We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ali Tso Longo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ali below.
Ali, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I was a gymnast for seventeen years of my life and I believe that directly impacted and shaped who I am today! Resilience is not innate, but it is built from overcoming challenges and perseverance. Gymnastics was a very demanding sport filled with injuries, mental toughness, dedication, discipline, and commitment. It was really tough! But I’m so thankful for that experience because it cultivated so many values and characteristics that I carry with me in every aspect of my life.
Gymnastics was not only physically demanding, but it taught me the value of mental toughness. The sport required a resilient mind to overcome fear and self doubt. I had to train my mind to stay focused, confident, and in constant pursuit of excellence. I learned how to set goals, manage my time effectively, push through exhaustion, and learn from my failures. I am no stranger to hard work, so starting a business sounded like an exciting challenge!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I specialize in portrait photography! I think it’s SO incredible that I get to celebrate and document tangible moments that people can cherish for a lifetime. Photography has become the most rewarding career I’ve ever experienced. I get to meet and connect with so many amazing people and there are always new things that I learn from everyone I meet.
I feel more inspired by fashion photography and I can see how that influences my work. I love the artistic element to it! I can help style my clients wardrobe and capture little details that have a touch of editorial photography to it. I just think it’s beautiful and timeless.
I love to keep my photoshoots very playful and light-hearted. I think it is so cool that I get to capture joy and love and beauty for a living. Photography should be fun and I want everyone to leave feeling confident and inspired.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, I can see how all of my experiences play so well into my photography business! I touched earlier on the resilience, strength and work ethic I learned from gymnastics. But I also learned people skills through my psychology education, serving at restaurants through college, and my job as a chiropractic assistant. You can have all the technical skills in the world as a photographer, but without the connection with people it seems pointless. I truly believe that any gift or craft should be used to help love and encourage others.
As a portrait photographer, establishing a connection to my subjects are what helps them feel comfortable and at ease. It helps them express themselves authentically and I can capture genuine moments and emotions. I want people to feel confident and radiant! I want them to cherish not only the final photos, but remember the experience and how fun it was! So I would advice to remember the bigger picture that your art or business is about loving and serving others.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I have a growth mindset and am naturally very curious. So even though I think it beneficial to use our strengths, I also think it is very important to improve the areas that you might not be naturally as strong in. I don’t like to limit myself on what I can do and I really believe that any area in life can be learned and developed. While excelling in one area might bring some level of success, I think that well rounded people can have a much more fulfilling and balanced life!
For example, when I first had an interest in photography, I had no previous experience or explanation on why I wanted to try it. It just looked fun! I had an athletic background and did not consider myself to be creative. But I’m so glad that I wasn’t afraid to start from the beginning and try something new. I can now see how drawing from my previous experiences to help nurture creative and problem solving. So don’t be afraid to lean in to new experiences. You never know how it can shape you and open more doors in the future!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alitsophoto.com
- Instagram: @alitsophoto
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/alitsophoto
- Linkedin: Ali Tso
Image Credits
Ali Tso Photography, LLC
