Amanda Capello of Phoenix on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Amanda Capello and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me starts early — I’m usually up around 6:30 getting my kids ready for school, making breakfast, and getting everyone out the door. Once they’re settled, I shift into work mode. As a photographer and small business owner, no two days are exactly alike, but I always start with checking emails, messages, and my calendar to make sure I’m clear on the day’s sessions or editing deadlines.

If it’s a studio day, I’ll prep the sets, steam dresses from my client closet, and make sure lighting and props are ready before my clients arrive. I spend the late morning and early afternoon shooting sessions — anything from maternity and newborn to family portraits — and afterward, I’ll usually edit, upload galleries, or work on client albums.

In the afternoon, I often handle business tasks like social media posts, marketing campaigns, etc. Once school’s out, I shift back into mom mode — helping with homework, driving to activities, and making dinner.

Evenings are family time, and once the kids are in bed, I usually wrap up any last edits or prep for the next day. It’s definitely a full schedule, but I love the balance of creativity, connection, and family in my daily routine.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Amanda Capello, the owner and photographer behind Acapello Photography, a luxury maternity, newborn, and family portrait studio based in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m a mom of two, and that’s a huge part of what fuels my work — I know firsthand how quickly each season of motherhood passes, and my goal is to help families preserve those moments in the most beautiful, timeless way possible.

What makes my brand unique is the experience I create for each client — from wardrobe styling and guided posing to designing custom heirloom artwork for their homes, every detail is intentionally crafted to make moms feel seen, celebrated, and at ease.

Right now, I’m expanding my Baby Club — a milestone membership that captures a baby’s entire first year — and continuing to design new, editorial-style sets for maternity sessions that feel high-end yet deeply personal.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One of the biggest moments that shaped how I see the world was my pregnancy with my daughter. I had complications that made things really uncertain for a while, and it completely changed my perspective on life. It was my first time becoming a mom, and suddenly everything I thought was important — work, routines, plans — faded into the background.

Going through that experience made me realize how fragile and precious life truly is. It taught me to slow down, to be present, and to hold tight to the people I love most. That season gave me a whole new appreciation for motherhood and family — and it’s a huge part of why I do what I do now. Every time I photograph a mom with her baby, I’m reminded of how meaningful those moments are and how deeply they deserve to be celebrated and remembered.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell my younger self to stop trying to rush through life and to trust the process. Every season — even the hard, messy, uncertain ones — is shaping you into who you’re meant to be. You don’t have to have it all figured out, and you don’t have to do it all perfectly.

Slow down, breathe, and enjoy the little moments — because one day, you’ll look back and realize those were actually the big ones.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies the photography industry tells itself is that success only comes from doing more — more clients, more sessions, more hustle. There’s this constant pressure to chase volume instead of value, and it’s easy to lose sight of why we started in the first place.

The truth is, the magic happens when you slow down, serve your clients deeply, and create an experience that actually means something. Another lie is that “anyone can do it” if they just pick up a camera — but what really sets a photographer apart isn’t the gear or the presets, it’s the ability to make people feel something and preserve a moment that will outlive all of us. That’s the real art of it.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I truly believe I’m doing what I was born to do. For a long time, I thought I was following the path I was supposed to — I went to college, became a high school math teacher, even earned my master’s in administration. I loved teaching, but when I had my daughter, everything shifted. It was like my entire perspective on life and purpose changed overnight.

Becoming a mom opened my eyes to how fleeting time is and how deeply meaningful it is to capture it. I picked up a camera with the intention of documenting her story, and somewhere along the way, I realized this was exactly what I was meant to do. Looking back, I can see so clearly that God had a plan all along — one that blended my love for people, storytelling, and family in a way I never could have imagined. Being a photographer isn’t just my career — it’s my calling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.acapellophotography.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/acapello_photography