The name Lumière de Soi, meaning "light of self", holds a special meaning to us. We strive to build the light in our inner selves each day and bring that pure positivity and light into the world with us and in turn, into our photography. We want each of our clients, couples, and friends to see how their inner light brightens everyone around them and how, through captured images, we can share a little of their sunshine with everyone they encounter.
Lumière de Soi was reborn from Amanda's former wedding photography work - Amanda C. Blake Photography which was established in 2013 - and from Amanda and Gailan's boudoir studio - Sûr de Soi, established in 2022.
Hi, I'm Amanda.
I grew up in the Tidewater area and have lived in Charlottesville for the last 10+ years after attending UVA. Photography became my passion during college and I honed my craft as family photographer. I started photographing weddings in 2014 and have been in love with pure love ever since! I have photographed weddings on the West Coast, East Coast and many places in between. I enjoy hiking and spend a lot of my free time creating my own cocktails and planning events for my family and friends at my home in Madison County. My dream is to someday write and photograph a book about craft drinks.
I am also proud to be the owner of a boutique boudoir photography studio alongside Gailan - Sûr de Soi Studio - since 2022. The studio has been an amazing creative outlet and way to spread empowerment and confidence to many people.
And I'm Gailan.
I grew up in Virginia Beach but found my way to Charlottesville in 2020 and now I call it home. I spend most of my time as a homebody hanging out with my cats and partner, Bret. I have always found the beauty in people and their life experiences, which is why I love being apart of the Lumiere de Soi team, as I get to capture people in their most exciting and memorable moments of their lives. When I am not photographing the amazing clients that walk through our doors, I do real estate photography and enjoy capturing my friends, family, and furry friends.
I am also so lucky to be a part of Sur De Soi, our boudoir studio where we get to see our clients confidence build in real time.
Amanda and Gailan met at their day job and have formed an amazing and cherished friendship. They bonded over their mutual love of their kitties and finding the lighthearted truth in most situations.
“I love Gailan's ability to see the little moments and appreciate them and make them beautiful. Her eye for detail is unmatched. As a friend, she possesses such an inspiring capacity for doing the right thing no matter what it costs for herself; she will stand up for anyone that is being wronged and that makes her just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. I am proud to call her my friend and to be going on this adventure with her.”
“Amanda started as my mentor and has since become my best friend. I admire her resilience and her natural ability to lead and inspire those around her. Amanda maintains a strong stance on inclusivity and equity, and she honors that with everything she does, including making it a center point of the work that we do together. I cherish everything that I have learned from Amanda, not only as a photographer, but as a woman. I am grateful to call her my friend.”
KIND WORDS
We are proud stewards of the outdoors.
What does it mean to Leave No Trace? Simply put, Leave No Trace is a set of ethics & best practices we should follow to enjoy and protect the outdoors at the same time. As photographers who enjoy taking our clients on hikes, it is important to us that we are able to educate you on preserving our natural spaces so they are here to enjoy for years to come.
