We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Denton recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
My interest in modeling started as young as I can remember. In my early years, I remember my mom snapping photos of me in the yard. We would print the pictures and send them out to agencies near and far. At 16 years old, I entered myself into a magazine contest to be featured in a back-to-school photoshoot and to my surprise – I won. I modeled a couple of different outfits, purses, and backpacks. The brands I wore were Aeropostale and Lucky, just to name a few. This opportunity sparked my interest and I knew I wanted to pursue modeling more at that point.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Hey, I’m Ashley but most people call me “Ash”. I’m a North Carolina girl, born and raised. I’ve been pursuing modeling for a number of years now. It’s something I have been interested in ever since I can remember. When social media platforms became available, I created my own modeling pages to post my work. I’ve built modeling portfolios on my social media accounts that I am very proud of! I can’t wait to see what each month and year will bring. It’s an industry in which you get to be creative and express yourself while also meeting new people and making new connections.
I think everyone pretty much knows what modeling is but I work with people and/or clients who want to hire me for projects, photoshoots, videos, or gigs. I work locally to NC and I’m also willing to travel.
I think what sets me apart from others in this industry is my attitude. I always try to bring positive energy to a set or shoot because I feel that sets the stage for a successful day. Energy is everything.
I’m proud of how far I’ve come in the industry itself. I know overall, modeling and acting are very competitive industries. There are many beautiful people trying to achieve the same thing. I think many folks have a dream of “making it big”. I know I do.
I just want people to know, I’m a small town girl with a heart full of dreams. I work full time but I also pursue my passion, which is modeling. It’s something I enjoy and I want to continue down this road to see where it takes me.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a model is the connections I make with people in the industry, the experience and exposure, as well as the enjoyment that comes from it all. I thoroughly enjoy the process. I’m grateful for each and every opportunity that comes my way.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I am still a work in progress myself when it comes to building a social media presence, but I would say first and foremost promote it to people you know when first starting out.
I recommend having a personal page and a separate page for your art/modeling/acting etc. Start with advertising and sharing your creative page on your personal page. From there maybe go to meet-up events, work with different people in your area, and connect with others to get yourself more exposure. Ask your friends and family to share your page too on their social pages! Eventually, you’ll start to gain more followers naturally and organically.
Also, don’t forget to give those you are working with the proper credit. I always tag and share the brands I wear, the photographer/videographer I work with, or the event I attend. It’s good to give credit where it’s due and ultimately that leads to more fans, followers, and exposure overall.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @ashbrookemodeling & @ashbrooke93
- Facebook: Ashley Brooke Modeling
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/ashley-denton-476351a1
Image Credits
Ernesto Sue https://www.ernestosue.com/ John Hooper https://www.decoroimages.com/ Danny Castro