Conversations with Ashley Pfister

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

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Born and raised in a small town in Southeast Nebraska, where I left in 2004 and attended the University of Nebraska- Lincoln…GO BIG RED!!..and graduated with a Bachelors in Fashion Merchandising and Minor in Marketing. After graduation, I married the love of my life and moved quite a few times with the three kiddos and finally have made a home for us in St. Joseph, MO.

I got involved with photography while staying home with the littles and realized that I enjoyed capturing those special moments. My cousin booked me for her wedding and it all snowballed from there. I have been doing photography for about 4 years now…still fresh, still learning new things everyday. I currently dabble in a little bit of everything…family, seniors, and weddings. I have started venturing into the Kansas City market within the last year…which has also been the craziest year yet. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me and I hope to continue to share all of your special moments with YOU!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I cant say that anything has been hard…I started doing it for fun to see where it would lead me and here I am…doing interviews for a Kansas City magazine. 😀 I think the hardest obstacle for any photographer (and I think some would agree) is comparison. I think it can be evil…and it can bring negativity towards yourself. I remember following tons of photographers that were my inspiration and thinking…I am NOWHERE as good as them, I want to edit like them, their sessions look flawless, they seem to have it all together, look at them posting on social media ALL the time. Those negative thoughts are hard to erase…like most social media, you just have to learn to block out the noise in your head, have faith in your work and trust God everything will fall into place.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a newish photographer of only 4 years…I have had to try out all genres of photography. To see what I enjoy, what I don’t enjoy, and to be honest, I still think I am learning what I do love. I think if you were to look at my galleries on my website, the majority of my work and probably what I specialize in the most is family, seniors and weddings. While I love an intimate family session in their home…I find that I thrive in the outdoor sessions. I really enjoy being outside in the nature, finding the light and making everything feel dreamy. I love keeping the photos as natural as possible. Bringing in color, but not too bold. I would say that my style or how I edit has been the biggest compliment I hear. Everything I have learned, has been self taught. I have spent quite some time watching YouTube videos and tutorials and then taking what I learn and practice at home 😀

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Don’t be afraid to start. If you feel like your area is saturated with photographers…you are wrong. Every photographer has their own style and you might be what they are looking for. Start with family. Use them as your models and have them refer you to their friends. Word of mouth has been the best marketing for me and I am very grateful for my family and friends who believed in me…and kept coming back to me. 😀

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.ashleypfisterphotography.com
• Instagram: ashleypfisterphotography
• Facebook: facebook.com/ashleypfisterphoto