Amanda Glass
Amanda Glass
Photographer / Designer / Digital Marketer
Miami, FL
www.amanda-lily.com
instagram @amandaalily
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“At its core, I’m a freelance creator. ”
I photograph, I write, I design and I do digital marketing.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I’ve had a camera in hand since I was 13 years old. It started off as a Kodak disposable (I like to think I was ahead of the trend), and gradually evolved into my big girl DSLR. Over the past 9 years, I’ve done freelance work for numerous brands, have been featured across various websites & social media channels and even won Pacsun’s international photography contest back in 2014 (the prize was an expense-free trip to San Francisco with 3 friends… I’ll happily talk your ear off about this one).
When I was in 3rd grade, I told my teacher that I wanted to be an author when I grew up. Though not published yet, I now hold a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My obsession with proper grammar in combination with my innate sense of (what I like to consider) grade A humor has made copywriting － specifically within the social media realm － a forté of mine.
Alongside a few courses taken in college, I’m self-taught in the realm of graphic design and continue to learn & develop new skills each day. I absolutely love all aspects of branding and am well-versed in Adobe Creative Suite.
Lastly, as a millennial, I literally speak social media. I absolutely love digital marketing, AKA leveraging brands and companies through different platforms by creating the right content and tailoring it towards the right audience. I have multiple social media internships under my belt, both in-house and in an agency setting, so anything from hashtag to influencer is right up my alley.
How do you stand out in your field?
As a 22-year-old in the creative field with vast internship & entrepreneurial experiences, I believe my young outlook and perspective makes me unique. Though creativity is surely subjective, it’s no question that the creative trends are evolving each day, and that Comic Sans & the VSCO C1 filter are well past their glory days. Each new project I take on is an opportunity to grow as a creator, and luckily, I happen to love a good challenge.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
I’m currently working on building my freelance business, which is under my not-so-alias, Amanda Lily. I want to continue offering photography, design, copywriting and digital marketing services on a more legitimate and professional level (now that I have that degree in my back pocket!). I also am diving head-first into the realm of medium format film photography (eek!), and could not be more excited about it.
Additionally, as a recent graduate, I’m looking to take on a full-time position within the creative agency space… just in case you’d like to take a friendly note. 😉
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
I think my vibe can be summarized by publications like Dazed, i-D, Paper, NYLON and Purple. I seek a ton of inspo from creative agencies & studios as well, my favorite at the moment being Something Special Studios and GrandArmy.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
Film photography & branding. I love both so much and wish I could do nothing but take photos and design for cool companies all day long.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
My biggest roadblock at the moment has to be my age. In my opinion, experience is vital within the creative field, as it’s how you ultimately grow your skill sets and build upon your talents. I oh-so eagerly want to dive head-first into the creative agency realm, but I’m finding it difficult to do so without a mindblowing portfolio to support me. Thus, I’m relying on my freelance work at the moment to help bring me closer to my career goals.
Additionally, I believe that I’m so passionate about all creative services in general, that I quite literally want to do everything all at once and of the highest caliber possible. I often get ahead of myself in terms of growing professionally (my dreams are pretty big), so I frequently need to remind myself to take each project step-by-step, day-by-day, and to try to learn one thing at a time!
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
I would have them teach me! I truly love to learn and find that I absorb information best when I’m experiencing it first-hand. Anything from learning new 35mm skills, to unique Illustrator and InDesign techniques, to vector design… anything & everything under the creative umbrella is something I’m guaranteed to be interested in.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
I would go back and tell my 13-year-old self to never be afraid of failing, whether it be creatively-speaking or not. Everything I’ve gained in life － physically and intellectually － has always been found outside of my comfort zone, and for so long I was too terrified to step out of it. Life truly begins where the comfort zone ends, so let’s work on something uncomfortable together! 👊🏼
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I would love to go on a coffee date with a top-tier fashion photographer or graphic designer (Zoey Grossman & Jessica Walsh, I’m looking at you). I sometimes find myself overwhelmed by “the process,” and think that hearing the stories of those who are successful in what they do would help me give the confidence I need to continue pursuing my passions!
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Digital and/or film photography, graphic design work (illustrations, branding, etc.), copywriting & digital marketing (think along the lines of content creation & social media management).
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
This would be much more than ideal, but I would absolutely love to be able to one day photograph for big brands that I admire, such as ZARA, Free People, Urban Outfitters or Topshop.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
Shoot me a quick email with what you'd like to accomplish & we'll get moving!
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Seek inspiration in absolutely everything!
This member profile was originally published in October 2020.