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

Aubrey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

There are time when I wish I started photography sooner but then there are times I wish I started it later. Due to my passion for photography, I wish I started sooner. I picked up the camera and started teaching myself back in 2017. I had just gave birth to my 3rd child but wasn’t in a financial position to afford newborn photography. So I decided to learn myself. I asked for a camera for Christmas and my mom and dad got me one. A Canon Rebel T6. I have so many newborn and baby pictures of my youngest which is why sometimes I wish I started sooner so I could have the same for my other 2 children.
My growth is the reason I sometimes wish I started later. I wish I had a better plan for marketing, social media content, pricing, etc. Photography is one of those businesses that you start off charging very little, almost free, and then as you grow in style and experience- you start to charge more. I think if I would have put in the work to learn and take classes first, I would’ve been more successful quicker than I have. But the evolution of social media has allow my business the marketing it needs, making it somewhat easier.

Aubrey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I always start off by saying I’m a mom to 3! I say that because they are the reason I started photography and my photography name comes from them (I have 3 children and our last name is Miles). I also was a single mom and knew that there was a small market for low cost photography but high quality. As a single mom who couldn’t afford the high priced work, I wanted to always make sure my pricing was affordable but also wanted to make sure that what I delivered in photo galleries was high quality. I really pride myself on being able to offer that. Last year, I did my first end of life session for a client whose dog was suffering from cancer. I decided to join The Tilly Project. A non profit organization that provides resources to grieving pet owners and connects them with photographers in the area. To this day, I have done 10 sessions for clients that have animals ranging from dog, cat to a chicken!
I feel what sets me apart from other photographers is my attention to detail. If you have a toddler, you’re not going to get the cookie cutter Christmas card photo you want. But I will give you the laughter after meltdown and the butterfly kisses after a bear hug type photos. Those are the memories you’ll look back on and smile. When it comes to business team pictures, you’ll find me bringing your team to a rooftop or rose garden. The one stand in front of a backdrop is out. I want to be able to help businesses thrive with their marketing through photography.
When I deliver a photo gallery, I want my client to have every emotion- laughter, happiness, happy tears, all of it! Because getting the feedback about how special their photos meant to them is the reason I keep going and continue to grow individually as a photographer.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Word of mouth, 100%! There is no greater compliment than when a client refers someone to you. Because of this, I have a referral program that gets you a discount, and possibly free session, just by referring me to other friends, family or business partners.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2019, I went through a divorce. I had to put my camera down and get a full time job. But obviously couldn’t put my camera down fully because my passion was too strong for that. Working full time closed a lot of my availability. So I spent time taking classes on how to perfectly edit a great sunset session. Then I asked family and friends if I could borrow their kids for some test sessions. Nowadays, my sunset sessions are some of my most booked sessions! Due to me having to pivot due to availability, I was able to learn a new skill and capitalize on it for more income during a time that I really needed the extra funds.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3MPhotographyWithAubrey?mibextid=LQQJ4d