has multiple locations, and they are my favorite spots in the cold Nebraska winters, especially. The charm is so real, and the coffee is so strong. Let’s stop at The Goldenrod Bakery for some late morning dessert after coffee, because why not?!

I have ALOT of plants, and they are like my children. (Not kidding) Some of my plants have moved multiple times with me, and are still alive somehow. Oak Creek Nursery or Campbells Nursery are musts for plants. Whenever I am stressed or need to decompress, I will take a walk through their greenhouses (and accidentally buy more plants).

Lunch?! – BISON WITCHES. Enough said.

Who wants an afternoon cocktail?- I do! Kate Martin is an amazing speak easy in the heart of Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket, and the history of it, and the amazing people that own it, is top notch.

If a friend comes to Lincoln, it HAS to be in the Fall in peak Football season, because Lincoln on a gameday is like no other. We call it the “Sea of Red.”

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’d love to dedicate my shoutout to my Grandma, who told me years ago that I’d be an artist, long before I knew who I even was.

Website: leisephoto.com

Instagram: theamandaphoto

Image Credits
Brooke Confer Photo Papertrail Art Design Co