Amanda Billing Photography

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Amanda Billing Photography Portraits for people who hate portraits.

Okay so let me just say this: if you want to be actively creative, if you want to reconnect with an artistic interest yo...
18/07/2026

Okay so let me just say this: if you want to be actively creative, if you want to reconnect with an artistic interest you abandoned long ago, you must try a 100 day project.

The Portraits with Amanda Billing account exists because of , the tag I used for the 100 day project I did back in 2016.

The project’s intention was to capture emotional connection. Some days I sat down with people and we talked while I photographed. Other days I took my camera on set or to dance and music events.

Ten years on, portrait photography is now my bread and butter but, at its heart, it’s driven by the same thing it always was: friendship and communion.

To see my portraits of SARA WISEMAN here and “in the cover” of the online Sunday Magazine is PROOF.

Proof that 100 day projects can change lives.
Proof that photography has power.
Proof that the Arts are life.
Proof that you can, in fact, use a camera to capture the spirit.

In a lovely constellation of creativity, it turns out that the article is written by Felicity Monk and Sas’ hair and makeup was done by Alison Brewer - Hair, Makeup & Wardrobe.. ALL FOUR OF US did this year.

I will be facilitating another Creative Camino over 100 days next year. If you’re curious, subscribe via my mailing list link (see my bio).

Sunday Best, indeed. Love you Sas.

xAB

I reckon it’s important to have personal projects if your job is creative. Selfies aren’t mine but I’ve done three shoot...
12/07/2025

I reckon it’s important to have personal projects if your job is creative.

Selfies aren’t mine but I’ve done three shoots this week where the emphasis has been on a low-prep, free-form, open-hearted session.

So after today’s headshot session I thought I’d better walk the talk.

I’m also doing a self-paced course which is helping me dig back down to the roots of my portrait practice:

- on the fly
- connected
- monochrome
- humane.

For now, the shoots are a personal project but that’s just until I’ve got the structure and flow of the session sorted.

Then they’ll be a gift you can give yourself (or suggest someone get for you because you’re a precious gem and life’s too short 😘).

Working title is EMBODIED.
Sub-title? RAW AF.

It’s what happens when portraiture collides with bo***ir, photo journalism and personal growth, on the way to the dark room.


🖤 first lookFrom a session with yesterday, centred on straight up realness shaken not stirred with a heavy dose of play...
21/05/2025

🖤 first look

From a session with yesterday, centred on straight up realness shaken not stirred with a heavy dose of play.

Shooting monochrome is THE most satisfying mode for me.

It’s how my photography journey started. Shoots like the one with Sara yesterday take me right back to my earliest motivations for picking up a camera.

It’s about humanity.
It’s about connection.
It’s about story, in a deep sense.
The story of a person’s unique life.

This chapter in Sara’s is a pleasure to witness.






xAB

✍🏼 t o n i g h tRHYME & SONG with , this eve.Reading poems from his new book and playing songs from his ridiculously ex...
20/11/2024

✍🏼 t o n i g h t
RHYME & SONG with , this eve.
Reading poems from his new book and playing songs from his ridiculously extensive back catalogue.
Venue: Workshop 26
26 Donovan Street, Blockhouse Bay
Doors: 7pm
Starts: 7:30pm
Tix: link in bio or $20 on the door.




xAB

“Portraiture is an experience, one that can help you grow in courage, confidence, and self respect.” I’ve just rewritten...
19/11/2024

“Portraiture is an experience, one that can help you grow in courage, confidence, and self respect.”

I’ve just rewritten my home page and FINALLY put my offers into words over the last week. The link is in my bio (just a scroll and a tap away) but I tell you what:

Shout out to anyone who manages their own website or writes the copy for it (with no help from a large language model).

Grinding away, writing and re-writing website copy over the last fortnight has meant that every now and then I’ve come up with something really good. I struck one of the veins of the gold that’s inside my (business) practice.

In every portrait session over the last two years I’ve paid close attention to what goes on and to what those women have said, not so I can get all sales-y on my website (or even here on IG because every second person is selling their social a$$ off amirite).

I’ve paid close attention because taking pics may be my j.o.b. but I don’t see myself just as some kind of service provider. It’s more than that. (Trust an artist to need to turn her work into something essential to living lol.)

Anyway, that first line up there 👆 is something I put at the top of my homepage today. I’ve experimented with other ones but when I cut and pasted it…then read it…then scrolled through the portraits which follow…I felt a little pang of emotion, actually.

The kind that means “Yes, I love that.”

This isn’t spin. I’ve witnessed quiet transformations enough times now and read enough OMG THANK YOU emails to know I’m on to something. And every single time I find the words to describe the process, my work gets clearer in its quality and purpose.

Portraiture is an experience, one that can help you grow in courage, confidence, and self respect.

They’re .
Curious? Have a squizz via the link in my biooooo.

xAB

PS: Shout out to all the beauties in these images.
PPS: Kisses also to any sole traders out there doing the most (I will see some of you at the The Auckland Executive Club this eve).

xAB

💛 S O M MQuick afternoon shoot for on a Sunday afternoon, capturing the new cohort of meditation teacher trainees for 2...
17/11/2024

💛 S O M M
Quick afternoon shoot for on a Sunday afternoon, capturing the new cohort of meditation teacher trainees for 2024-25 and their mentors.




xAB

💓 CAROLYNIn the studio this past Wednesday with this stunner. I’m about to dive into edits of ’s session and can’t resis...
14/11/2024

💓 CAROLYN
In the studio this past Wednesday with this stunner.
I’m about to dive into edits of ’s session and can’t resist sharing these outtakes.
joined us for a full morning session, half HMU/half shoot, full care, consideration and collaboration.
Carolyn brought her creativity and intentions to the shoot and the results are gorgeous as well as wide-ranging. I think her portfolio is going to take her places in 2025. I’m proud of the three of us and don’t envy Carolyn’s task of choosing the best ones. Soz not soz, lady 💋💋💋.
And I’m taking a little break to do some painting next week so this was a brilliant way to close three weeks of back to back professional sessions will brilliant midlife women doing cool s**t in the world.


xAB

❤️‍🔥 S A MI’ve been back in the studio taking pics instead of painting pics and OMG the edit stage has been so much fun....
09/11/2024

❤️‍🔥 S A M
I’ve been back in the studio taking pics instead of painting pics and OMG the edit stage has been so much fun.
I always give clients any “outtakes” that I don’t think will fit their headshot brief but that I think they’d love to have just because. We don’t often see ourselves looking like this but our friends and loved ones do.
And the thing is, outtakes often illustrate what it’s like to come to the studio and have your photo taken: it’s a joyful time! A time to loosen up and lighten up and let go.
This is us!



xAB

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