Meet Ami Mbow | Graphic Designer & Photographer

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

Hi Ami, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I currently run two of my own businesses. Captured By Ami which is my photography business, and then I have Your Favs Could Never , which is my etsy shop where I sell my apparel designs.

For my design shop, I came up with the idea after one of my favorite artists dropped an album but the merch for it sucked, so I decided to redesign it one night. When I posted it, people really loved my designs and wanted to buy them, so I decided that this was a recurring thing I would do because I constantly see artists drop merch and it sucks and on top of that the starting price is like $70. I wanted to create a brand that sold dope designs that are worth the price.

I started my photography business because I just love taking pictures and I also love fashion, and one day hope to take pictures for magazines like Vogue, Paper Magazine,etc. I am constantly thinking of new ideas to push my photography to the next level so that I can eventually reach that goal, and also own my own photo studio one day.

Etsy Shop – https://www.etsy.com/shop/YOURFAVSCOULDNEVER?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1165584808

Captured by Ami – Instagram.com/captured.by.ami

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets me a part from others is that what you get from me is different and the quality speaks for itself. I take a lot of risks as artist to ensure what you get from me no one has seen before. I also spend so much time focusing on the little details when I am editing pictures and creating my apparel designs to ensure that what I release to the world is something I am proud of. I want to inspire other artists with my work and make people feel something when they see my art. I am most excited for people to see is my new photo series that I will begin dropping in March. I am tackling every color in the rainbow and creating unique shoots for each color. I am also designing a magazine that will feature all the shoots from the photo series, which will drop before April.

It wasn’t easy getting to where I am today. One of the obstacles I faced before even deciding to pursue art was my African family. I was pushed into STEM from a very young age, and the idea of pursuing a creative career was dismissed at every chance. When it came time to choose my major for college, I took my stance and decided to major in graphic design because I have never been passionate about anything as much as I was that. Every year, I was motivated to work harder in graphic design and photography to show my family that I could be successful in a creative career.

Along that journey I have learned alot of lessons. Patience is key is one is probably the biggest lessons I have learned. Im still a new business owner and it will take time for me to achieve the success I want. I have taught myself to be patient and as long as I am consistent and work hard I will eventually reach those goals.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta is such a vibrant city and there things going on all the time. I tend to look for limited time events that are going on in the city. There is always something going on at Piedmont park, so I recommend going there during the day. I also love art so once in a while I will go to the High Museum of art. For a night out, I definitely recommend going to The Roof at Ponce City Market or Tiki Tango Hideaway Oasis. Brunch at Botica or Belle & Lily’s Caribbean Brunch House on Saturdays and Sundays are always fun. If you are looking for a cute aesthetic, I recommend going to the Garden room or the Illuminarium.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout all of my friends for buying, posting and sharing their honest opinions on every photo and design I create. There love and support is a big factor in pushing me to become a better artist, and I thank them for that.

Website: aminattambow.com / https://www.etsy.com/shop/YOURFAVSCOULDNEVER?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1165584808

Instagram: captured.by.ami / designs.byami

Twitter: @aminatta1