We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley McLaurin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.
Alright, Ashley thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
As a Photographer my main goal and mission is to capture memories that will last a lifetime. This is so meaningful to me because time does not stop! There are endless fleeting moments. Through my own lens I’m able to stop time and preserve those memories for my clients. It’s like a visual legacy they can carry on forever. One photo can allow someone to relive that moment and to me I find that very special.
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 and I’m a Photographer based in Southern California! I don’t like to limit myself to a specific niche because I love shooting all types of things! However, the main types of things I often shoot are events, portraits, and products. Anything from cooperate events, and baby showers all the way to personal branding or product photography. I love to make my clients feel comfortable in front of the camera and offer posing advice. Other times I let the client do whatever feels natural and authentic in the moment and those types of photos usually turn out amazing! That goes right in line with my style of photography- natural and authentic. I love capturing emotions and smiles.
Before photography, I was actually in the Film and Television Industry. I graduated with a degree in Broadcasting and Cinema and went on to do directing, producing, cinematography, video and audio editing, social media management and more. While I did love doing all of that I always found myself drawn to photography. I loved the idea of getting to just capture a still image as opposed to cinematography. I felt a deeper connection in capturing a single, powerful moment than a whole storyline such as in movies. I finally realized the photographic ability to freeze time resonated within me more. That’s when I decided to make the switch. Changing from the moving image to still was difficult at first but I wouldn’t change one thing about it. I’m most proud that all my clients, past, present, and future trust me to capture their special moments.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding part of being a Photographer is getting those photos text messages from clients saying they absolutely loved how their session came out. Seeing them happy and satisfied with my work gives me the ultimate joy.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
What helped me build my reputation as a Photographer was to be professional but also fun! Having that photo session is a fun experience and we both should enjoy ourselves! Building a relationship and being authentic with them to where they feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable and show me emotions while being photographed is my goal. I always want to be known as that photographer that makes everyone feel comfortable! I always want my clients to know they can trust me. Having a website, fast and high-quality turnaround times, invoices, contracts and more all contributed to helping build my reputation as a reliable and professional photographer.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Headshot Photo Credit: Brenda Bravo