are in for a treat this morning… or afternoon. I think 11:45am is still the morning…especially on days when I wake up at 10:30! I don’t get to do that very often but right now I’m at VA Tech visiting my sister and her sweet roomies. So I’m acting like I’m in college again…. checking FB too much, eating cereal at 1am and sleeping in half the day. Ahhhh, it’s so nice. I miss this life! So anyway, back to your treat! You get to meet The FABULOUS Ali Williamson today. Seriously. Ali is one of those girls that you meet and instantly think “aww… she’s a sweetheart and I secretly want to be best friends”.
She’s so genuine and down to earth! I really got to know Ali during WPPI last year and it was a great time! During our time together in Vegas, Jill, Ali and I jokingly decided to do a fun styled shoot for Jill’s bridal portraits. We put a random date on the calendar and guess what! It HAPPENED! We made it work and we all met at Jill and Buddy’s farm last April! It was awesome and Ali is the BEST dog hearder I’ve ever seen!:) Ali has a fantastic style and I was so excited when she moved to VA! I’m still hoping for a double date sometime with her and her husband sometime! (Ali we need to make that happen! Ok? Ok!) So enjoy this little interview of December’s Feature Friday Photographer!! Have a GREAT weekend everyone!!
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1. Who are you? Where are you located? And if you could have a $1000 giftcard to any store, what store would that be?
I’m Ali! Ali ‘B’ to my momma and grandma, but Ali Williamson to everyone else. I’m a wedding and portrait photographer based in central VA. I really struggled over this $1000 question. Would I want to decorate my apartment? Replace my wardrobe? Go on vacation? Maybe a little of it all… I’d want a $1000 gift card to the Charleston Farmer’s Market. I can’t help a good mixture of fresh food, jewelry, pottery, decor, and southern goodness all wrapped up in history and palm trees.
2. Tell us about your business! How did you get started? When did you fall in love with wedding photography?
3. Tell us about your all time favorite wedding that you have shot in the past! What did you love about it?
4. How did you decide on your branding?
5. During your first year of business, what is one thing that you would have done differently?
I felt a ton of pressure to be a world known wedding photographer. The next J*. I wanted 1000 inquires. I wanted to be able to turn people down. To be this ideal wedding photographer I made up in my head. I compared myself to others, tried to mimic their editing techniques…UGH! It is hard living up to anyone’s expectations, let alone my own! This is what I would do differently: Draw up a vision. Draw up practical goals that will lead you onward toward that vision. And even then, draw up practical steps that will help you achieve those goals. There is no way I want to be the photographer I described. That was not my own vision. That is a mixture of what I think everyone else wants. Plus, none of that stuff is even practical for the way I’ve been called to live my life. So, in a round-a-bout way, I’d just start out more organized and confident about who I am, and the person I’m called to be. [So vague I know. Katelyn, these questions are what books are made of!] For those of you who are wrestling with this right now, I’d find a good friend and have a brainstorming session about you and your business, and talk about those things! Vision, Goals, and Steps!
6. What is your favorite part of the wedding day?
7. List two goals you have for 2011! They can be as big as shoot a wedding in Fiji! Or as small as reorganize my craft closet! Haha.
8. Who has been your biggest supporter and encourager for your business? Who is your cheerleader?
9. How would you describe your style?!
10. What inspires you?
Thanks for reading!
— Katelyn
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