About My Art

I believe in the beauty of simplicity.  Years from now, it's not the trendy props or elaborate set-ups that you'll want to remember.  It's the love.

I want to preserve these memories for you in heartfelt and authentic portraits, in images that speak of love and joy and connection.

My images are a mixture of posed and unposed, but are never stiff or over-posed.  I capture portraits that look and feel relaxed by offering plenty of direction when it's needed, and sensing when the time is right to pull back and capture natural moments as they are happening.  Most importantly, I make it a priority to help you and your loved ones feel comfortable in front of the camera.

My style is natural and timeless, allowing the real moments, tender emotions, and deep connections to resonate in the imagery I create for your artwork.

. . .

About Sandy

I'm a country girl married to a city boy,

Mom to one amazing girl and one trusty little weiner dog named Piper. Oh, there's also a sleepy tortoise, a sassy betta fish, a blind cory dora, and a few laid back snails...we have a lot of pets, and we love our pets like family.

I'm easy going and down to earth, with a goofy sense of humor

I love random movie quotes, the more ridiculous the better!

I believe that kindness matters

I believe in trying new things and taking some risks, even if we fail
because life is too short to wonder what might have been.

It’s this kind of thinking that prompted me quit my job and
follow my dream of being a photographer.

I strive to capture the inner light I see in each person. 

I chose the Red Lotus name because it is
a symbol of love, compassion, hope,
and the infinite potential within each one of us.
I infuse these ideals into my work
and the way I care for my clients.

Ready to capture some amazing memories with me?

Oh, you're still reading?  I tried to keep things short, but you must want to know more.  Well, ok!  (You can't see me right now, but I have a big smile on my face.)

What else can I share to help you know a little more about who I am?  Hmm...I know!  Many people ask me why I chose the name Red Lotus.  I'll tell you, but warning: it's about to get all philosophical in here!

A name that means something

I knew a long time ago that I wanted to pick a creative name for my business rather than just using my given name as some photographers do. I don't know, for some reason the sound of "Sandy Yetter Photography" just didn't have the ring to it that I was looking for.  I wanted something special, a name that not only stood out, but stood for something.

Have you ever seen the movie "Where the Heart Is"? It's an old one, but I still love it; starring Natalie Portman, Stockard Channing, and Naomi Judd, it's a really sweet and poignant film. A young and very pregnant girl is abandoned by the father of the child while she is shopping at a Wal-Mart. With no home to go to and no money, she somehow manages to survive by living at the Wal-Mart after closing hours until her baby is born, keeping track of everything she has used so that she can pay them back someday. To make a long story short, she is taken in and befriended by some kind people and is able to make a good life for herself and her child, with many ups and downs in between that make you laugh and cry.

Anyway, there is this one scene where she meets the store photographer, Moses Whitecotton, who later inspires her to pursue a career in photography. He asks her what she is going to name her baby, and she says something like, "I don't know, I was thinking maybe Wendi with an 'i'."

"Don't you dare," he says to her very seriously. "No, you want to give that baby a strong, sturdy name. A name that means something."

I really liked that scene...Now, she went on to name her daughter Americus, which I'm not sure I'm fond of, but that's not the point. If you take his message with you, then you'll understand why Moses' words were so eloquent.

So I thought about it for quite a while, wanting to find something that had a special meaning to it.

I've always thought that the lotus was an elegant and beautiful flower; when I did some research, I discovered that the lotus has a special significance in the world of botanical lore, if you will, and that different colored lotuses symbolize different things.

Lotus flowers are amazing when you think about it.  Starting as a small plant down at the bottom of a pond in the mud and muck, it slowly grows up, continually moving towards the light. Rising through the murky water and reaching the surface, the lotus finally blossoms into a beautiful, pure flower, a symbol of strength through adversity.  Throughout it all, the blossom is supported by the stalk.  Easy to bend, but hard to break because of its many strong fibers, it's a poetic representation of the close, unbreakable bond between the members of a family.

Lotus flowers are a symbol of all that is true, good and beautiful.  They come in a variety of colors, and each one has a special meaning. The red lotus is the lotus of love, compassion, and all the qualities of the heart.

And there you have it, the name of my photography business, Red Lotus. A name that represents something strong and beautiful. A name that symbolizes love, compassion, and heart.  A name that means something.