Today we’d like to introduce you to Ash Koehling.
Hi Ash, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I originally started as a concert photographer in Dallas when I was 16. I really enjoyed the fast-paced world of event photography, but felt I was missing a connection with people. When you’re photographing an event, especially a high-profile one, you get somewhat lost in a sea of other photographers. My photos were utilized often, but I felt they weren’t making an impact.
When I was 18, my friend Christina was getting married. I took her engagement photos as a wedding gift. She was so ecstatic to see her images! Christina passed my information to a friend getting married and I captured my first wedding later that year. I continued to get business through word-of-mouth connections, networking, and advertising.
I knew I found a new passion to capture weddings, one of our most cherished events. Weddings combine the thrill of high-stakes photography but with the human connection I always missed in concert photography. I am very grateful to be able to capture moments my clients will enjoy for the rest of their lives.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’m very fortunate to have amazing family and friends to support me.
The most difficult time as a small business owner is being able to balance work and life. When I was a new business owner and saw new inquiries coming in, I’d get so excited and nervous to lose a potential client I’d literally drop EVERYTHING to answer a call or email. I do not exaggerate when I say everything. I ruined a lot of dates with my husband answering emails, being late because I had to finish backing up my images, or hiding in the bathroom editing images when we had guests at our house (I didn’t want anyone to yell at me for working, so sometimes I’d hide in the bathroom to edit). I’m very grateful for my husband’s continuing patience with me.
My wake-up call was when I was hiding in the bathroom editing during one of our Halloween parties. My friend was dressed as a cat and needing to urgently use the bathroom. Being yelled at by an inebriated woman dresses as a cat to stop working and actually have fun made me realize I was missing out on a lot of things in life.
I’m known for wedding photography but also capture engagements, boudoir, maternity, and family portraits. I’ve won Wedding Wire’s Couple’s Choice Awards from 2019 -2022 and am in the Hall of Fame – Best of Weddings for The Knot. I’ve won these awards by my awesome clients leaving 5-star reviews every year.
I feel what sets me apart from others is sharing my personality with my clients. I don’t want my clients to feel like this is just another transaction and they are another number. Their wedding should be a fun day, not a stressful one. My best advice to business owners is to make sure you can be yourself in your business. You are your own brand and your personality should be present in your work.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Watching videos of people cooking tiny food! All joking aside, being able to capture a moment in time forever is why I do this. I feel like this is the closest I will get to time travel in my lifetime. As photographers, we have a duty to document history. I feel I have an important job and as long as I am making a positive impact on others’ lives, I am happy.
Pricing:
- Wedding packages start at $1,000
Contact Info:
- Website: ashreneephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashreneephotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashreneephotography
Image Credits
Portrait of myself and my husband by Jessica Hume
