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

Hi Ashley, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think the most important factor of my business success is the connection that I make with all my clients. I have been so lucky to have built such solid relationships with every person I take pictures of and I think that is what really drives my success. Small businesses thrive on connections, because people want to get to know the person they are hiring and that is what keeps them coming back. The majority of my business is repeat clients and I am so thankful that they trust in me enough to keep coming back. Getting to grow with my clients is such a joy and I love being able to capture all of their milestones and be a part of their story.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When looking at my photos the words that come to mind are “authentic” and “lighthearted.” I love capturing couples and families in a natural and organic way. While I do love traditional photos of just smiling at the camera, I love creating candid memories that tell a story. For me the most exciting part of photography is knowing that I am creating memories that will last a lifetime. My hope is that in 50 years my clients will look back at their photos and remember what it felt like to be in that moment and share those memories with their children or grandchildren. Being a creative can be tough sometimes and it is so easy to compare yourself to others or get insecure with what you are creating. When I feel myself slipping into self-doubt I remind myself why I love photography, I get to create memories that last generations.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One thing about Tucson is that you fall in love with the city without even trying. I was born and raised here so naturally when I was 18 I couldn’t get out fast enough. After moving to San Diego for a year I realized that Tucson wasn’t as bad as I had thought it was growing up and I moved back. Some of my favorite things to do in Tucson include drinks and corn hole at The Barnyard, jumping around at Defy, and University of Arizona hockey games.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Starting a photography business is not easy, building a solid client base takes time, practice and patience. After almost a year of only photographing my family and friends, Nina & Ian found me on Instagram and wanted me to do their engagement photos. Little did I know, this would change everything! Nina and I instantly clicked personally and with our vision for their photos. This was the first photoshoot that I really got to be creative and bring my vision to life. After their session it was like a domino effect; people started to see their photos and wanted similar ones. From there my business completely took off. I am so lucky to call Nina & Ian my friends and their unwavering support is what brought me to where I am today.

Website: https://www.ashleyailenephotography.com/

Instagram: @ashleyailenephoto

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.