Ashley Athas Young is another alumna with the business bug. One of her businesses is Strike-A-Pose Photography. We’ll learn about the other later in this series. Ashley graduated from MUW in 2007 with a BFA in Graphic Design. She was a member of the Mam’Selle Social Club and a #2 Jester.
When asked why she decided to start this business, Ashley replied “My goal is to be able to stay at home with my son to get away from punching a time clock everyday. Although I love my Graphic Design job, my passion is to get my photography business up and running enough to where I don’t need my day job anymore. At the rate I’m going right now, I think I will be able to reach this goal in the next year or so. I really got into photography while at the W. I took 3 semesters of 35mm photography with Professor Shawn Dickey and FELL IN LOVE with dark room processing. I love the rawness of it. Although dark room photography is slowly dying, my love for photography just keeps growing. I have only been in business for a little over a year now and have exceeded my expectations with how fast it has progressed in such a short amount of time. I also just took a huge leap and will be showcasing my business at the Mid-South Bridal Expo once each season next year, my first one being in January. This is a HUGE step in the right direction for me.”
Ashley’s work is varied “I shoot weddings, engagements, bridals, family, maternity, newborn, seniors and trash the dress sessions. I offer large poster prints, coffee table books in a variety of sizes and styles, proof portfolios, and I also design wedding, graduation, save the date, and shower invitations as well!”
Like other artist, photographers have their own styles. Regarding her style, Ashley explained “What I love most, is shooting on location. Studio portraits are so posed and so unreal to me. I have dozens of locations that I love to use for shoots and I find new locations to add to my growing list almost daily. Right now, I shoot with all natural lighting, which I LOVE!”
While pictures in one form or another are all you can get from some photographers, Ashley has another talent. “I also have a degree in Graphic Design. I have a lot of people that come to me to design their birth announcements. I design wedding invitations as well as many other things. I love the fact that the two jobs work hand in hand and that I can do both things that I love.”
As a photographer, Ashley’s goals are simple. “I want my clients to be themselves and have fun during their sessions. Most importantly, I want people to feel joy and satisfaction when they view their photos for the first time. I describe my photography as bold, fun, real, energetic, artistic and extremely edgy.”
Strike-a-Pose Photography is a family business. Ashley is the photographer. Her husband, Derrick does the website design and "helps support my outrageous spending habits on new photography equipment and props (Because almost daily I find a new prop that I CAN NOT live without)" says Ashely. Her son, Chandler, she explains "is my practice model. Any time I want to practice something new with lighting or a new prop , I use him as my guinea pig. He is a great sport about it and LOVES being the center of attention just like his mom and dad."
To see more of Ashley’s work and for contact information, see her website.
All photos in this post were taken by Ashley. Doesn’t she do beautiful work? Isn't Chandler a handsome young man?
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