Samantha Clemmer Photography

I never thought I would end up being a wedding photographer. The plan was actually to be a marine biologist. A marine biologist who just so happened to really love taking taking pictures. I honestly can't remember a time in my life when I didn't know exactly where my camera was.  Time passed and I went from photographing friends at school, to friends at parties, then eventually my own children, food I made, other families... you name it. In December of 2014 my husband set my dreams in motion when he bought me my first DSLR for Christmas. Immediately I made myself a Facebook business page , a website, and within a couple weeks I was approached by another photographer and was hired to be his second shooter for an upcoming wedding.  That day changed my life.

October rolled around and it was wedding day. I did the very best I could. I left that night knowing I did great earlier in the day and not so great at the reception but over all I thought I did alright. I was proud of my first time working a wedding! Then the next evening I got a message from the photographer.  There was a lot of constructive criticism. I felt defeated and decided wedding photography ultimately wasn't for me.  Then 6 months later a flash drive arrived in the mail from the photographer.  It was all the images I had taken and much to my surprise, I loved them! I honestly thought they all looked great.   I realized they weren't bad images at all, they just represented my style and not his. I was proud of them!  That was the very moment my wedding photography career began.

People often ask me how I "got into" being a wedding photographer and I know this sounds like a romanticized notion, but the answer is always the same simple one.  It chose me.  Being a wedding photographer is my passion and is what I was meant to do. I know this without a doubt because in real life, when I'm just "Sammie" and not "Samantha", I'm an introvert who struggles with social anxiety. True story! Something magical happens on a wedding day when I have my camera in my hand. My altar ego takes over, my anxiety goes away, and I thrive. I couldn't love it anymore.

Here I am just 3 years later,  having just wrapped up my 2018 wedding season. I photographed twenty-three weddings this year. Over the summer I found myself on the rocky coast of Maine photographing one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever seen for one of the sweetest couples I've ever known. I'm so grateful this is my life! 

 

Doing what I love, where I love, has absolutely been a dream come true. If I had listened to that one photographer years ago there's no telling where I would be today. I'm so glad I chose to follow my heart that day instead.

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