Amy Martz, 32

It was Amy Martz’s dream to buy a nice camera and to learn how to take beautiful photos. What she didn’t expect was to be laid off from her job in advertising sales for the St. Pete Times just two weeks after making her big purchase.

Martz decided to teach herself photography, hoping she could possibly make a living taking pictures of events, weddings and babies. Instead, she found her niche in taking pictures of steel, wood and bulldozers. Her first big gig was taking photos of the construction of Oxford Exchange in Tampa.