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[Below is a transcript of the podcast]
Cheri Landin: Welcome to The Mortgage Company’s Community Partner Podcast Series. My name is Cheri Landin and I am the Community Development Director with The Mortgage Company and one of the things that I get to do in this role is to interview our community partners and I have one with me here today. Her name is Amy K. Wright and she is a photographer. And Amy if you could just take a moment to introduce yourself.
Amy K Wright: Sure My name is Amy K. Wright and I’m excited to be here today.
Cheri Landin: Good. Yes. So Amy is a photographer, a photographer extraordinaire and I know that firsthand because I’ve seen some of her photos. But what I’d like to have you do, Amy, is just tell us a little bit about how long have you been in business and what got you into this business.
Amy K Wright: Sure. I started doing photography about 15 years ago when I was traveling through Europe. I just loved like being in a different country and just loved seeing the world through a different lens with the camera and came back and did some studies in college and worked in a gallery and then just started doing freelance work while I was working a different job. In 2016, I started my own business and it’s been almost two years. So I’ve been excited, it’s been a great adventure.
Cheri Landin: That’s cool! So I would imagine doing photography traveling through Europe would not be so bad. Great things to see right?
Amy K Wright: It was incredible. I actually backpacked four years in a row and then I lived in Italy for a semester in college. I think being surrounded by so much beauty and history, it really taught me how to see the world around me in a new way and then I was able to bring that back and translate that to the work I do now. I still am a big fan of street art and a lot of that comes through some of my photo greeting cards that I have.
Cheri Landin: So yes, I also know your tagline. It’s, “We all have a story to tell, tell it well” and I guess that came from just your adventures and your photos are your story right? I guess explain a little bit behind that tagline and what you try to do as a photographer in telling someone’s story.
Amy K Wright: Yeah absolutely. When I founded my business I wanted to found it on some principles that were really important to me and one of the most important things about photography is that you have an opportunity to capture someone in a priceless moment and then translate that. And I do believe that everyone has a story to tell and so whether it’s photography for your business or your life, my job is to help tell that story in a way that portrays your essence, your personality, your heart, and just have that come through in our sessions together.
Cheri Landin: Yeah okay that’s pretty neat. I don’t know that I could do that but I’m sure glad there are people out there like you that can. Alright, so tell me what are some of your favorite things to photograph.
Amy K Wright: Sure. Well, my favorite thing is people. After 15 years, the thing I love the most is that every person is so different because every person is so unique and they have such a different spirit and personality. So that keeps it really interesting and I love variety. So it’s been great to be doing something full time that incorporates a lot of variety. And then I love doing street art, just a lot of the pictures that I do for art or for the photo greeting cards are just things that come across when I’m just out and about. So I think people and then street photography are my favorite.
Cheri Landin: Alright that’s neat. I do know the photo greeting cards that you have. I’m looking at a box in front of me. She has a wonderful holiday line. Talk a little bit about your greeting cards and how did those get started.
Amy K Wright: Well, essentially, when I started my business I really wanted to figure out A, a way to pay the rent and B, because there are a million photographers right? So what could I do that could be unique or different or to help me tell my story well because that’s what I’m trying to help other people do. So the cards are born from wanting to be able to just kind of share my art at four bucks apiece. But also there’s a mission behind the cards and the fact that 10 percent of sales of all Tell It Well Greeting Cards goes to help women who are in poverty to start their own business. And so I wanted to have a business that was comprised of both professional photography services and also a tangible good that I can have in the marketplace. And it was kind of a just a gamble you know because you create things and you’re like I hope somebody like this!
Cheri Landin: No absolutely, I see your holiday greeting cards now and you know I’ve purchased some of your other cards as well. And I love them! They’re great little cards to send out for any particular reason so I guess it’s pretty neat that you are doing, right out of the gate, a new business with a 10 percent giveback. Not a lot of businesses would do that. So I think that makes it really unique as well and a pretty neat thing.
Amy K Wright: Well, thank you. I honestly, it means a lot to me to be able to try to incorporate this as a core value of my business. I had the opportunity to go to India when I worked for Whole Foods Market and walked through villages and meeting women and their husbands and children and grandmas who are living in the deepest level of poverty that I’ve ever experienced. And so I was really passionate about translating that experience into my current business and finding a way that I can make a difference. I think that poverty, it’s the foundation of a lot of issues in the world and so small business loans, microloans are a practical way to transform someone’s life and their children and their grandchildren.
Cheri Landin: Absolutely. That’s neat. Alright. So you said you had this idea that you wanted to have something tangible to and it was kind of like a crapshoot.
Amy K Wright: Absolutely.
Cheri Landin: I think it’s going well so far. Tell us where those cards are, Amy.
Amy K Wright: Sure! Well I’m super grateful to say that I’m now at 13 Whole Foods Market locations in the Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins area and definitely looking at expanding. You can also find me a Tattered Cover. And then I’m at a couple of other small boutiques: Moondance Botanicals at 6th and Corona. So it’s been really fun. I just love and feel so honored that people like what I’m doing and I think that cards are a priceless thing to give and receive and just create connections.
Cheri Landin: It’s the good old-fashioned way, it’s actually on paper. Which we don’t see too often. You know it’s sad but true. Every once in awhile I’ll actually get that card in the mail that someone handed wrote and I love it. But there are few and far between them right now.
Amy K Wright: Yeah I’m hoping that I still hear a lot of feedback that people love cards and I think it’s such a huge industry so I think people still really love receiving those and giving them some hope that continues.
Cheri Landin: Absolutely. Alright. So photography services Amy K Wright, Tell It Well Greeting Cards. Where can they find out more about you?
Amy K Wright: Absolutely. So if you want to learn more about the photography services I offer which include headshots, corporate team photography, family sessions, events and product photography, you can go to amykwright.com and see a full portfolio list there and professional list of services. And then if you want to learn more about Tell It Well greeting cards you can go to tellitwellcards.com.
Cheri Landin: Alright great! Well, thank you, Amy. And again I really appreciate you being here. I’ve seen both your photography work and your cards and I love it all so I hope that any of you out there listening will definitely look her up for her services and perhaps go buy some really unique greeting cards.
Amy K Wright: Thanks Cheri. Great to be here.
Cheri Landin: Thanks.
About Amy K. Wright
Amy K. Wright is a photographer, and the creator of “Tell it Well” Photo Greeting Cards. With over 14 years of photography experience, she specializes in photography for your life and business, with an emphasis on individual & family portraits, events, and product photography.
Cheri Landin
NMLS #: 984868
NMLS #68929