For as long as I can remember I have been obsessed with photos! I am a momma of two kiddos (plus three cats and a dog!) who are my inspiration for all things photography. We were a military family for 7 years until my husband was medically retired and we moved to the Sacramento area to put down roots! After one of the hardest years of my life (hello 2020) I decided it was time to FINALLY take the leap and do something I've always wanted to do...start my own photography business!! After 2 BUSY semesters of being a full-time student, on top of being a full-time homeschooling mom, I finished my photography certificate and Samantha Anderson Photography came to fruition! This journey has been filled with SO. MUCH. hard work, sweat and tears! (Mostly happy tears)
hi, I'm Sam
My husband and I went to high school together, but being high school sweethearts isn't part of our love story...I did notice him on the first day of sophomore year. He was new and I thought he was really cute! I joked with my friends that maybe he'd be in band and guess what!? He was! I introduced myself that day but nothing came of it. We found each other again after high school and we've spent the last 14+ years growing up together. He's one of my biggest supporters, the guy that carries and sets up my tripod, stands behind me and acts crazy to get all the smiles, updates my excel sheets, researches new things I want to purchase and reads all the instructions. He bought me my first DSLR and encourages me everyday to do what I love, even if that means taking endless family photos.
My life is crazy with 2 kids, 4 animals, homeschooling, photography and everything else that comes with being a mom! It's messy, loud, exhausting, exciting and a big adventure all wrapped into one. It's MY PERFECT CHAOS. And I wouldn't have it any other way!
LIFE IS CRAZY AND PERFECTLY CHAOTIC! I CAN'T WAIT TO HELP YOU CAPTURE YOUR PERFECT CHAOS!
Now the important stuff!
- Food! I love food! Tacos are life! I usually say chips and salsa are my favorite food, but my husband would say ice cream is my favorite food. Both are correct! And also chocolate makes everything better, always!
- Disney is my happy place! We are a BIG Disney family. I spent a lot of 2020 painting Disney murals in our loft. Rapunzel is my favorite princess! And you can find me with one of my Disney Loungefly backpacks on when out and about!
- FRIENDS! I'm a huge FRIENDS fan and am fluent in FRIENDS quotes, How you doin? I will also challenge anyone to FRIENDS trivia!
- Traveling is one of my favorite things to do! Places on my bucket list...EVERYWHERE! But seriously! Top places on my list right now are Sedona, Maui, and State Parks in California! (This homeschool mom has a 4th grader this year so we will be studying California State Parks and we are planning on doing some hands on learning!)
- Creating! Obviously I love photography, but I also love to draw and paint. I love to bake. Sugar cookies with royal icing are my thing. It's art you can eat! I'm also the queen of DIY and homemade gifts! (my enneagram 2 tendencies are showing!)
- NSYNC and all the nostalgia from my childhood! I am definitely TEAM NSYNC. I'm not saying I wouldn't go to a BSB's concert and sing all the words, I would just be wearing my NSYNC shirt while doing so!
- My Hogwarts house is Ravenclaw!
- Belly laughs are my weakness!
- Seeing someone rocking out to music in their car literally makes my day!
- I'm a sucker for songs turned into rock versions! I'll make a man out of you By Dan Vasc...go listen to it, you'll thank me later!
It just feels like I am right where I am supposed to be, doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing, and it feels good!
here are a few of my favorite things...
Amanda, SAcramento CA
“I'm telling you. Samantha is just magic! If you would have seen the chaos and crappy attitudes behind the scenes you would understand! I was prepared to have to reshoot our whole session! She's got the best eye and turns everything into beautiful memories I'll cherish for my entire life!”
"...Samantha is just magic..."
Amie, Cameron park, CA
"I must say that my experience with Sam was exceptional. With her eye for creativity, she captured the essence of that moment in time. Memories that my family will cherish for a lifetime. I look forward to inviting Sam back into our lives to document future family milestones...she truly is a gifted professional.
