Why My Work is So Personal to ME—
I was three years old the first time I held a camera.
It belonged to my dad — a Pentax film body that he should’ve kept far away from toddler hands, but didn’t. He handed it to me like it was no big deal, like I already belonged behind the lens. That was the beginning.
In 2013, while seven months pregnant, I walked away from a toxic relationship and started over with nothing but hope for a better life for my son and me. It was terrifying. But I did it.
And then in 2016, everything broke again. My dad — my best friend, my biggest encourager — passed away suddenly. It was supposed to be a life-saving surgery. It wasn’t. His death shattered me.
I grieved so deeply, so fully, that I was diagnosed with pseudo dementia. The trauma impacted my memory in ways I still feel to this day. It was like my brain refused to accept he was gone.
And honestly? That’s when photography became more than just something I loved. It became how I remember.
It’s how I get back to love. How I feel connected to something bigger than myself. How I re-enter those spaces of being seen, appreciated, and deeply understood — the way my dad always made me feel.
I don’t photograph weddings just to take pretty pictures.
I photograph weddings because I know how fast everything can change.
I photograph weddings to capture the kind of love that holds you together when the rest of the world falls apart.
For the raw, beautiful, real love that threads itself through a wedding day — the love that reminds you what matters. The kind you can feel in your bones.
This work is memory.
It’s healing.
It’s heart work.
And I’m so honored I get to do it.
“Um, words can’t describe how AMAZING Miss Ashley is. She’s such a talented photographer and has a beautiful spirit, making our wedding party feel special and comfortable. These are just the previews! I highly recommend her if you love having photos adorned with love. Thank you, Ashley!”