Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Barton.
Hi Ashley, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey with photography kind of has two beginnings, one of which started when I was a child. I’d love to take photos of plants or animals or any family member that would listen to my poses. I’d run to Walmart and get them developed and place them in photo albums to make my poor mom look at them over and over again. I believe the second begging I had with photography was in April of 2021. In May of 2019, I lost my first baby boy. The words “there’s no heartbeat, I’m sorry” and having to go through a whole delivery of a stillborn baby at 26 weeks and leaving the hospital with an empty belly and hands was something I’d never thought I’d survive. Years flew by but every year around April, knowing May was next I’d self-destruct, or completely seclude myself from the world. In April of 2021, I felt these feelings starting. Knowing that month was coming I felt sick, impulsive, depressed, scared…
But I also felt fire. A fire to not let this month defeat me. I can’t live my life scared of it.
I called my husband who already knew what I had been going through. I told him I was going to “splurge” and finance a professional camera to use for pictures of our rainbow baby and I’d figure out a way to pay it off. Knowing I was impulsive and always supporting me he told me to go for it, just try it. So I did.
What started out as “trying to do a few shoots for friends to pay for the dang thing” turn into EVERYTHING. Two months in I had clients reaching out for weddings. WEDDINGS. They wanted to PAY ME TO TAKE PICTURES—WHAT! There’s no way someone wanted to PAY me to do that. Terrified, I jumped. Bless those first clients I’ll never be able to thank them enough for taking a risk on me, we remain friends to this day. And then, as they say, the rest is history.
I’ve now done multiple weddings, local and traveling, hired a second shooter, offer videography, and upgraded and bought a REAL camera (which makes me giggle at how I thought my first one was expensive). And get to live my dream while honoring our late son.
We came to the name 4A Photos to honor our late son. Ashley (me), Austin (my husband), Ace (almost 2-year-old rainbow baby), and our sweet Angel baby Asher. I’m continuing to grow and now don’t plan on stopping with just photography. I plan on donating some every year to local charities, helping other women feel beautiful, and creating beautiful emotional pictures families can cherish forever. ♥️
Forever grateful for that dark time in my life that led me to such a beautiful future. All for you, baby boy.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Took me quite a while to take on maternity photos. I’ve been asked to take fresh 48 photos which I have not been able to make myself do, but hope to get over that hurdle soon.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve been labeled as a creative photographer.. I enjoy capturing the angles or shots no one thinks about. I also am always chasing a pretty natural background or sunset. I center a lot of my work on nature.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’m mainly a wedding photographer, who did not care anything about her own wedding. I’d hired the cheapest, most all-inclusive, small destination wedding that I didn’t have to help plan at all!
Years later, I’m allll about the details!
Contact Info:
- Website: 4Aphotos.mypixieset.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/4aphotos
- Facebook: Facebook.com/4APhotos
Image Credits
4APhotos
