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

Hi Ashley, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking has played one of the most pivotal roles in my life/career. Anyone that takes on a creative career path has to be brave and open to not everyone liking their work. It takes vulnerability for anyone to share their creations with the world and to be open to constantly improving their craft. Without risk there cannot be any reward. I truly believe we will regret the risks we didn’t take more than the ones we did. It was a struggle at first when I began to work for myself, but if I had chosen the easy route and went back to corporate life, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I’d rather take the risk and fail, then to never have tried at all. There is nothing more satisfying in this world than putting in countless hours of work and watching it all payoff. I hope to look back one day and say, “Wow, I did that.”

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Being able to work for myself entirely in a creative industry has always been the dream, but at the same time I completely fell into it. Early on in my career I had worked in the corporate world as a graphic and web designer for over eight years while pursuing photography on the side, but then the pandemic hit. I was shortly laid off during quarantine, and I was left feeling lost and uncertain about the future. That may have been one of the biggest challenges I was faced with, but little did I know it was also a blessing in disguise. A few months prior to the pandemic I had started to make short comedy videos on TikTok for fun, not thinking much about it. I loved taking theater in high school and acting in community theater plays, so for me I viewed TikTok as a new outlet for me to be creative and perform. As my presence and following online started to grow during quarantine, I realized I really loved to make people laugh and I felt as though I finally had a purpose again.

The community I built online allowed me to start my own small business, Ashley by the Desert Co. All of the designs I create for stickers, apparel and accessories in my shop are inspired by the content I make. I strive to create relatable content, then translate it into designs my community will connect with and enjoy. I want the world to know that my brand was made to create a space that will inspire others to be themselves. I now practice this same philosophy with my other business Ashley Leah Photography and it’s been a game changer.

As a photographer, I am not only there to take a client’s photo, but to create an environment that will fully allow them to be their absolute self, so I can then in turn capture all of their characteristics and traits that make them who they are. I am all about photographing the candid moments, the quirks, authentic connection and genuine emotion – the human experience. I want my clients to be able look back and remember more than what happened, but how they felt.

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?

Well first off, we would absolutely have to get authentic Mexican food! I moved back to Arizona last year after living in Florida for 12 years, and the first thing I did once I returned was get Mexican food. It’s just not the same on the east coast! The best tacos I’ve had since moving back were at Taco Boys in Phoenix.

I’m an outdoorsy girl, and Arizona has such a vast range of beautiful scenery and hiking. We’d start the next day by hiking up Camelback Mountain early in the morning and admire the views of the city once we got to the top. If I have a friend is visiting in the Spring, I would most definitely take them to the Arizona Renaissance Festival during the weekend. We would make the most out of it and dress up in medieval attire. I know everyone says go for a turkey leg, but you’re sleeping on the Shepherd’s pie! It was delicious.

A day trip outside of the city to one of my favorite spots would have to be a must, and that spot would be Mt. Lemmon just outside of Tucson. I love watching the landscape change from desert to forest as you drive up the mountain. At the top is a town called Summerhaven, that is filled with cute little shops and my favorite small restaurant, the Cookie Cabin. Their cookies are to die for. Once we return, the duration of the trip would consist of trying to find hidden gems within the city and tons of hiking!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
One of my best friends Lauren deserves a shout out and to be hyped up! She is also a business owner and content creator and without her guidance I may have never started my own small shop. She’s one of the few people that always encourages others that they can do whatever they put their mind to and is genuinely happy for others when they have success in their life.

I definitely have to give a shout out to my family and my brother John. My brother is an amazing content creator and I was inspired by him to get into it. I want to thank my family for having my back and being supportive of my career path.

Lastly, I want to give a shout out to the community I have built online. They may be the most important factor behind the success of my brand. Many people are just spectators, but those that continue to engage with my content, whether it be a follow, a like or a comment, they are the reason why I am able to be a full-time content creator and photographer. You’d be surprised how much more supportive strangers from the internet can be than some people you have known for years.

Website: https://ashleybythedesertco.com and http://ashleyleahphotography.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ashleybythedesert

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashbythedesert

Facebook: https://facebook.com/ashleybythedesert

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashleybythedesert

Other: https://tiktok.com/@ashleybythedesert

Image Credits
Ashley Leah Photography

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.