Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Laferriere.
Amanda, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My grandpa was a photographer, and my mom always took photos as a hobby, so I grew up stealing my mom’s camera to take photos of everything. I got my own camera, a Canon Rebel t3 when I was 14, and I started getting into landscape photography. My stepbrother was in a band when we were 15, and he knew I had a camera so he asked if I would come take photos at one of their shows. I agreed even though I had no idea how to take good photos of people, especially not in a poorly lit backyard. Despite the fact that I shot the whole show on Auto and the photos were really bad, I fell in love with music photography that night. About a year after that, the band broke up, and I thought my music photography career was over. Shortly after that, Glass House Point reached out to hire me to shoot some shows they had coming up. Those few shows led to a lot more, and I’m still working with them three years later. Along the way, I’ve gone on tour, shot for publications, covered music festivals, and have been hired to photograph world famous bands. I still want to work full time as a content creator in the music industry more than anything and am working towards that every day.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I work on creating a few different types of visual content. I do some video work, create animated photos, and I work in film photography sometimes. However, I mainly produce digital photographs. As cliche as it sounds, I love being able to capture a moment in time for people to look back on. The music industry is a special place for me to do that because of the moments it can create. Few things have brought me more joy than being able to capture a moment full of energy and love at a live show. I always listen to the artist in the photo when I am editing it in an attempt to make the photo feel how the artist sounds. I’m not entirely sure if that ever actually comes across in my work, but it’s something I’ve always done. Whether it’s a live shot or a random lifestyle photo from a tour, I want my photos to evoke some sort of emotion, no matter what it is, from the viewer.
In your view, what is the biggest issue artists have to deal with?
Comparative culture in creativity. I feel like as humans, we just naturally compare ourselves to others. It can be detrimental to one’s health and their art when they start trying too hard to be like others and lose sight of what it is that they want to show and say with their work. Creativity is all about creating something new and in a new way. The art industry is the one in which there is no clear cut way to do things. It’s all about doing unconventional things in unconventional ways. It’s also easy to lose sight of the fact that not everyone is on the same path. It’s easy for people to get upset when they see an artist in their field doing better than them. It’s important to remember that you’ll lead a much more fulfilling life when you genuinely support others instead of being envious and trying to tear them down. I definitely feel as though there is room at the table for everyone and anyone who is creating good work and is a genuine person.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My work is online at ajpgphoto.com. I can be found on Instagram and Twitter @ajpgphoto. Two bands I work for regularly, @glasshousepoint and @awolfinthecity_fl, also feature a lot of my work on their social media. Hiring me to take photos of you or your band or anything else is the best way to support me. Other than that, interacting with me on social media and telling your friends about my work is also very much appreciated.
Contact Info:
- Website: ajpgphoto.com
- Email: https://www.ajpgphoto.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajpgphoto/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ajpgphoto
Image Credit:
Amanda Laferriere
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