Amanda’s Nugget: “Don’t air out your dirty laundry”

Amanda Segur

Amanda Segur’s Irish mum is her hero. We understand why: she’s fearless, practical and loving. Needless to say, the results of her rearing speak for themselves: a daughter, who believes in doing good for good’s sake, never airing out your dirty laundry, and putting on a brave face (even when she’s shaking in her boots).

Amanda sent us this photo and wrote in the subject-line “This photo sums me up.” Amanda’s mum did more than sacrifice her blanket to protect her daughter from the cold, she built her a paradise.

Amanda Segur is Brooklyn-bred, Lower East Side-raised. She is photographer. Here’s some of her work. 

1. Who is your hero and why?

People may expect me to say someone like Cindy Sherman (who i do admire immensely) but no, its my Mama. I come from a tight knit Irish family full of powerful women . My mom was a young, vibrant 24 when she had me. When my father wasn’t exactly holding up his end of the bargain, she made a decision much wiser than her age; leave him and raise me on her own.

My mother is the foundation of my whole existence. When I was a curiously weird little child, I used to ask my mom the same question all the time; “”If we were stuck in a blizzard and we only had one blanket, what would you do?”” Her answer was always the same “”Give it to you, of course.”” I can’t explain why I felt the need to ask this. Maybe because I knew my dad would take the blanket and sell it. But because of her, I never felt a sense of loss. She made sure family and love were the most important aspects of my life. I hope i can be half the woman she’s become.

2. What was your dream job when you were a child?

 I was hell bent on being an archaeologist. I credit this to my Grandmother’s insane obsession with anything Egyptian. Paintings on papayrus, books, Pharaoh busts, jewelry, clothing, all types of tchotchkes, surrounded me from birth. Combine that with monthly trips to the Brooklyn Museum and, voila, a 5 year old explaining the curse of Tutankhamun.
I’m still pretty obsessed and I credit this, more than anything else, to my passion for travel photography. I don’t want to just take pretty pictures. I want to touch, taste, smell, experience everything I can and hopefully, evoke that feeling and passion through my shots.

3. What do you wish you’d known 10 / 20 / 30 years ago?

10 years ago, I was 16 and trying so damn hard. Trying to fit in and trying to be different all at once. I spent way too much time growing up trying to find my “category” when in reality, I didnt fit into one. I’ve learned to make my own.

4. Is there any motto you follow? What’s something that you think always holds true?

There are two that seem to hold true for me:

1 – Everything that you put out into this Universe, can and will come to fruition. Good and bad, so keep it positive.
2 – Fake it ’till you make it! ”

5. What’s something your parents told you that turned out to be right? 

My mom always said “Don’t air out your dirty laundry”. Family business is for family. People will always talk, they don’t need anymore ammo.