Inspiring Conversations with Amanda Neeley of AMN Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Neeley.

Hi Amanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been photographing for nearly 30 years, with experience spanning everything from weddings and newborns to engagements, senior portraits, events, performances, real estate, and sports. But dance has always been at the heart of my work.
I began as a dancer myself—dancing with the Georgia Ballet—and later became a ballet teacher at just 19. Photography dancers naturally followed. While teaching, the studio owner gave me the opportunity to photograph recital portraits, and that moment shaped the direction of my career. I set a simple goal for myself: to grow my recital portrait business by one studio each year. I was fortunate to meet that goal almost every year, and when I didn’t, the following year often brought even greater growth.
As my work evolved, I began photographing audition sessions for dancers in need of headshots and required audition imagery. Today, I continue photographing recitals and auditions, while also working with professional companies and dancers seeking branding imagery and company portfolios. It feels like a full-circle career—one that allows me to merge my lifelong love of dance with nearly three decades behind the camera.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I am so happy to say it really has been a smooth road. I’ve been fortunate to work with many great studios in the Atlanta area as well as surrounding states. I’ve developped decades long working relationships with these studio owners and their families. I watch students grow as I photograph them each year, and then have the pleasure to photograph their senior portraits, weddings, and in some cases, their children! It is extremely rewarding work and I’m thankful for every moment of it.

We’ve been impressed with AMN Photography, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
From mid-March through June, my schedule is dedicated to photographing recital portraits for nearly 25 studios across the Atlanta area, as well as studios in North Carolina and Florida. Throughout the rest of the year, alongside teaching, I focus on individual dancer sessions—creating branding imagery, portfolio work, audition photos, and headshots. I also collaborate with studios to produce imagery for social media campaigns, promotional materials, and advertising.
What truly sets my work apart is a lifetime immersed in dance. Having danced and taught for nearly my entire life, I bring a deep understanding of technique, line, and shape—down to the smallest details, from the articulation of the foot to the placement of the fingers. I see what matters, and I know how to guide dancers to bring out their strongest, most authentic selves in front of the camera.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Kindness and encouragement are everything. I’m working with young dancers—young minds, and often young girls—and it’s important to me that every experience is a positive one. My hope is that with each photograph, they can see their own progress: the results of the hard work and dedication they’ve poured into their training. More than anything, I want them to walk away feeling proud of themselves.

Pricing:

• Sessions begin at $350

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amandaneeley.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amnphotographyatl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaNeeleyAMNPhotography