Life & Work with Ashley Shippy of Excelsior Springs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Shippy.

Hi Ashley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up, I was always interested in cameras and taking pictures. I never really had the money as a kid to get a camera of my own but about five years ago, after a friend of mine got a camera, I decided I was going to save up and buy one.

After saving for a little while I got my first camera, a Canon Rebel T5. At first, I mostly shot casual things, but as my interest grew I found myself spending almost all of my free time reading articles and watching tutorials about how the camera works and what each setting did to affect how each picture would turn out.

After a few years of diving into any bit of information I could find, and countless hours of practice shooting, I decided this might be something that I could actually do to make an impact on people’s lives in some way. Eventually, I found the types of photography that really allow me to capture the moments that I feel are important and I took the next steps to take classes to specialize in newborn, lifestyle, and wedding photography.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think everyone’s road is different and that path is part of the adventure. I would say my road has been fairly smooth. I consider myself lucky to have friends and family who support and encourage me in the pursuit of my goals.

I would say the biggest challenge that I’ve faced, that I still face, is my own self-doubt. I struggle sometimes with comparing myself to others, especially more well-known photographers, but part of becoming better at what I do is knowing what I do well and the unique strengths that I can offer to people.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m truly an artist at heart. Photography is the way that I’ve found that best allows me to express that part of myself while also making other people smile, literally sometimes. There’s just something about the lens of the camera that allows me to capture and share the happiness in the world.

I’ve worked in several types of photography, but I like to call my specialty “lifestyle photography,” which tries to capture where you are in your life’s path and allow you to freeze that moment; that accomplishment, that new life, or a new stage of life, and save it forever. Part of this is what I feel really sets me apart. While some photographers will focus on a popular editing style, I try to really keep a timeless look to my photos so, in 15 or 50 years, you and your family will be able to instantly jump right back to that special moment as soon as you see your photos from me.

I think my biggest personal accomplishment to date would be the opening of my own studio, which just happened this past August. I had been doing some inside sessions inside of my living room and, as anyone with a little one can tell you, it was a bit of a juggling act to keep everything together for those sessions.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was definitely shy, I kept to myself most days. I was always involved with my church, I attended a lot of mission trips! I loved drawing and just hanging out with a couple of my close friends.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: ashleyshippyphotography.showit.site
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyshippyphotography/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ashleyshippyphotography/?ref=bookmarks

Image Credits
Ashley Shippy Photography