We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Joyce. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.

Ashley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I went to school to pursue an art degree with a focus in photography and as I was completing my degree, several friends started asking me to photograph their engagements and weddings. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to pursue wedding photography as I initially wanted to focus on fashion photography. However, as I was introduced to the wedding photography industry, I instantly fell in love. The immense passion, excitement, and significance surrounding one’s wedding day was enough to pull me in and encourage more time to dedicate to photographing weddings, engagements, and elopements. Now, nearly 13 years later, I’m still extremely passionate about my wedding photography pursuits.

Ashley, 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?

My name is Ashley Joyce and I own and run Ashley Joyce Photography. I have been in business since 2013 and I specialize in weddings, elopements, and couples sessions. While I mainly focus my work in Colorado and New Mexico, I love to travel all over the country and internationally for couples who are looking for an artistic, authentic, and romantic photography experience.

I got into wedding photography mainly by accident; I was in school for art and photography when a couple of established photographers asked me to second shoot for them. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to photograph weddings because I was hoping to establish myself as a fashion photographer instead. As I learned more about the wedding photography industry and experienced photographing a few weddings, I fell in love with being a wedding photographer. I fell in love with the beauty, the intimacy, the uniqueness, and the importance of wedding days. I fell in love with being a part of a couple’s most special day, an honor I didn’t, and still don’t, take lightly. I fell in love with it all and still love every second of it.

While I learned about conceptual art and documentary photography in college, I learned to apply those teachings to my wedding photography work, providing clients with a unique and artistic approach to wedding photography. Now, 11 years later, I apply those same skills I’ve developed over the last decade to the work I provide to my couples, giving them a wedding photography experience that leaves them feeling cared for, understood, and appreciated.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is connecting with others who not only understand my work, but also feel strongly connected to it.

Being an artist can feel isolating and lonely at times. Our art comes from our heart, our souls, our minds and these areas of artistic inspiration can make us feel lonely if we don’t find someone else who understands us or our art. The benefit of being a wedding photographer, though, is that my art comes from a couple’s wedding day; there’s joy, beauty, and undeniable love from which to draw inspiration. The work that’s then produced is a combination of my artistic approach and a couple’s story; it’s understandable and relatable and (hopefully) inspiring on its own.

When I have potential clients, friends, and colleagues tell me that my work makes them feel something, that my photos feel “real” and like they can “feel the emotion in the picture,” it’s a testament to the fact that my art is being understood and that people are feeling connected to it.

And I cannot ask for anything more than that.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

It’s not something that I wasn’t aware of early in my creative journey but it was something that I wish I had studied more during those early years; business and marketing.

Business techniques and approaches with the help of expert marketing would have been incredibly helpful to learn about and implement into my business in those early years. If only I had a time machine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ashleyjoycephotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyjoycephotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshleyJoycePhotography/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/ashley_joyce_photography/

Image Credits
@ashleyjoycephotography