2 minute read
Women in Business: Abby Photo
Abby Sands
A LIFE LIVED WITH PURPOSE AND CAPTURED THROUGH A LENS
For over 30 years, Abby Sands has been telling stories — not just with her camera, but with heart, grit, and a fiercely creative spirit. As the founder and force behind AbbyPhoto, she has built a reputation rooted in authenticity, artistry, and deep human connection. Recognized 15 times as Best Photographer in St. Tammany Parish and honored with the Key to the City of Mandeville (along with her very own Abby Sands Day), Abby’s accolades speak to her talent — but her passion has always been about something more: the magic of a single moment captured in time.
Behind every frame is a woman who has weathered life’s biggest storms — both literally and figuratively. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, newly single with three young children and facing financial devastation, Abby rebuilt not only her home but her business and sense of self. With resilience as her compass, she rose from the chaos, camera in hand, ready to write a new chapter. That comeback included her first magazine features, her images in a published book, and a flourishing business built on soul, storytelling, and trust.
As her children grew, so did her commitment — not only to her clients, but to her role as a mother. Abby balanced entrepreneurship with everyday motherhood, never missing a game, recital, or bedtime story. Through it all, she remained grounded in gratitude and driven by purpose.
Now, with an empty nest and a world of possibilities at her fingertips, Abby’s lens turns toward the horizon. A free spirit at heart, she backpacks the globe with curiosity, courage, and her signature Red Dress in tow — capturing beauty, chasing wonder, and finding new stories wherever the wind blows her.
To Abby, photography isn’t just a profession. It’s a calling — a way to witness the world, to reflect its light, to honor every chapter, every wrinkle, and every wild, beautiful moment along the way. And that’s exactly what she gives her clients — not just photos, but a Feeling. It’s a sense of being truly seen and beautifully captured in the exact season they’re in. Her calm presence and intuitive eye turn fleeting moments into lasting art, helping people feel not just documented, but celebrated.
