Meet Ashley Strickland: Professional Wedding & Portrait Photographer

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

Hi Ashley, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
The most difficult decision I’ve had to make was the decision to leave corporate america and pursue my photography business full time. It was something I’ve wanted to do for years, but I let fear stop me. I was raised to go to college, get a good job with great benefits and a 401k, then retire. That was ingrained in me early on. So you can imagine the fear I felt when I realized, that after doing all that, I wasn’t fulfilled & I wanted more. For 13 years I played the corporate game and I was sick of it. Even though I was tired, I was scared of what my family, friends even coworkers would think if I left. How would I make money? Could I really succeed without the comforts and false sense of security working for a large corporation brought me? Eventually, I stopped betting against myself, stepped out on faith, and have been flying ever since

What should our readers know about your business?
I am a published wedding & lifestyle portrait photographer. Although my business is based in Atlanta, GA I am blessed to travel the world photographing lives & love stories. My work has been featured by publications such as Munaluchi Bride, Southern Bride, B Collective Magazine, Black Bride, Wedding Wire, Southern Motherhood, and Iconic Bride Magazine to name a few. I’m a self-taught photographer, so I learned as I went along and experimented until I found my style. I’ve always had a passion for photography but the idea to become a photographer myself came from my Husband. He mentioned just how often I took pictures and that I should consider becoming one after yet another conversation with him about how unhappy I was in corporate america. I took a photography class online and practiced with my iPhone and fell in love. I signed up for an in-person photography workshop and as a gift, my Husband bought my very first professional camera right before the workshop began. As a photographer, I’ve crafted a signature experience that allows me to help my couples on the road to their big day & capture the photos they will fall in love with while making sure they can enjoy their wedding day and walk away with photos that capture the essence of their love story. I’m most proud of the experience I provide & the relationships I get to build with my clients. I’m more than their photographer, I become a trusted advisor & friend and that means everything to me. In 2019, I was a winner of the 20 On The Rise Award, in the Imagemakers category. 20 On The Rise is a celebration of individuals who are making waves and raising the tide, rocking their respective industries through hard work and creativity hosted by HoneyBook. Receiving this award has been one of the greatest honors of my photography career. It solidified for me that I was on the right track and is my reminder to keep pushing. Building my business has been so fulfilling! Yes, it has its stressful moments but the good definitely outweighs the bad and I wouldn’t trade it. I love the fact that my work literally becomes someone’s family heirloom. It’s an honor to document the lives and love stories of my clients. I don’t take it lightly by any means. Service to my community is a very important thing to me. I like to lend my time and talents to help other photographers succeed. I have done so as a speaker at the Hustle In Heels Photography Conference, teaching photographers how to capture emotion in their photographs and more recently The Photo Cookout Virtual Summit educating photographers about the importance of securing business insurance. You can also find me chatting with creatives on the Purpose To Create Podcast as well as educating brides on the Hue I Do Podcast.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We’d start with brunch at The Real Milk & Honey or Breakfast at Barneys, After Brunch, we’d go to Spa Sydell and get facials and mani/pedi’s. For lunch, we’d hit up True Food or Houston’s, two of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Do a little shopping and sightseeing along the beltline & visiting Ponce City Market. For Dinner, we’d have to go to Hal’s The Steakhouse then Cafe Intermezzo for dessert & wine! If it’s a Sunday during football season, we must go to Mercedes Benz stadium and cheer on my FAVORITE football team ever, THE Atlanta Falcons. #riseup Some of my favorite things we’d have to do would be to visit the Herndon Home, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, play whirly ball at Whirleyball Atlanta, check out a local high school football game, check out a movie at the Starlight Drive-in, ride bikes on the beltline & grab rooftop drinks at Ponce City Market. If we were hungry, we’d hit up, JR Crickets for AMAZING wings, Chops/Lobster Bar, The Tavern at Phipps, Juicy Crab, Fogo de Chao, Rays on the River & Southern Art & Bourbon Bar to name a few. The possibilities for fun are endless in Atlanta!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Tomayia Colvin Education – I’ve gained so much knowledge & made great friends from this platform. Tomayia Colvin Education is an online community created to empower Black and photographers of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized groups. It’s a safe haven of inclusion and diversity.

Website: www.ashleynicolephotos.com
Instagram: @ashleynicolephotosatl
Facebook: @ashleynicolephotosatl