"... she truly is a gifted professional"
Emily, Rancho Cordova, CA
My family loved getting our portraits done with Sam. She was so engaging with my young children! Even my child who hadn't wanted to take pictures was posing for the camera. Sam was able to evoke natural poses and facial expressions. She has an eye for capturing details that made our photos seem organic and modern. We really loved our photos and used them for all kinds of photo gifts. Sam was able to get photos of us where both my husband and I felt we looked our best. My kids loved her too. I will definitely be using her services again in the future!
"Even my child who hadn't wanted to take pictures was posing for the camera."
Stephanie, Sacramento, CA
"On the day of our shoot, my son was being extremely stubborn and I was sure Samantha hadn't been able to capture any "good" pictures. She had been great at coaxing hi, (& definitely knew tricks I wouldn't have thought of), but he was difficult!! When I got the album, there wasn't a bad picture in the bunch!! She got some great photos of both of us and managed to get pics of him where he looks genuinely happy. Would definitely go to her for more family photos."
"when we got the album there wasn't a bad picture in the bunch!!"
molly, Sacramento, CA
"Sam is a gem! She is professional, warm, and does great work. She captured our wedding perfectly. It was wonderful working with her. She went above and beyond to make sure she understood what we wanted for our special day. We are so pleased with everything, we could not recommend her more as a photographer!
"We are so pleased with everything, we could not recommend her more as a photographer"
Andrew, Sacramento Ca
I cannot say enough great things about working with Samantha. She takes amazing photos and is great with kids. She was very patient with my 3 year old who was not very interested in sitting still. Her turn around time and quality of pictures is fabulous. Don’t hesitate to book your next family session with her!
"She was very patient with my 3 year old who was not very interested in sitting still."
Mara, Sacramento Ca
Samantha is professional, patient, and kind. She really personalized our experience to what my kids are interested in. You never know how the photos will come out with kids, but we love the shots she captured. I cannot believe how fast we received our photos and the quality of them is amazing! I recommend working with her.
"Samantha is professional, patient and kind."
Nicole, Sacramento CA
Sam is such a talented photographer -- both in the images she captures but in the way she makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera to bring out the best in you. She has shot my family a few times and each time I'm struck superpower to get my toddler to smile and pose for the camera. She strikes the difficult balance of planned pictures that capture candid moments and authentically represent your family. I'm so grateful for the memories she's captured for my family and I know you will be too!
"I'm so grateful for the memories she's captured for my family and I know you will be too!"
Sarah, Sacramento CA
We had a fall mini session with Samantha and she was so great! The baby was fussy but she was patient and was able to get some of the best pictures I have of him! She got our pics to us quickly and they were all gorgeous. HIGHLY recommend! We are already keeping an eye out for future mini sessions and planning a first birthday/cake smash session for early next year!
"...She was patient and was able to get some of the best pictures i have of him!"
Victoria, Sacramento CA
I couldn't be any more happy with having Sam as our photographer! I love every single one of our pictures she delivered and will cherish them forever. We have a 10 month old baby who can be a little standoff-ish with new people, but Sam was so perfect with her and knew exactly what to do to get the perfect smiles and laughs! I highly recommend her!
"...Sam was so perfect with her and knew exactly what to do to get the perfect smiles and laughs!"
Jason, Sacramento CA
Literally greatest photographer within 1000 miles of Sacramento. If we ever moved out of the country we’d fly her out just to take our seasonal pics. Sam makes you feel like family instantly and can capture any moment in any environment. Reach out and book ASAP
"If we ever moved out of the country we’d fly her out just to take our seasonal pics."
Kim, GOld River CA
Samantha is a treasure! Not only is her work beautiful, but she is kind, professional, and fun. During our family photo session she included the kids in deciding which poses to do, to make it fun and engaging. She knew all the tricks to get their attention and help them pose naturally. And don't forget the prize box she enticed them with at the end...smart! She made an effort to get to know us and what we wanted, and we never felt rushed. Our edited gallery was gorgeous with the rich colors, warm light, and candid poses, which captured my family beautifully.
"Not only is her work beautiful, but she is kind, professional, and fun."
