Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ari Ivers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ari, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Nearly every project I work on is meaningful for one reason or another. I’ve captured a trans woman coming into her own, aided families in freezing their kids childhood happiness, and helped strong men capture personal struggles with mental health. That being said, there is one that was very personally meaningful above all others. This project was to celebrate my best friend’s 1-year sober celebration. Her name is Lora, and we have been best friends since childhood. She struggled with alcohol abuse for nearly a decade before a series of bad decisions, personal loss, the Covid lockdown, and then the final straw. Finally, she decided to go to rehab. She survived rehab, and has been beating the alcohol demon ever since!
Let me set the scene: myself, Lora, and my tiny assistant (daughter) met at a park with people walking everywhere, but we still felt like we were in a private space. We were waiting for the perfect sunset as well as battling the too bright sun to make sure her fair skin and red hair weren’t drowned out, or she got sunburn despite it being February. We picked out the perfect green dress to compliment her skin tone and hair, and put a crown on her head.
She is a goddess! This celebration was to show that she had fallen down, but was picking herself up and straightening her crown. The session was amazing and so much fun, but my favorite part was being able to celebrate and capture Lora’s strength and courage. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
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?
I grew up in a small town in North GA that has one flashing red light, and you’d miss it driving through if you blinked. We had what I can only describe as a mini-farm with chickens, goats, and rescuing feral cats/kittens. I ran the woods and creeks all months of the year with friends, and was generally pretty feral myself. Some things don’t change!
High school was when I really dove into photography. First with a little point and shoot my friends and I used constantly to document our lives. Thank goodness social media didn’t exist back then! Next was my exposure to concerts. Music has always had my heart, but something about live concerts brought me to the art of photography. I typically photographed local metal/emo shows at a little venue called Swayze’s in Kennesaw or the O4W Masquerade in Atlanta. Once I felt what I was able to capture in my images, I was hooked. After graduation I attended Reinhardt University to pursue my Bachelor in Fine Arts degree with a concentration in Digital Arts. Let’s just say that photography is definitely where I belong despite my wonderful professors’ instruction through all types of fine arts over a 4 year period.
Throughout the years I have photographed professionally for big box store companies in both senior portraits as well as sports, freelanced at concerts (which is where I started), and strayed into family photography. When I finally found my place in the art world it came down to capturing creative portraits for people.
What sets me apart is my commitment to inclusivity and realism. I strive to be the least “white picket fence” photographer you’ll find, embracing the messiness and complexity of life. My goal is to capture moments as they are, celebrating the beauty in every facet of our experiences. I’m most proud of the way my portraits resonate with clients, reflecting their true selves in a meaningful and artistic way.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
During my stent photographing high school seniors for a big box story photography company, I was taught “how” to photograph people. The proper poses, the proper lighting, the proper white balance, etc. While this studio training was immensely helpful to me, it also stuck me in a box where I felt trapped. That style of photography just isn’t what drives me, so I burned out.
Unlearning this lesson, and breaking away from the box saved me. Art is a 3 letter word for breaking rules! We have seen it over and over again amongst the worlds most famous artists, so why should I follow the rules? I allowed myself to be creative again and my photography changed. Then it changed again and again and again until I found my niche.
Creatives need to remember to not hold back. Don’t worry about doing it “right”. Just create.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The creating the art itself is pretty rewarding, but the final reveal is what really get’s me going. Seeing a client’s response after delivering a gallery, or posting a project and seeing the reactions of my audience warms my heart. My style and art may not be for everyone and that’s ok. Those that do appreciate it the way I do really warms my heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.madwomanstudios.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mad.woman.studios/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mad.woman.studios/