We were lucky to catch up with Ally from Chase & Ally Photography recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ally, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
In June 2022, we moved from Florida to Colorado to follow Chase’s dream of living near the mountains. We have no family or friends in Colorado, and it was a huge risk for us to try and rebuild a client base in a location where no one knew us! In Florida, we have a client base of over 100 people, and the community in general recognizes us from our social media advertisements and appearances at community events over the years.
I started advertising in Colorado Facebook groups in February 2022, and as of September 19th, we have captured 7 weddings and 18 photos shoots! We also have an additional 4 weddings and 12 shoots currently scheduled here in Colorado. We’ve participated in 4 community events thus far, and we are always looking for more so that we can introduce ourselves to the community!
We are still shooting in Florida as well! We have family in the Orlando area, so we travel there frequently and capture sessions for our clients while we’re in town. We currently have 4 weddings and 19 shoots scheduled in Florida in the upcoming months.
We had NO profits in the month of June, and it was definitely worrisome for us. But things have turned around quickly, and we are building a good reputation here in Colorado Springs!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Chase and I are a couple, and we love working together to provide excellent photography services and produce beautiful images for our clients.
Chase has had a passion for cameras and photography for a long time. He spent years researching equipment, putting items in his online shopping cart but then not going through with the purchase.
One day in May 2019, while driving from Alabama to Florida, we were talking about his passion for photography and how he’s always wanted to try it with high-quality equipment. He said he didn’t want to buy the expensive equipment because he didn’t see how he could profit from his photography on his own. I had been running my music lessons business since 2010 and suggested we start a photography business together. So we took the leap and bought our first camera and lens.
With Chase’s expertise on the equipment, technique, and editing software and my skills in artistry, marketing, and client relations, we’ve grown a small photography business we are quite proud of. We’ve since performed over 300 photo shoots, including weddings, family portraits, professional headshots, and more!
The number one most important aspect of our business is how we treat our clients. We believe that making sure our clients are satisfied is #1. Our prices are competitive, and the images we produce are top-notch. Every image we release to a client receives full touch-up editing, which is not always a normal thing in the photography industry.
Another aspect that sets us apart from other photographers is that we deliver our images very quickly. Mini sessions have a turn-around time of just six days, and our largest wedding package has a turn-around time of just 30 days. We also send a thank you card to every client after their final gallery has been delivered.
We love and appreciate our clients and hope they will use us again for future photography needs and refer us to family and friends!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
On January 1st, we set goals for our business for the 2022 year. These goals included averaging 10 shoots per month and capturing 20 weddings within the year. We are currently exceeding those goals!
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Our initial investment for equipment was purchased on credit cards. It took us over 6 months of hard work to pay off our startup debts and start making a small profit!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chaseandally.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/chase.ally.photo
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/chase.ally.photo