We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Norton recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a photographer, but in many ways, it feels like photography found me right when I needed it most.

Back in 2017, my life was full in other ways. I was working in the nonprofit world as a grant writer, helping organizations tell their stories and connect with their communities. It was meaningful work, but I found myself craving a creative outlet that was more personal and hands-on. Photography started as a side interest, something I picked up simply because it felt life-giving.

I began taking photos of friends and family, just for fun at first. But the more I photographed, the more I realized how much I loved it. I wasn’t just taking pictures. I was noticing the quiet moments between people, the soft light at the end of the day, the unspoken connection in a glance or a laugh. That kind of storytelling felt familiar and grounding. It reminded me of the narrative work I had done through writing, only now I was telling stories with images.

For a while, photography stayed in the background while I continued my nonprofit career. But everything shifted in March 2020. I was unexpectedly laid off at the start of the pandemic, and like so many others, I found myself at a crossroads. That moment of uncertainty pushed me to ask what I really wanted to build. I made the decision to invest in myself. I enrolled in a few online photography courses and treated the sudden pause as a turning point.

From that moment on, I began the slow and steady process of turning an idea into a real, functioning business. There was so much I didn’t know at first. I had to figure out what kind of photography I wanted to offer and who I truly wanted to serve. I learned how to build a brand that reflected not just my style, but my values and voice. I created my first website from scratch, wrote all the copy myself, and started building a portfolio that would attract the right clients.

There were practical, behind-the-scenes steps that had to happen too. I registered my business name, applied for a business license, set up a bank account, and got insured. I researched how to legally protect my work and drafted contracts that felt professional but still human. I looked into what kind of client experience I wanted to offer and set up systems to manage everything from bookings to invoices.

Pricing was a huge learning curve. I had to work through mindset blocks around charging for my time and skill, and do the math to figure out what was actually sustainable. I learned how to calculate my cost of doing business, how to communicate my value, and how to price in a way that honored both my clients and myself.

I also had to figure out how to be visible. I started showing up on social media more consistently, sharing not just my work but my perspective. I refined my editing style, created a clear booking process, and worked to make every step, from inquiry to final delivery, feel intentional and personal.

Launching a photography business wasn’t just about the art. It was about building infrastructure that would allow me to thrive creatively while also running a sustainable business. Every system, every decision, and every lesson helped me move from idea to execution. It was a series of thoughtful, sometimes scrappy steps. And over time, I went from someone who picked up a camera out of curiosity to someone who built a business rooted in meaning, connection, and purpose.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Ashley, a wedding and family photographer based in Fresno, California. Photography is not just about capturing moments, but about building lifelong relationships. I’m a lifelong photographer in every sense. I’m not just there for one big event or one quick milestone. I’m there to walk with people through every chapter—engagement and wedding, maternity and newborn, growing families, and the quiet beauty of everyday life.

This long-term, relational approach is what drives everything I do. My work is centered around storytelling, and I see my role as more than just delivering beautiful images. I’m there to witness and honor the lives my clients are living. Many of the people I photograph invite me back year after year. I’ve photographed couples as they became parents, and then welcomed me into their homes again as their babies turned into toddlers. That kind of trust is sacred to me, and it’s what I’m most proud of.

My path into photography wasn’t traditional. I started out as a grant writer in the nonprofit world, helping organizations share their impact. That work taught me the value of meaningful stories, clear communication, and community care. In 2017, I picked up a camera for the first time, and photography quickly became my creative outlet. In March 2020, when I was unexpectedly laid off at the start of the pandemic, I saw it as an invitation to invest in this new passion. I took online courses, practiced constantly, and laid the foundation for what is now my full-time business.

Today, I offer a range of services that reflect this long-term, relationship-based model. I photograph intimate weddings and elopements, lifestyle maternity and newborn sessions, family storytelling sessions, and branding portraits for creatives. What ties all of it together is a desire to serve people not just for one day, but across time.

