We recently connected with Ajla Ahmetovic and have shared our conversation below.

Ajla, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

Last year, I let my clients know that a portion of their session will be donated to Yemen. We were able to raise $300.00 to send over to Yemen through Islamic Relief. “As the civil war in Yemen rages on, the country is teetering on the bring of a famine. Twenty million people face hunger, including nearly 2 million children who are one step from starvation” Islamic Relief.

Although my contribution might not save the world, my clients and I know that some difference was made with our contribution. I hope to continue doing this each year during the month of Ramadan to help those in need and give more value for my small business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Ajla Ahmetovic. I am a Muslim-American Refugee. My family is originally from Bosnia and I was born in the Netherlands. We came to the United States in 2000 after my parents escaped the war in Bosnia with my oldest brother.

Growing up I always tapped into my creative side. I loved drawing, painting, and photographing. I spent hours planning out the perfect photo to take of myself or my friends. I started photographing the world around me through my own lens and that eventually led me to where I am right now.

I currently have my own photography business, ajx photography. I started an instagram page in January of 2020 to share some photos I took of my friends. Soon enough, I had people reaching out to ask me if I can capture their special moments. I was and still am living a dream when it comes to photography. I love being behind the camera and capturing the raw, the love, the tears, and everything in between. Photography is a frozen moment in time that people will look back on years from now and be thankful they were able to capture something special.

I am most proud of myself for always looking for ways to grow and better myself in the field. I felt like my photography is strong on its own, but I felt the need to give back to the community using my platform and small business. I am most proud that through sessions, I was able to donate a portion of proceeds to Yemen and I wouldn’t have been able to do so if it wasn’t for my clients booking me.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

In high school I took two photography classes which allowed me to learn some of the basics when it came to cameras, film, and photography. With my knowledge from that class, I knew that I needed a nice camera to capture professional photography. I saved up for a few months during my first year of college and purchased my first real camera. This camera was the Canon Rebel T6. Along with it, I got a charger for the battery and a battery pack. This cost me about $600.00. From there I bought 1 SD card for $18.00 and started my path.

It does not cost a lot up front, but once you become more advanced with photography, you can upgrade you camera, gear, and start paying for websites and photo delivery services.

Take it one step at a time; you don’t need to have it all the day you start.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Whoever says photography is an over saturated field, is lying. Nobody’s creativity is the same as the next person. We are all unique in our own ways with how we create, photograph, edit, etc. Find yourself, your own photography style, and your own editing style first.

As for clients, the best source for inquiries and bookings has been Instagram. Instagram is a great way to show your work, connect with followers, and explore new ideas for your photography. I highly suggest being active on Instagram with posting, stories, and reels. The more exposure your page gets, the more clients will reach out.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ajxphotography.com
• Instagram: ajxphotography_

Image Credits
Credits: Ajla Ahmetovic | Photographer