Meet Ashley Marie | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Marie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
When I started Ashley Marie photography mke, it started after I had my daughter, with the support of family I was able to start my business. I started answering ever message, even if it was at 2:00 a.m. I felt like if I didn’t answer them they would go to someone else and I wanted to give as many people the opportunity to see my work and be under my lens. I wouldn’t sleep I would wake up in the middle of the night scrolling thru my phone answering messages, making sure I could respond to people, writing adds on Craigslist with “specials” . Over that year I burnt myself out no going out with friends just working when I was at home not spending time with my family and spending quality time “watching football” which was really watching me and I would miss the big plays because I was editing photos or in my computer or phone writing up how to get the next client.

After that year I thought to myself, this is not why I quit my job to do this. So slowly I figured out what would be the best times and managed business hours for myself. I didn’t answer messages during that time frame and would respond in the morning . I would take trips with my family and schedule out time I would be “out of the office” I learned that if I wouldn’t to run a successfully business I also needed to take care of me. Last year I created a website with my services so it was easier to direct new clientele too.

I learned how important mental health was while running a business and the importance of a work life balance.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Photography is a great form of art which I continue to grow in. I use my lens to express my art, I am very known on how well I work with children and how creative my shoots can be. I feel like word of mouth was the best advertisement for me, and it still is today. Many of my clients a give specials to for how much clients they give me. Learning strobes wasn’t easy to be me I was a natural light photographer, I would read books and watch videos and I just didn’t get it it wasn’t in till someone sat down with me and showed me it was basically the opposite of natural light photography that I got it. I learned that you can’t do everything alone and things are easier to ask for help, such as marketing and flyers, finding locations, not knowing how to do something. I learned that working with people can be a blessing in disguise and can make your grow and figure out what you want to do with your business.

I want everyone to understand that working for yourself is a blessing, to get up and go whenever. your schedules allows you too. Learning that a paycheck isn’t going to come you have to go out and get you one was one of the lessons I learned my first year in business. That you have to keep people interested, why would someone come to you over the next person.

I started my business because photography was my passion and still is, I love to do creative jobs, something that brings out personalities not just the same thing.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Close friends and family were my biggest supporters, they would help shout me out and share all of my work. Take photos just because and help me with being creative. My Family allowed me to quit my full time job and focus on being a full time photographer on my own . My Daughter was my full time model with photoshoots and ideas, she would go from being a mermaid, to milkbaths, in the snow and whatever else you could think of. I learned a lot along the way from other local photographer on how to use strobes and bouncing ideas off of each other which I am forever greatful for. A lot of my posing and angles were self taught and studied books about how to pose this body type or this.

Website: https://www.ashleymariephotographymke87.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleymariephotographymke/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-marie-338a32164/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amarie3487

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashley.koller3

Image Credits
Ashley Marie photography The images that I chose were images of my regular clients that I have used for advertisements and creative projects