About
I'm Amara — I make pictures of real moments.
I'm a documentary-leaning photographer based in Asheville, North Carolina, and I spend my days photographing weddings, families, and small businesses across the Blue Ridge Mountains.
I picked up a camera in college to document climbing trips with friends, and it turned into something I couldn't put down. After a few years shooting weddings on the side while working in marketing, I left that job in 2014 to photograph full-time — and I haven't looked back since.
My approach is simple: light, real moments, and staying out of the way as much as possible. I'm not interested in stiff, over-posed photography. I want your gallery to feel like your actual life — the real laugh, the unguarded glance, the version of the day you'll want to remember in twenty years.
When I'm not shooting, I'm usually hiking somewhere in the Pisgah National Forest, slowly renovating a very old farmhouse, or trying (and often failing) to keep houseplants alive.
By the numbers
- 11+ years photographing weddings and portraits professionally
- 200+ weddings photographed across the Southeast
- Featured in Southern Bride Magazine & The Knot
- Second-shooter and mentor network across Western NC
Philosophy
How I work
- Documentary first
- Most of what I capture is unposed. I'll guide when it's useful — for group shots, for light, for flow — but I'm chasing real moments over performance.
- Light-led
- I plan sessions and timelines around natural light because it's the single biggest factor in how a photograph feels.
- Low-pressure on set
- Clear, calm direction with zero awkward posing lists. Most clients tell me they forgot I was even there.
Ready When You Are
Let's see if we're a good fit.
Tell me about your date and vision — I'd love to hear your story.