2016 travel sessions

August 11-16: San Francisco

September 8-13: Seattle

October 5-11: New York

Please email me for details: ashleyjennett@gmail.com

CONTACT

Have questions? Want to partner on something? Ideas? Suggestions? Need clarification? Want to say "hi"? Email me: ashleyjennett@gmail.com
 

philosophy

I believe in bare feet, bed head, and dirty nails. I believe in tears and tantrums, love and war. I think it's weird that we’re all taught to smile when a camera is in our face. Sometimes I think the term historian is more accurate than photographer. I'm inspired by the mundane, the everyday, the seemingly boring details. Allow me into your life and I'll leave you with images that remind you that your life is more beautiful than you think.
 

about me

I can’t walk in high heels or run around the block without stopping for a break
I didn’t know what love was until I got married
I re-learned love when I became a mother
Reading anything by Jack Kerouac gives me itchy feet
I like dogs and baseball
I believe humor and a good night’s sleep are the best medicine

How I became a photographer
Photographer. That’s who I am.
I can’t deny it. I like pushing my camera’s buttons more than I like yellow cake with chocolate frosting. That’s just the truth.

How did I come to that truth, you ask?
It all started in junior high, on a class trip to Florida. I reached deep into my fanny pack—yes, fanny pack—for cash to buy another disposable camera, only to realize I was out of money. I told my teacher. She called my parents. They asked the inevitable question: How did I run out of dough?

I had to explain that I’d spent all my funds on disposable cameras—one after another. I shot entire rolls of fireworks, many of which didn’t even come out. But, those underexposed, grainy photos still have value because they are the beginning of my story, tangible evidence of the beginning of a love affair.

Years later, I’ve spent hours behind the camera. I used to say it was a “hobby.” I was too insecure, too self-doubting to admit that it’s way more than that. Way more. I’m not just playing around with shots. I’m not just picking up the camera when I have time. I make time to pick up the camera. It’s just part of my day, every day. I am a photographer.

Where are you located?
I’m in Southern California. If you’re not, that’s just fine, too. I love a good road trip and I love old motels.

Wondering where the rest of your photos are?
You may hear a thousand clicks during your session but this does not mean I will be providing you with a thousand edited images. I carefully go through each and every photo from our session and edit only the best of the best. The final edited images will be nothing less than frame worthy. Please do not ask to see the rest of the images. 
 

Pricing

Lifestyle sessions are $400. This includes 2 hours of shooting in home and/or on location. The high resolution edited images from our shoot on disc, with print release, are $595. Payments can be broken up into increments, for ease, as follows: $200 deposit, $400 due on day of shoot, and remaining $395 due when images are ready. Travel rates may apply. Don't live in the Southern California area? I love to travel, email me and let's see if we can make it work. 
Photo books start at $300. 
Please email me for current wedding rates, ashleyjennett@gmail.com. 

Lifestyle sessions typically yield 75-150 edited images and include both posed portraits as well as documentary style images. Should you decide to book a session, I will provide you with more information as far as what you can expect during our session, how to get the most out of our session, and answers to frequently asked questions. 

What are life sessions like?
I hate being photographed. I know that sounds weird coming from a photographer, but I get nervous and awkward and am terribly judgmental when looking at photos of myself. That said, I understand when people are uncomfortable at the start of shoots. I empathize. And I do my best to make you feel as comfortable as possible. This may involve asking you to do outrageous things, like shake your head back and forth to get the jitters out, at which point you’ll giggle, think I’m crazy, and I’ll snap away. I shoot the before and after and the in-between, all in search of real, genuine, and honest moments. 

Life sessions are just that: Capturing life. Life is messy and not everything is posed. 

A sample session: We meet at the beach and chat about how we wish the weather were a little warmer, the wind a little calmer, because we’re in California and Californians complain about the weather with a grand sense of entitlement. You bring your daughter down to the water. I follow behind and snap a few pictures—her hand in yours, the water glistening in the background, just slightly out of focus. As you get closer to the water, she starts running toward it and as her feet kick up the sand, I snap away. You head back to your towels and I notice the way the light hits your face as you hold your child in your arms and I ask you to stop. I snap away. I ask you to sit by your husband and ignore your children while they play around you. I ask your husband what it is he loves about you and when beautiful words flow from his mouth, you blush and I snap away.

It’s about real moments of life—especially the in-between moments, the moments otherwise forgotten. It’s real, it’s pure, it’s raw. And it’s my privilege to get a glimpse and to save that glimpse on film for you.

Basically, I’m the fly on your wall.

Are we a good fit?
Think photography is all about the equipment? Think again. My photography is more than just the camera and lenses I have. They’re paid for already. What you’re paying for you cannot buy in a store. You’re paying for my eye, my style, my perspective. You’re paying for the way I frame a picture, the moments I choose to capture. If you’re of the mindset that your friend who just bought a snazzy camera can do an equivalent job, by all means, ask her to take your photos instead.
 