My sessions are relaxed and personal. I guide clients gently, but I always leave space for genuine emotion and natural interaction. I want people to feel like themselves, not like a performance. My editing style is soft, bright, and true to life. I want your photos to feel timeless in ten years, not trendy for a moment.

What sets my brand apart is the intentional care I bring to every part of the experience. From the first email to final gallery delivery, I focus on creating a seamless, supportive process. My goal is to make everyone feel seen, valued, and safe in front of the camera.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Early in my business, I had an experience that shook me to my core and forced me to completely reevaluate how I approached photography. Not just as an art, but as a business and a service.

I had been told I was photographing a Sweet 16 birthday party. I expected a celebration with decorations and a group of people, but when I arrived, it was two teenage girls in a small room with a DIY balloon arch. The space was far too tight to frame the backdrop in the way they imagined, but I didn’t know how to tell them that. I also hadn’t sent a prep guide, so they showed up in short, tight dresses that they didn’t feel confident in. It was clear they didn’t feel good in front of the camera, and I didn’t yet have the tools or experience to ease that tension.

Still, I did my best. I adjusted angles, tried to make them laugh, and stayed focused on connection. At one point, their little brother came into the room and reached for their hands. It was quiet and spontaneous, and I snapped a close-up of their hands joined together. That moment, to me, held real beauty.

When I delivered the gallery, I received a five-minute voice message from the girls. They went image by image, pointing out everything they didn’t like. When they got to the photo of their hands, they said, “What even is this? What’s the point of this picture?” They didn’t see the tenderness I had tried to preserve. They didn’t see the connection. I shut my laptop, put my camera in a closet, and didn’t touch it for three days. It was the first negative feedback I had ever received, and to this day, it remains the most cutting.

With time and reflection, I realized the biggest mistakes weren’t at the session itself. They happened beforehand. I hadn’t prepared my clients well, I hadn’t communicated clearly or set expectations, and I was marketing to the wrong people.

Those girls weren’t my market. They wanted polished, posed, heavily edited images. I was drawn to emotion, movement, and meaning. I needed to be working with clients who valued that too—people who would see a quiet photo of a little brother holding his sister’s hands and feel something. People who wanted storytelling over perfection.

That session was painful, but it was a pivot point. It led me to create prep guides, strengthen my client communication, and start marketing more intentionally to the people I was meant to serve. It taught me to trust my style, my voice, and the type of experience I wanted to create.

It’s easy to believe that every unhappy client means you’ve failed, but sometimes, it’s just a sign that you haven’t found your people yet. And when you do, everything changes.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

At the heart of my creative journey is a desire to grow in real, lasting relationship with my clients while also creating a life that allows me to be present for my own family.

I see photography not as a one-time transaction, but as a long-term connection. I love getting to walk alongside people through different seasons of their lives, from engagements and weddings to pregnancy, newborn sessions, and growing families. That kind of ongoing relationship allows me to create deeper, more meaningful work. My clients trust me with their most personal moments, and that trust only grows over time. It’s incredibly fulfilling to know I’m not just showing up for a session, but being invited back into people’s lives year after year.

At the same time, one of the biggest reasons I chose to build my own business was so I could build a life centered on presence, both for my clients and for my family. I’m a mother, and being able to design my schedule around the needs of my home life has been one of the greatest gifts of entrepreneurship. I don’t take it for granted.

My goal is to create a business that reflects my values, connection, care, and storytelling, while also allowing space for the things that matter most to me personally. I want my work to feel aligned, not just creatively, but in how it supports the kind of life I want to live. That balance is what keeps me grounded and passionate about what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ashleynortonphotography.com
• Instagram: @ashleynorton.photography // https://www.instagram.com/ashleynorton.photography/
• Facebook: Ashley Norton Photography // https://www.facebook.com/ashleynortonphotography

Image Credits

Ashley Norton Photography LLC