Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Kossina
Hi Amanda, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Amanda Kossina, the owner and lead photographer of Kossina Creative Photography.
I often get asked how I got started in photography, so I wanted to share a little bit about my journey.
Before becoming a photographer, I worked as a TV producer, creating television shows, commercials, and documentaries. One of my favorite experiences was working with the Jonas Brothers at Disney Channel! Throughout my TV production career, I was honored to win four Emmy Awards, which is something I’m incredibly proud of.
Although I had studied photography in college and used it in my production work, my true passion for it didn’t fully ignite until after my daughter was born. Her newborn photo session was a turning point for me—I was so inspired by the experience that I knew I wanted to become a newborn photographer.
Determined to do it right, I spent six months immersing myself in newborn photography, taking every class I could find, hiring mentors, and mastering posing, lighting, editing, and—most importantly—newborn safety. What started as a hobby quickly turned into a career when I realized I could have more creative freedom and control over my time while doing something I loved.
Now, I have the privilege of capturing precious family moments as little ones grow. I’m so proud to have one of the largest photo studios in Central Florida, an amazing team of employees, and the incredible clients who trust us to document their most cherished memories.
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?
Running a business is incredibly rewarding, but it comes with its challenges. Nearly nine years ago, I took a huge leap of faith, leaving my “day job” to pursue my photography business full-time. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but anything truly worthwhile never is.
In January 2020, I opened my first commercial photo studio, and things were looking incredibly promising—until the COVID shutdowns hit just six weeks later. It was a tough hurdle, but my business weathered the storm. As we continued to grow, so did our needs. In 2021, I moved into a larger studio space, and by 2023, we expanded again into our current nearly 2,000-square-foot studio.
One of the biggest challenges of running a business is ensuring we have enough sessions to cover expenses, payroll, and my own salary. With a larger studio and a growing team, our overhead is high, which means staying fully booked is essential to keeping everything running smoothly.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a photographer, and my team and I capture a wide range of sessions, including maternity, newborn, cake smashes, family portraits, senior portraits, headshots, and boudoir. However, my true passion and specialty lie in newborn photography. There’s something so special about capturing those fleeting first moments—photos that families will treasure for a lifetime. I know firsthand how much my daughter’s newborn photos meant to me, which is why I pour my heart into creating these memories for my clients.
What I love most about photographing multiple genres is the variety—it keeps my work fresh, exciting, and constantly challenges my creativity. No two sessions are ever the same, and that’s what makes every shoot so rewarding.
What sets me apart from other photographers in the area is my deep expertise in maternity and newborn photography, along with my patience and skill in working with newborns and toddlers. We also have one of the largest photography studios in town, featuring over 90 backdrops, 300+ gowns for moms, and every baby prop imaginable. Beyond delivering stunning photos, we take pride in offering an unforgettable, stress-free experience that allows our clients to truly enjoy the moment.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The COVID-19 crisis taught me more than I ever could have imagined. When I opened my studio in January 2020, I never expected to have to shut it down just six weeks later and then be closed for several months. It would have been easy to fall into a victim mindset and dwell on the “Why me?” questions, but after a brief pity party, I knew I had to take action. I had poured too much time, effort, and savings into building my studio to let something out of my control take it away.
The biggest lesson I learned during that time? How to pivot. I realized that diversifying my bookings and income streams was the key to making my business resilient in any crisis. During the shutdown, I got creative—I offered “virtual newborn sessions,” coaching parents on how to use natural light to take photos at home. I then edited their images into digital backdrops, giving them something special to hold onto until we could safely do an in-person session. I also expanded into product photography and business branding shoots, finding new ways to keep my business moving forward despite the uncertainty.
Pricing:
- Our photo sessions start at $899 for full sessions and $399 for mini sessions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kossinacreative.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kossinacreative
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/kossinacreative
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandakossina/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kossinacreative
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kossina-creative-photography-orlando
- Other: https://linktr.ee/kossinacreative
Image Credits
Credit Kossina Creative Photography
