I am Jamie Allen, the woman behind "Impact Photography Group." I am a wife and mother to three little captivating children - Kensingten, Taylor, and Grant - a crafter, dancer and choreographer. I am now and forever focussed on photography, retouching and design. I am also the creative genius behind the online accessories boutique - Flower Bucket Boutique - which helps fuel my creativity.

This page has been created to bounce you to my work through my name when you just can not remember the name of my business that someone has repeatedly told you, (LOL)! I know it is out of the ordinary to choose a business name other than after your given and/or surnames, especially here in the Gila Valley, but this was a future proofing decision based on where "we" see ourselves in the decades to come. "We" encompasses myself and hopefully, in the future, a handful of associate photographers and talented retouchers as freelancers or staff from either around our town, or even maybe one day, across the country! We have big ambitions for the future of our company (we do not know any other way to think but BIG), and every session we have done from the first inkling of official professional work back in 2007 until today is part of the journey that will take us there.

I started this journey into photography back in college and became more interested as my children came along in 2003. I also acquired a wedding planning certificate and started designing and/or making wedding announcements, which combined with my scrapbooking and home decorating obsessions, has fostered quite a sense for design (the magazines and books I have collected on the subject is ridiculously extensive). In 2006, I purchased my first professional line camera, the Canon 40D with a 24-105 f4.0 L lens. After two more years of just practice building recognizable business assets and a starter portfolio, I started charging a nominal investment to photograph clients. Two more years went by, and I invested in a second camera, my Canon 7D, and a second lens, the Canon 85 f1.2 L II portrait lens along with a sweet new 27" iMac to see every nook and cranny of my beautiful clients' faces when retouching (thanks to wonderful customers from my online boutique)! At this point, in 2010, I started charging a starting price of only $150 to try and boost my workload and increase the variety of sessions I could take on to deepen my portfolio.

Now, in 2012, six years after purchasing my first professional camera, I finally feel like I can call myself an entry level professional competent in newborn, child, family, senior, engagement, wedding, product, and commercial photography. I have spent six years not just hanging out on the photo blogs, but really diving heavily into photoshop, purchasing and mastering information relating to my style of photography, reading books and articles from experts and mentors in the field, locating the utmost credible websites featuring camera history, craft and technical skill information, collecting higher end equipment and other helpful gadgets like monitor calibrators, LED lighting, reflectors and gray cards, a soft box lighting system, a lightscoop, several bags, straps and cleaning equipment, and a number of other items I am surely forgetting. I am grateful for an unyielding drive toward perfection because it keeps me learning, growing and always striving for something better, and it shows in your images.

We invite you to explore the many ways to keep in touch with us on this journey. You can find us on our blog, website, store, Facebook or Pinterest all linked above and hope to someday get the chance to make you an important part of our journey as a valued client. If you have questions concerning pricing on sessions not listed such as extended family sessions, special events, commercial work, product photography or working with us as freelance staff, please drop us a line as I am completely addicted to my iPhone, so I am ever ready to respond to you requests. Swing by and schedule your session today; I look forward to capturing your special moments to remember for a lifetime!

Cheers!

Jamie Allen

[photographer | retoucher | designer]

with Impact Photography Group