Amber N. Ford's path began with a freshman photography class at Charles F. Brush High School in Lyndhurst. Recognizing photography as a passion with career potential, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) in 2016.

Following graduation, she held roles at the Cleveland Print Room and as a technical specialist and lab manager at CIA. After a brief move in 2020, she returned to Cleveland and worked in awareness building for the ThirdSpace Action Lab.

Amber had launched her freelance business, Ford Foto, part-time in 2015, but made the commitment to full-time freelance work in 2022. Her practice is self-described as "people-based," focusing on portraits and "the conversations about people, even if people aren't in the frame."

Her extensive client list includes photojournalism and editorial assignments for The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, and The Wall Street Journal. She also works with nonprofit clients such as The Cleveland Museum of Art and the Urban League of Greater Cleveland.

Last year, 11 of Amber’s images were featured in the Cleveland Foundation’s inaugural exhibition, “Complex Structures: Indelible Stories of Coming Home.” Collaborating with Shelli Reeves and Leila Khoury, the show highlighted 11 of the foundation's neighbors. Reeves notes that Amber’s work is transformative, providing a unique and reflective representation, especially of Black people and people of color, that is "in conversation with community."

Amber’s next goal is to return to school to earn her MFA, which she views as an opportunity to dedicate two years to bettering her practice and building new community relationships while continuing to expand Ford Foto. She credits Cleveland’s supportive community, friends, and family for serving as an "amazing" base for her successful photography career.

This version is approximately 50% shorter than the original, but retains all the key milestones, her artistic philosophy, and major career achievements.