We were lucky to catch up with Chanze Ashorn recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Chanze, thanks for joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.
I would have started with doing what I love, saying no to jobs that I wasn’t passionate about. I would have invested in more workshops instead of going into the industry blind! But we all start somewhere and learn from each mistake. I’ve grown a lot personally, and professionally within the last 8 years, and even more so in the last 2 years since I went full time with Lifestyle sessions. But, I am thankful for all of the adversity. I’ve overcome so many obstacles along the way and if I’m being honest, looking back I wouldn’t change a thing. I wouldn’t be the woman that I am today if it wasn’t for all of the successful failures.
Chanze, 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?
Absolutely! I’m Chanze, I am 28 years old, I am a wife, and a mother of two wildly amazing children, my interest in Photography started when I was around 12 years old. My parents bought me the 1st Digital Olympus Pen for Christmas in 2009, and I seriously never put it down. I would take photos of our animals, weird looking plants, my family, bands that I would go and see with my friends… You name it! Fast forward to 2014, I dove into wedding photography, I was a second shooter for a quite a while before I took one on myself and let me tell you i was HOOKED! It wasn’t until I had my daughter that my interest in Motherhood/Family sessions peaked, and then after my son was born, I invested everything I had into the Newborn Genre. I struggled for a while with imposter syndrome, although I was doing well on the business front, I wasn’t loving my work. When we relocated to Austin TX and I designed my in-home studio, that’s when I really fell in love with my work. I devoted myself to Lifestyle Maternity, Newborn and Family sessions, built my client closet, and restructured my back-end business approach. Being able to offer an all-inclusive, luxury experience to my clients makes both of our lives SO much easier. From the inquiry, to styling their wardrobe with OOAK pieces, to gallery send-off, the process is effortless and stress free on their end! I put so much emotion into each client’s own individual story and being able to capture that for them is more than enough to keep me going!
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I believe non-creatives struggle to understand the investment portion in our industry. There’s so much more that goes into our work than they see. Our equipment for starters, a quality lens alone costs anywhere from $1200-$3500, and the camera body that pairs with it, anywhere from $2500-$6000. Times that by 3, sometimes 5 if you like a variety and that’s just a fraction of the cost! We invest in a number of things, from website design, wardrobe, client management, editing software and equipment, props/accessories, studio design, and so much more! And outside of that, trying to navigate the never-ending change of social media is monotonous! Once you learn one thing, that platform will go and change it LOL
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Well, it’s not really a lesson I had to unlearn. It was a mental struggle. I used to be a huge introvert, so overcoming my social anxiety was a huge goal for me as a photographer. It didn’t take very long for me to let go of myself a little and engage with my clients, but a few years ago, just before a wedding or a session I would get so nervous and repeatedly tell myself not to mess it up! I would even go as far as practicing small talk on the way to sessions, I would google small talk questions and would recite affirmations, as embarrassing as that is to say!
Being able to guide a session is one thing but making it an unforgettable experience that your client will enjoy is another. I personally feel that as a photographer you have to be able to connect with your subjects on a personal level and make sure you aren’t missing all of the in-between moments as they unfold!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chanzeashornphotography.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/chanzeashornphotography
- Facebook: facebook.com/chanzeashornphotography
- Other: sessionl.ink/chanzeashornphotography
Image Credits
www.chanzeashornphotography.com