We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Allyson Blankenburg a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Allyson, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

Knowing what I know now, if I were to start at ground zero today, I would immediately invest in a business coach. I think hiring an unbiased professional who’s job is to look from the outside-in, is one of the most advantageous moves a business owner can make. They have your best interest at heart and truly want you to succeed, because when you succeed, so do they. If you have hired a truly great coach, not only will they teach you how to efficiently manage your business, but your life as well! Being a business owner has the potential to completely overwhelm a person and take over their lives if boundaries are not enforced. This is true for business boundaries and relationship boundaries. That’s where a business coach is worth their weight in gold. To call you out and lead you to the pathway that is healthy and successful.

Allyson, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have always had a passion for photography and always been creative. Creativity drives my soul and gives me a peace that I haven’t been able to find elsewhere-it’s just how my brain works. My love for photography really started to blossom in high school when I joined the yearbook team and took a photojournalism class. Developing film in a dark room was one of the coolest experiences and one that made a lasting impression on me.

I am a Houston based wedding and family photographer, although travel is a love of mine as well, so I’ll be the first one to join you on an adventure. I am a mom of 4, married to my high school sweetheart of 22 years. He is my support system and truly believes that I can make my dreams come true with this business of mine.

I tend to make friends with all of my clients, and I think that one of the reasons that is the case, is because I genuinely want to connect with them. While I am photographing you, we are talking, joking, and I am treating you as if I have known you for a lifetime-because THAT is what makes people comfortable in front of the camera. Drop all of your expectations about what you think this experience will be, and just LET it be. That is when the real magic happens and genuine moments are documented and become engrained in your brain.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

When prospective clients reach out and talk about the style of editing they want, I think it’s important to understand that photography is subjective and personal. Each artist is editing their images in a way that speaks to them. Therefore, it is important to hire a photographer that you are drawn to their work, versus asking them to edit a certain way. The same thing goes for black and white images. Typically, if I have chosen to edit something in black and white, it’s because I felt like the image called for that. Black and white is an emotional form of art, and not every single image should be in that form.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

As I spoke about earlier, finding a business coach is immeasurable in my opinion. As I was researching who the best coach for me would be, I found Kyle Goldie. He is a no nonsense, no fluff, straight to the point kind of coach. (You need a little bit of a thick skin, but you’ll get the help you need, and you’ll get it fast!) He not only teaches on the business of photography, but he also teaches on lifestyle and mindset. These extra teachings have given me a new outlook on how I live my day to day life. If you’re interested in learning more about his coach style, here is the link to his website; https://kylegoldie.com/photography-business-coach/

Contact Info:

• Website: https://allysphotographytx.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allysphotographytx/?fbclid=IwAR0gJjV-qWzZYJs8sVHJ7tbPhGt1y1dRcCRESSBxUC3R3uJ2ZVWLkQw9TOk
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allysphotography13
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/allys-photography-pearland?osq=ally%27s+photography

Image Credits
Allyson Blankenburg | Ally’s Photography Clothing: Bagdley Mishka, Golden Goose, Zara, H&M, Gap, Baltic Born, Amazon, Venues: Lakeside Country Club, The Frenchie in Roundtop, outdoor locations in Houston