Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Miller.
Hi Ali, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a natural light family photographer in the Charlotte, North Carolina and surrounding areas with a light and airy style. I’ve loved photography since I was little, and I’ve always enjoyed capturing moments that become lasting memories! My first camera was an instant Polaroid camera, and I loved taking photos of my cats, Barbies, and Beanie Babies. As I got into high school, I took my first class on Photoshop and became our official yearbook photographer. In college, I was always the friend with a camera in her purse (back before iPhones) to capture the fun events of the evening. I got more seriously into photography and honed my skills after having my children, realizing that I wanted to capture beautiful moments of my kids as they grew up that I could treasure for a lifetime. Although I knew how to take a nice photo, I was nervous about starting a family photography business. I was at church on Sunday and felt a precise nudge from God to trust Him and go for it, so I did! I took a leap of faith and never looked back! Since starting my family photography business, I’ve been blessed to have been provided with the most wonderful, kind, and beautiful families to photograph.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting my own photography business has been a dream come true, but of course not without some challenges! I have the type of personality that I am very critical of myself. Even when things go well, I always look back and ask what I could have done differently to make it go better. I can continually improve! In some of my first shoots, I struggled with confidence and imposter syndrome. I tried to live by the “fake it ’til you make it motto,” which worked for me! I also always look back at my shoots and think about what I could have done differently with the lighting or compositionally to capture more creative shots. I’ve learned that family photography shoots usually feel a little chaotic, which is expected (especially if little kids are involved)! I’ve learned to embrace the chaos and focus instead on connecting with my family to deliver the best experience possible. I’ve been lucky enough to have always had wonderful families to photograph, and business has been steady!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to become more familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Without a doubt, my favorite family photos to capture are candids. I love catching the true emotion and connection between parents and their children in the particular season of life that they are in. Whether that is a father twirling his young daughter because she loves to play princess or a mother chasing her wild and rambunctious sons through a field, I love capturing the stage of parenthood and childhood as it is. I serve my family well by staying calm despite the chaos. I can be silly, make funny noises, and chat with kids who may be shy at first. I am also detail-oriented. Part of my introduction when I first greet my family is to ask them to remove all hair ties, phones, and any other items they might have on them that they won’t want to show up in their pictures. I try to set expectations for the parents and tell them to expect their children to misbehave and even meltdown, which is normal! I have many tricks in my tool bag to capture some sweet and fun moments, even amid (what can feel like) madness.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My ability to be flexible is so important in family photography. If I realize something is not working, I will pivot and try something else. I can read children and even the not-so-excited-to-be-there parent to determine when we need to switch something up so they can continue to enjoy the session experience.
Pricing:
- Mini Sessions start at $200 for 25 minutes
- Full Sessions start at $275 for 45 minutes
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alimillerphotos.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alimillerphotos/
Image Credits
Ali Miller Photos
