Amanda Thirkill
Captured by François Mittins
What Grows in Uncertain Places
In this talk, Amanda Thirkill reflects on uncertainty, changing plans, and learning to create momentum without knowing exactly where it will lead.
Amanda became a full-time photographer in March 2020, just days before the pandemic disrupted the career she had spent years preparing for. Years later, another major shift brought her to Ottawa, where she found herself rebuilding again, this time without the clients, relationships, or creative community she had established elsewhere.
Across both moments, Amanda found herself questioning whether she had made the right choices and trying to anticipate a future she couldn't possibly predict. Instead, she began focusing on what she could create with what was directly in front of her. That approach eventually led to a portrait series celebrating women in Ottawa, a project that grew into new relationships, collaborations, and a deeper sense of belonging in the city.
She closes by reflecting on what these periods of uncertainty taught her about creative careers: you don't need to see the entire path before you start moving. Sometimes creating the conditions for something to happen, and trusting yourself to figure out what comes next, is enough.
amandathirkill.ca
@amandathirkillphoto
