New photography studio coming to Cape Girardeau

Jackson resident Amber Capps first got involved with photography by taking photographs of her 6-month-old daughter. Over the next few years, her passion and skill set grew. Her new Cape Girardeau photography studio, Captured by Amber Capps, will be open for business starting Saturday, July 22.

Capps and her husband took over the spot at 125 S. Broadview St., Suite 2, on July 1, 2022. In the following weeks, they renovated the floors, added new furniture and are now finishing preparations for their grand opening.

"The spot I originally wanted, someone had already rented. I was a day late," Capps said. "But then this spot, this was a bigger space than what I was looking at in the first place, and there was room for me to have an office. I think this place ended up being even better than what I originally planned for myself."

Capps specializes in shooting family portraits, graduations, weddings and newborns. While she said she enjoys photographing a variety of subjects, her favorites are newborns.

"They don't move. They're so little. You can hold them, and they're so precious," she said.

Capps said she wants to create a good atmosphere for clients outdoors at a few select spots or inside the studio. She has numerous places for them to sit at the studio, including wicker chairs, a couch and even a tiny chair for toddlers.

"A lot of the time, people have kids, so I kind of warm up to the kids first. ... I have a little giraffe I put on my lens so the kids look at the giraffe," she said.

She also has plans to start boudoir photo sessions in the near future, sending out her first call for models this week.

Originally, Capps took pictures of just family and friends. Last fall, after taking a studio photography class, she started the Captured by Amber Capps company and began looking for a place to call her own. That was when, after changing majors several times already, she said she realized photography was what she wanted to do.

Capps focuses on two affirmations to get ready to shoot: "I am" and "What God has for me, is for me".

"I know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing," she said. "So when I go to do a shoot, I'm not nervous because I know this is my calling."

After a ribbon-cutting with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday, July 21, Capps will host an official grand opening at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. She said she will meet with prospective clients, serve light refreshments and incorporate a giveaway.

Capps may be reached at www.capturedbyambercapps.com.