A Look Into My 15 Year Journey

My love for photography started long before I even knew it could be a career. At the end of middle school, I became obsessed with capturing moments. From street signs, to my neon Converse, or quotes I wrote on paper–my blue Nikon-Coolpix helped me document anything I found interesting.

*The famously mentioned blue Nikon-Coolpix (that I still have)–circa 2010.*

Then for my 15th birthday, my parents & grandma gifted me my first DSLR camera. That next year, I photographed my cousin’s wedding—although I hardly knew what I was doing, I knew in my heart that this was something I could see myself pursuing for the rest of my life.

I dove headfirst into photography in high school, joining the newspaper & yearbook staff, determined to provide quality photos & represent more students. Even though I was still learning the technical side, I was passionate about photojournalism & advocating for storytelling through images. Over those next few years, I photographed more weddings & senior portraits, slowly realizing that photography wasn’t just a hobby—it was part of who I was (a bit cliche, I know, but also very true).

When it came time to choose a college major, photojournalism was the obvious choice, despite not knowing if I wanted to pursue the journalism side of it all. I threw myself into every opportunity—joining my university’s newspaper & magazine staff, learning from talented peers & mentors, & eventually working my way up to multimedia editor of my college paper. But somewhere along the way, I realized I wasn’t taking photos that made me happy anymore. I respected journalism deeply, but the pressure to meet expectations had overshadowed the joy of capturing moments that felt meaningful to me.

*Myself and two of my colleagues working on the Indiana Torch Relay Team as an immersive learning project at my university.*

In 2016, I joined an immersive learning project that changed my perspective. It reminded me that I should be pursuing what I truly love, even if it felt scary. So, I made a huge decision—I stepped away from my newspaper position & fully committed myself to wedding & portrait photography. I cannot deny the fact that I was scared. It had been made clear from quite a few of my professors in college that “wedding photography” was definitely viewed as a way to “make better money than journalism,” but was not given the same respect. I knew for a long time though that this career was not chosen because I wanted to make money, it was chosen because I wanted to own my own business, chase my dreams, & capture the happiest moments & days of people’s lives.

*A photo of me on my college campus, Ball State University, the week before graduating.*

After graduating in December 2017, I packed my bags & moved from Indiana to Phoenix, Arizona that following April to be with my long-term boyfriend & pursue my wedding photography business full-time. I spent my first couple years second shooting, networking, & trying to establish myself in the Arizona wedding industry, but something still felt off. Every time I left a big, traditional wedding, I felt a nagging sense that something was missing. I questioned myself constantly—was I in the wrong industry? Was I not good enough? Did I make a mistake?

Then in 2019, I stumbled upon the world of elopements & adventure weddings, & everything slowly started to click. I set up some styled shoots to build my portfolio, & in early 2020, I photographed a styled elopement that I had put together while some of my friends were in town. While getting ready for the day, the bride, who was also a photographer, told me about the Adventure Instead Elopement Course. She told me, “You have to take this—it will change your life.”

Myself, squatting down to take a photo of my eloping couple in the pouring rain, while holding their bouquet. I came prepared with the clear umbrella & lots of clear ponchos to make the best of a rainy day.

So, I took the leap. I invested in the course & completely immersed myself in learning everything about elopements. I wanted to be the best I could be & know everything I could about this “different type of wedding.” Then—COVID-19 happened. The wedding industry was flipped upside down, & suddenly, so many couples were rethinking their traditional wedding plans. One couple, whose engagement photos I had taken earlier that spring, had their big wedding canceled & asked me, “Would you want to photograph our elopement in Sedona?” I told them absolutely—and that elopement changed my life.

Driving home that night, I sat in my car thinking, “THIS is how people should get married. THIS is what I want to document.”

*Me, Samantha Rose Photography, on one of my (now many) elopement adventures. This photo was taken at Horseshoe Bend in Page, AZ.*

Fast forward to today—I’ve been a full-time elopement photographer for four years, helping couples create intentional, breathtaking wedding days that truly feel like them. And it’s the most fulfilled I have ever felt. Some days, being a business owner can be extremely hard. It’s just you–motivating yourself, working for yourself, doing all the ins & outs. It’s not just photographing people & a little editing–it’s all the logistics & accounting & legal things. Running social media, getting your name out there, & deciding what’s best for you & your business. It can sometimes be daunting pursuing your dream job. The fear of failure feels even greater when it’s something you love so much.

The truth though is I want every couple to get married in a way that brings them pure joy—whether that means exchanging vows on a mountaintop, sharing a quiet moment in the desert, or celebrating with only their closest loved ones in their backyard. And I hope when people come across my website & my work, they feel a sense of relief knowing they’ve found someone that is going to do everything they can to help them have the elopement of their dreams & make the process as smooth as possible. One of the main reasons I personally love elopements so much is that I get to be way more hands-on with my couples in the helping & planning side of things. I love helping people, I love planning things, I love photography, & I love elopements–so this job truly is a match made in heaven.

It took me almost ten years of photography to fully realize this is what I’m meant to do, & I wouldn’t trade that journey for anything. Thank you for being here.

How I Got Started as a Photographer

A Look Into My 15 Year Journey