Life & Work with Ashley Cheney of North

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

Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Ashley; I’m 31 and live in Phoenix, AZ. My photography journey started in 2018 after a good friend of mine purchased a camera for a trip she was going on. It wasn’t until I got to try it out and get my hands on a professional camera that I realized how much love I have for the art. Shortly after, I purchased my camera and started teaching myself how to use it. After countless hours of practice, watching YouTube videos, and reading through online photography threads, I finally developed an understanding of my camera, its settings, and how fantastic photography is. Over the last few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with local businesses and families to provide portrait and product photography services. While these have been and will continue to be great avenues to explore, my passion has always been landscape + nature photography.

We, as human beings, often get caught up with work and personal situations and forget to slow down and appreciate the little things around us. Landscape + nature photography is essential because it allows me to show people how beautiful this world is! My work inspires others to get outside, explore new places, and promote a better relationship between human beings + this incredible planet.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve had to face a few obstacles when it comes to photography:

1. The first obstacle was learning how to use the camera itself. It took me a long time to understand my camera’s settings and how certain aspects of the camera worked. Practice, patience, and research eventually helped me pull everything together.
2. The second obstacle I’ve had to overcome is being more outgoing. Overall, I’m introverted, so promoting my photography and interacting with clients has been difficult for me. Again, this has improved for me as my confidence in photography has grown.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in landscape & nature photography; my main focus is photographing how beautiful Arizona is because this place is so much more than desert and hot summers! I’m most proud of seeing the positive impact my work has had on others in the community. I’ve gotten messages from people all over the country who have purchased prints because the image I captured brought them back to a specific memory or time in their life that makes them the happiest. To me, this is the ultimate compliment. I’m proud that I have been able to take pictures that people can relate to and appreciate. What sets me apart from others is my determination and willingness to learn. I may not be the best photographer and make mistakes throughout my journey, but I always try my best and give it my all.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
In my day-to-day life, I’m not usually a risk taker. However, risk-taking is essential when starting something new and following your desires. There have been times throughout my photography journey when I have hesitated to reach out to local businesses when inquiring about partnerships or displaying my work in their stores. I was scared to take the risk and reach out simply out of fear of rejection. Overcoming my fear of rejection has allowed me to become a risk-taker.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ashtakespictures.smugmug.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashtakespictures_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashtakespicturess