We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy McLaughlin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Amy, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I learned to be effective and successful by simply redefining what that meant. If the measure of my success were purely financial, I would say I have a long way to go. But my business is about so much more than the money I earn. My passion for documentary photography is rooted in my own belief of the importance of relationship and our desire to be seen and known. It’s a rebellion against our culture’s obsession with appearance, perfection, and social influence. It’s a creative version of therapy- to show families the beauty and importance of their own unique love and daily rituals. It’s a visual story that reminds us why our relationships and our lives matter so much. Documentary photography exposes us, but I believe it exposes us in the most beautiful, healing ways. What I do is so different from the lifestyle images that most family photographers produce, and it takes a lot of vulnerability to hire me to share a day in your life. So while I have months that I wish I had more sessions on my calendar, I remember that each time I’m invited into a family’s home I have a meaningful opportunity and responsibility to honor their story. Each time I send out a gallery, I’m sending photographs, but I also hope to be sending encouragement, inspiration, and hope. If I’ve done that, I’m doing exactly what I set out to do.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a documentary photographer, I have the unique privilege of telling the stories of couples and families through images that hold long-term significance and meaning. Portraits show faces. The images I get to create hold memories. They document what’s true in an honest, beautiful way.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
My own life was most impactful in my journey; being willing to process and engage my own story and then engage people from a place of empathy and compassion. I grew up in a big family and now I’m a wife and a mom of 4 myself. Relationships are hard. Family is hard. But it’s also what’s so insanely beautiful about being human. And we can carefully curate our lives for others to see, but what we really long for is to be seen for who we truly are and loved for that person. So I embrace my own chaos, so I can embrace other’s. I remind myself why love is worth it, so I can show up curious and capture photographs that will remind them why it’s worth it. I could show up and prompt people in ways that can make them look happy, but I’d much rather show up and be patient, waiting for spontaneous moments of genuine delight, true comfort, and real personality. My advice would just be to discover your why and hold tightly to it. It’s so easy to get caught up in the tangible growth of your business, but I would encourage you to stay caught up instead in the impact of your business.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
In the future, I would love to collaborate with people or groups who are looking to support others in meaningful ways by telling visual stories. That may look like capturing the impact of a non-profit and the people it supports, or it may look like documenting a family’s story who is facing something really life-altering.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mclaughlincreativ.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mclaughlincreativ
Image Credits
All mine
