We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrea Enger. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrea below.
Hi Andrea, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I overcame impostor syndrome by shifting the focus from myself to service. Everything changed when I stopped worrying about being “good enough” and started thinking about how to show up fully for my couples. I also surround myself with other creatives who remind me that we all start somewhere and that growth never stops. Whenever self-doubt creeps in, I ground myself by comparing my growth to the version of me from 5 or 10 years ago. That perspective keeps me centered on my journey and helps me tune out the noise of comparison.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m a Chilean-born, Colorado-based adventure elopement photographer, but I’m also part planner, experience creator, and facilitator with a camera in hand and purpose in my heart. I specialize in documenting love stories in wild, remote places, whether in the windy peaks of Patagonia, on a glacier in Alaska, or deep in the desert canyons of the Southwest.
What excites me most is helping couples craft an experience that’s truly their own. I handle all the logistics—permits, timelines, weather backup plans—so they can be fully present and soak in every moment. Each elopement is a blend of art, emotion, and advocacy, and I’m especially proud to champion sustainability and inclusivity in every part of my work.
Beyond the lens, advocacy is a core part of my mission. I proudly support charities & organizations like Leave No Trace, the National Park Foundation, Tompkins Conservation, and Water for People – causes that align with my values of protecting natural spaces and uplifting communities. I also believe education should be accessible to everyone, so I’m constantly developing ways to educate fellow creatives in my native language. I’ve already started working on an exciting new project that should take form in the year ahead – my first launch! Making knowledge more inclusive, especially for those navigating this industry in their second language, is deeply personal to me.
In 2024, I launched my associate photographer program in one of my locations in Chile, with the goal of training and mentoring local talent while offering couples even more personalized experiences. I’m exploring bringing this program stateside and growing it into a worldwide creative collective.
Creatively, I’ve been diving into film photography, a return to the roots of visual storytelling that brings new depth and intention to my work. With fresh locations on the map, a growing team, and bold new ideas coming to life, this next chapter feels like my most exciting one yet.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Resilience, curiosity, and a strong sense of purpose have shaped everything. Resilience helped me navigate moments when the path felt uncertain. Curiosity keeps me learning, experimenting, and evolving as both an artist and business owner. And purpose (remembering why I do what I do) grounds me when things get complicated or noisy.
For anyone starting out:
– Build resilience by embracing failure as feedback.
– Stay curious! Every shoot, every client, and every mistake is a chance to learn.
– And protect your purpose fiercely. If your work aligns with who you are and what you care about, you’ll find your people.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My parents showed me what love, sacrifice, and perseverance look like. My mother worked tirelessly to give me the opportunities she never had, and my father, though he passed too soon, instilled in me a deep love for storytelling and capturing life as it unfolds. Their ethics and values are woven into everything I do. They believed in me long before I believed in myself; that kind of support changed everything.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://andreaengerphotography.com/
- Instagram: andreaengerphoto
- Facebook: AndreaEngerPhotography
- Other: Pinterest: andreaengerphotography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
