Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Tripple.
Amy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
At eight years old, I walked home from a neighbor’s garage sale with my head held high: I’d just bought my very first camera. The 35mm film point-and-shoot became my constant companion through the rest of that summer and beyond… I fell in love with photography then and there.
Fast-forward a few decades and I found myself bringing home our second baby. My parents showed up on our doorstep with a little gift: my very first DSLR! It was a photography lover’s dream come true, and I started snapping away the very next morning.
After months of practice and learning, I decided to try my hand at taking pictures of other people’s children. My friends were gracious, willing participants, and I grew in my knowledge and experience. I put up a website, advertised in local stores, and waited on pins and needles for my first inquiry. My business was born the day that call finally came.
What began as a few shoots here and there became something more. After a few years growing my small business, my husband and I decided to take it full-time. He quit his job, came along beside me as my studio manager, and we hit the ground running! That was eight years ago and our business has done nothing but grow and expand as we’ve served some of the most fabulous families in the Chicagoland area and beyond!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Growing and running a small business is rarely a smooth road, and ours was no exception! In the early years, we struggled quite a bit with price-points; we put in far too many hours and weren’t around with our children nearly as much as we’d hoped to be.
They say experience is the wisest teacher, which certainly proved true for us! Each season we found a bit more balance between our business and our family’s life.
Another major challenge in our journey was when my husband, Jonathan, contracted Lyme Disease in 2009. As many know, Lyme is an insidious disease that has the potential to alter one’s mental state, cause significant physical pain, and put unending strain on a growing family. For about five years, we experienced all of these effects, fighting to grow our business in spite of his poor health and intense treatments. It was through these dark years, however, that our family gained a new level of strength and closeness… traits we wouldn’t trade for anything!
Please tell us about Amy Tripple Photography.
The main part of our business is, of course, documenting families! I’m passionate about capturing the connections between family members, providing both an amazing, comfortable experience as well as photos that authentically represent the love they have for one another. I also specialize in capturing headshots for Chicago-area professionals. One of my strengths is putting people at ease, which inevitably leads to a more comfortable headshot experience and photos that reflect it.
Our photography business has grown into so much more than simply photography sessions! About six years ago, I began teaching parent-focused DSLR classes local parents, and discovered so much joy in helping them understand such valuable skills! These “Sweet Shots” classes (www.amytripple.com/classes) have been a passion of mine ever since; I’ve now taught over two thousand parents here in the Chicagoland area how to use their DSLRs the way they were meant to be used and take stunning pictures of their own children!
Additionally, a fellow photographer (Heidi Peters – www.heidipeters.com) and I began a year-long online photography project for parents called “Shoot Along” (www.shootalong.com). Thousands of parents from around the world have joined together through this project to document their families as they learn photography. It’s a fabulous project for those who need that extra push to consistently capture their children and families.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Oh my, which one do I choose?!?
I have so many sweet childhood memories, but I’d have to say one of my favorites would be spending warm summer nights sitting on our family’s couch watching the Cubbies on our television. Shawon Dunston, Ryne Sandberg, Rich Sutcliffe, Andre Dawson… those nights felt like magic and my sisters and I loved those Cubbies, win or lose!
Pricing:
- Family Photo Sessions – $350 + digital image and print packages
- Sweet Shots classes – $99
- Shoot Along project – $159
Contact Info:
- Address: 44 Harrison Place
- Website: http://www.amytripple.com
- Phone: 708.203.1144
- Email: amy@amytripplephotography.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/amytripplephotography
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amytripplephotography
- Other: http://www.amytripplephotography.com/classes, http://www.shootalong.com
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
