Inspired, A Very Special Project | Ashley Westphal Photography

I am absolutely in love with Ashley’s Senior photography. Her use of light and the gorgeous rich tones in her processing set such an amazing mood. She makes everything look effortless!!

Let’s get right into it!

You can find Ashley’s website HERE. Facebook HERE. Blog HERE.

Hi Ashley!!

Lets get to know you! How would you describe yourself in three sentences?

I would definitely say I’m independent, adventurous, a learning addict, and a travel nut.  I guess that was one sentence instead of three. 🙂

What sparked your passion for Photography? 

I’m a cliché. 😉  I’ve always loved beautiful pictures of my travels, but it was the arrival of my baby girl that sparked a desire to get more serious about it.

Whats in your camera bag?

5DMark II, 35 1.4 L, 135L, 50 1.4, and 24mm TSE L

What Camera/Equipment did you start out with?

I actually started with a micro 4:3’s set up with leica lenses.

One of Ashley’s first starting out images!
If you could only use one lens an entire session which one would you choose and why?

My 135L hands down J

What advice would go give to someone just beginning in photography and hoping to have a business of their own?

My biggest advice is to develop a “filter” as soon as possible.  What I mean by that is you will be learning from/ getting advice from/ taking workshops from SO many people that it’s easy to lose your way and start “following” blindly.  What will set you apart in this industry is NOT following, so you’re best bet is to learn from those people and learn what you can and cannot apply in your business while still staying true to you. 🙂

What was your first official Photographer crush if you had one?

My wedding photographer is pretty flippin’ amazing, if I do say so myself.  www.kristynhogan.com  I had/have a pretty big crush on her.

What kind of photos do you like to take for just yourself when not working with clients?

My family and travel are probably my two biggest passions in life (along with photography and aviation), so you’re likely to see a lot of photos of those things. 🙂

If you could photograph absolutely anyone who would it be dead or alive?

I know this is going to sound a little insane, but I’d say Bethenny Frankel.  No matter what you think of her personally, the woman is a business genius, and I’d love to pick her brain for an hour or two!

Describe your style in 3 words.

Bright, Bold, Fearless (which happens to be my tagline.  I think it not only describes my style, but describes me AND my dream clients perfectly).

Most embarrassing moment on a session would be?

I don’t know that I’ve had one!  That’s a totally lame answer, but I swear it’s true!  I’m sure there’s one in my future though 🙂

Any challenges you have had to overcome to be where you are today?

The filter I addressed above in advice to new photographers 🙂

Favorite time of day to shoot is? 

I’m a sunrise shooter.  I like in a major metropolitan area, so it minimizes the onlookers, it’s cool (HotLanta can be pretty miserable in the afternoon), and I don’t have to work against the clock on light.

If you had to stop taking photos right now, what would you do instead?

I’m an aviation geek at heart, and my day job is in aviation. 🙂  My heart is full with both photography AND aviation in my life.

Have you attended college or had any formal education in Photography?

I’m a self-taught photographer, but I have a Bachelors of Business in (aviation) management and an MBA

What do you do to get your clients to relax with you?

Women connect through conversation so I engage them about their lives, college plans, etc.  I also show back of the camera images (only the killer ones!).

What are your photography related goals for 2013?

I’m still in the infancy stages of my business so I’m really trying to grow my business so I’m at an “ideal” number of clients for me.

How do you push yourself to keep growing and learning?

I am a TOTAL and COMPLETE learning junkie.  I was terrified to see what I spent on it when I did my taxes. 😉  It’s sort of in my blood, and frankly, I get bored easily, so I’m always looking for the next great thing (this is why photography is a great thing for me—you can keep learning forever!)

Any Big Aha! Moments?

I’m a total left-brainer (a total rarity for photographers, as far as I can tell), so once I stopped fighting it and learned to apply that to my work, it was a pretty big ah-a.   I study, critique, shoot, and edit in a systematic manner.

Biggest Photography related insecurity?

I’m truly scared of failing at my business.  I don’t want to be a “quitter”, so I’m afraid that I’ll fight it out to the bitter end.

Digital or Prints?

This one is a tough one for me.  I believe I’m selling a service, but I specialize in a genre that genuinely needs/wants products, so I offer them.  If I were shooting anything other than seniors, though, I’d be digital for sure.

How do you set yourself apart from other local photographers?

Right now, aesthetically, I’m doing something different than 99% of senior photographers here, but I think what really separates me is my client experience.  Because I’ve started to hone in on my ideal client, we typically connect, and I maintain relationships with many of my seniors.  I’ve helped with econ homework (I use the word help loosely) over email, meet them for coffee dates, and try to stay involved in my clients’ lives.

What do you think your next photography related investment will be?

Probably the Mark III or a 90MM TSE (I’m in LOVE with my tilt shift and would love a longer focal length).

If you had to recommend ONE thing that a photographer needs in their camera bag what would that be?

Expodisc!  It’s life changing!

What would you say your biggest muse is?

My baby girl and the world (travel)

Fun stuff:

Favorite Color: Aqua/Teal/Turquoise

Favorite Season: Fall in Georgia, Spring in the Midwest (I’m a native Midwesterner)

Biggest Guilty Pleasure: Magazines.  I’ll never give them up!

Pet Peeve: Bad airplane etiquette

Favorite Pandora Station: Not a Pandora listener .  Since I figured out how to make creativelive work on my mobile phone, I’ve pretty much got that playing most of the time that I would be listening to Pandora

Studio or On location: On location

What did you want to be when you grew up? An aviation geek (success!)

One thing no one knows about you is: Corn bread is very possibly my least favorite food.  It makes me gag (literally).

Pc or Mac: Mac

Lightroom Or Photoshop: Photoshop (and lightroom, but if forced to choose, I like the control PS gives you)

Film or Digital: Digital all the way (tried a brief stint in film, and didn’t fall in love)

Props or No Props: Rare props, but mostly no props

If you could travel anywhere it would be: Oh boy.  This is an endless list for me.  Right now, the Almalfi Coast and the Swiss Alps are on the top of my list (follow me on facebook, and you may be seeing one of those soon!)

Glass Half Empty or Half Full: I’m a realist 😉

Favorite photo ever taken: Tough question.  Probably a headshot I took of my baby girl last thanksgiving in Mexico

Raw or Jpeg: Raw all the way!

Favorite Music to Edit to: I’m usually listening to creativelive J

Favorite Quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain

Most valued material possession: A sweet initial necklace my husband bought me with our baby girl’s first initial

Processing Style: Clean and bold

Coffee or Tea: Tea (grande nonfat chai latte, to be specific)

If you could photograph a Celebrity who would it be? Bethenny Frankel…or maybe Adrian Peterson (I’m a die hard Vikings fan)

What kind of Camera bag do you rock? An epiphanie clover and an epiphanie belle J