FEATURED

Saplings Magazine - Motherhood with a camera - CMYK Magazine -  MinE Style Blog - The Ma Books - Contributor on Childhood Unplugged - Artifact Uprising Blog - 100 Layer Cake-let - Hello America - VSCO Grid - Mozi Magazine / Mozi Blog - Contributor for the 5 Minute Project - Bloesem Kids - Momazine Magazine - Canvas Magazine - Click Magazine
 

TESTIMONIALS

We all want beautiful photos to mark significant (or even ordinary) times in our lives. It's not just that we want to capture memories, but feelings. When my now-husband and I got engaged, I wanted to go back to where it all began for us--Joshua Tree. We met at a rock climbing class out there and, after a handful of trips back, it's definitely "our spot." I knew I wanted photos there, and I wanted them to be good. I wanted them to be us. How do you choose a photographer who knows what "us" means? We chose Ashley because we'd seen so many of her photos and thought, "Man, she gets it," "it" being the essence of each unique couple or family. We loved our photos at Joshua Tree so much that we had her do photos of us for our wedding the next year.  It's not just that her photos are wonderful--which they are--but she is a joy to work with. She's as real and honest and genuine as the photos you see on her site. After five minutes with her, we felt comfortable enough to be us, which is the point of it all, right? Most of us aren't used to being in front of a camera, but with the photos you get back from her, you'd never know it. I've never felt so beautiful in my entire life, and I love that I will always have gorgeous evidence of the way my husband and I look at each other and laugh together. You better bet that if we have a kid, I'll be calling her for photos of that lucky little one, too. - Kim Mangipane
 

Ashley did not just take our pictures; anybody can do that. She captured exactly who we are as a family. She has a magical way of highlighting the idiosyncrasies and quirks that make us, us. She took the time to get to know us and was so incredibly patient with our boys, who are not always easy. Looking at our images brings tears to my eyes every time because she saw all those moments that so often go unnoticed; my hand in my son's hair, the way our boys make my husband laugh, the Cheerios required to keep them still. These are all the things that make up parenthood that we so often forget as the days pass hectically, and Ashley has frozen these moments in time for us. We could not recommend Ashley enough, she is the best investment you could make for your family's memories. - Amy Bell

We had so much fun spending the day with Ashley. Not only are her photos gorgeous and incredibly true to the personalities she's shooting, but she also makes it an easy, personable experience so that it feels so much like having a friend in your home with a camera, rather than a stranger there to secure a certain image. In other words, no pressure involved. I mean, even Mike had fun! I love them all because she managed to capture the true essence of our family, and our household as it is. Thank you Ashley. You're the best. - Jessica Kraus

While looking through the photos Ashley took of my family I was struck by not only how beautiful they all were - but also how tender. She captured the small moments that slip away from memory and made us feel like she wasn't even there. - Monique Allen

Our family photo session with Ashley was the best possible celebration of our 10 year anniversary and 1st birthday of our daughter.  Ashley was a pleasure to have around, encouraging us to just interact naturally and our kids to act silly and enjoy themselves.  She also provided invaluable professional advice on logistics like clothing, location, time of day and lighting, to create the best possible environment.  The result was beautiful photos, capturing their personalities and our relationship as a family, that provide us a daily reminder on our front entry wall of this amazing stage in our lives.  Thanks Ashley! - Kim Harlow

My husband and I had Ashley shoot our elopement and our reception for our family. Having Ashley photograph our events was like having a good friend there, who just happened to take incredible photos. She is a blast to hang out with, and it feels natural to have her there. She is wonderful at capturing candid moments, and when she sees an opportunity for a photo that was missed, she will ask you to just go back and do something again. Her photos are breathtaking. I could not be happier. I highly recommend her, and I will definitely be hiring her again, any chance I get. - Carissa Wise

My daughter, Chloe and I so enjoyed our shoot with Ashley. We felt at ease with her immediately and Chloe quickly asked if they could be friends. She wants to hang out with her on the regular. I love Ashley's style and the relaxed time she spent with us. I adore every moment she preserved for us. It would be ideal to have her over quarterly to capture our family as we are. - Tracy Flaming

When I think of someone who has an amazing way of seeing and sharing what she sees around her, I immediately think of Ashley. She has this gorgeous, unique way of capturing light and her subjects, with a bit of grit and a lot of raw honesty. Combine this skill and truth with her sunny California surroundings and she has the ability to create amazing beauty. When we were going to be visiting California for Thanksgiving I was thrilled that she had some availability to fit us in for a session. While I had met Ashley before, the rest of my family had only once been introduced to her for a brief moment. She was thoughtful and so sweet to work with, while still being able to zero in on exactly what she was looking for. My girls loved every minute of our session, and our family has this really lovely documentation of our time together.                - Kelsey Gerhard