Meet Amani Sodiq | Photographer and Videographer of Incendi Media

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amani Sodiq and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amani, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I would not be where I am today without the strong community of friends, family, peers, and mentors around me. My community has given me access to a never-ending support system and a wealth of knowledge. The support I receive from my community gives me the courage and guidance to continue to grow not only as a photographer/videographer but also as a person. I’m a better and stronger person and creative thanks to my community.

Surrounding yourself with a strong support system and people who have experience in whatever it is you want to accomplish is an integral part of being successful. Build a community, and you will find it much easier to attain your goals, I promise.

I’m so grateful for all the amazing people in my life who continue to cheer me on and support me. As time goes on, I hope to be a part of other people’s communities and provide them with the same support that I have gotten from my community.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In 2016, my uncle gave me a small polaroid camera as a gift. He knew I had an interest in film and photography and thought it would be the perfect way for me to pick up a hobby. I immediately fell in love with the camera and took it with me everywhere. I took photos of everything that I thought was interesting, including plants, animals, and buildings.

While in college in 2017, my dad gifted me with another camera, a Canon Rebel T6i. I was ecstatic as it felt like I was reaching the next level in my photography. I wanted to expand my horizons with my photography, so I started taking photos of people. I would walk up to random people and ask if they would model for me (almost everyone said yes for some reason). Once I felt comfortable photographing people, I decided I wanted to try my hand at taking senior portraits. Whenever I was at club events, I would talk about my photography to get people to recognize me as “the girl with a camera,” and it worked. People reached out to me to take their senior portraits and they loved the final shots. The positive feedback I got from my friends and peers was just the push I needed to start my photography business, Incendi Media.

When my business first started out, I said yes to every opportunity I could get. I took senior portraits, headshots, engagements, events, lifestyle, and weddings – basically, I said yes to every opportunity I could get. While working in different niches and with a variety of people, I learned how to use my camera to get the best shots in any situation, and how to make any person feel confident in front of a camera.

Now, 6 years after I started my business, I’ve narrowed down my niches to what I enjoy the most – branding photography, senior portraits and headshots. These are the niches that I have so much fun with and that fill my heart with joy. I get to do what I love for a living, and I feel so lucky to have that privilege. Over the last 6 years, I have grown quite a lot as a photographer and a business owner thanks to my mentors, my support system and the amazing creative community that thrives in Dallas. My camera has given me opportunities that I never thought were possible and has allowed me to connect with some of the most inspiring individuals. I’m excited to see how my business and I continue to grow over the next couple of years, and I’m looking forward to sharing my journey with others to let them know that they can do it as well.”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spots in the city are White Rock Lake, Bishop Arts District and Oak Lawn. If you’re looking to enjoy being outside and have a long walk, White Rock Lake is definitely the place to be. It’s HUGE, so there’s so much to explore and discover about the lake. If you’re looking for places that are vibrant and active with people, the Bishop Arts District and Oak Lawn are some of the best spots in town. There are a million restaurants to try out and unique shops/stores to check out.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Within less than a year of going full-time as an entrepreneur and freelancer, I have met some of the most amazing people. In July 2022, thanks to the recommendation of a wonderful photographer, I found out about a Photo Assistant mentorship program started by Sister Brother MGMT, a Dallas-based agency representing photographers and directors. In this program, I had the chance to learn from some of the most accomplished photographers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Working closely with these photographers, I have observed so much about the commercial photography industry in Dallas and learned about what it takes to make a name for yourself in the industry. Thanks to all the knowledge I have gained and continue to learn from my mentors, I am on a much more concrete path towards finding my place in the photography industry. These photographers started out as my mentors, but today, I’m proud to call them friends, and I couldn’t be happier

Website: www.amanisodiq.com and www.incendiphotography.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/queen_incendi

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amani-s-b69337180/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/queen_incendi

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/incendimeidallc

Image Credits
Image credit: Monika Normand Creative LLC