Aspin Durbin shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Aspin, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Who are you learning from right now?
Right now, I’m learning a lot from a small group of women photographers I connected with last year. We started as an accountability group for our businesses, and over time it has grown into so much more. We’re all in different places, some just starting out, some thriving but overworked, and others somewhere in between. Every week I learn something new from them, whether it’s about running a sustainable business, setting healthy boundaries, or even little things like navigating toddler potty training. They’ve shaped not only how I approach my work, but also how I balance life outside of it. I feel really lucky to be growing alongside them and excited to continue learning from each of them!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi there! I’m Aspin, the owner and photographer behind Aspin McKenzie Photography. I specialize in Motherhood and Birth Photography, with a focus on capturing the deep connection between a mother and her child. There’s something so raw, tender, and timeless about those unscripted moments, and I love helping mothers step out from behind the camera and into the frame. My goal is to create meaningful, storytelling images that allow families to remember not just how their love looked, but how it felt.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
A major change in the way I viewed myself happened when I was 13, when my twin brothers were born. At that time, my mother struggled with postpartum depression and my father with deep depression, so I stepped into a caretaker role while also starting high school. It was very difficult, but I loved my brothers deeply and felt a strong need to protect and nurture them. I’ll never forget rocking them both in my arms and realizing for the first time that I was made to be a mother. That experience awakened my maternal instincts, and now my life revolves around being a mother to my son and supporting other women in their own motherhood journeys.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
This question is difficult, but to answer, I struggle with allowing myself to be fully happy. When I’m happy, I can be goofy, awkward, and a little quirky. I laugh loudly, sometimes even with a wheeze, and get overly excited about things I love. In the past, I lost a friendship for being ‘too much,’ and others echoed similar words, which made me start holding back my joy. Over the last few years, though, I’ve been healing. I now have a solid group of friends who encourage me to lean into my excitement and celebrate the things I love, and I’m so thankful for that support. They may not know it, but they are helping me embrace my joy again instead of hiding it.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A belief I hold firmly is this: once a mother, always a mother. When I was pregnant, Mother’s Day came and went with very few acknowledgments. A loved one even said, ‘Just wait until next year, then I can wish you a Happy Mother’s Day.’ They meant well, but it stuck with me, because I already was a mother. I was protecting my child, making decisions for his development, and I already knew his name. That experience made me think of all the women who carry love for a child, whether their pregnancy continues or ends in loss, and how often their motherhood is overlooked or silenced. To me, it doesn’t matter if you’ve held your baby in your arms or only in your heart. If you love that baby and make choices for their well-being, you are a mother, and that title is yours forever.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
I really love this question, because it ties so closely to what I’ve been reading in Acts this past week. If I were to lay down my name, my role, and even my possessions, the one thing that would remain, the most important thing, is my faith. On my own I have nothing, but with Jesus, I have everything. I think about Paul as an example. Even when he was imprisoned for preaching, he still rejoiced. He had no name, no role, no possessions, yet he rejoiced. And in that time, he wrote letters to the early churches, encouraging them in their faith. His story reminds me that what truly lasts isn’t what we own or achieve, but the faith we live out and how we glorify God in every circumstance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://aspinmckenzie.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aspin_mckenzie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aspinmckenziephotography
Image Credits
Honey & Friends Photography | Aspin McKenzie Photography
