We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Kidder. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.
Ashley, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
It has to be from my granddad, Paul. Born in 1922, he had a front-row seat to the Great Depression. During this time, his family lost nearly everything. His father became depressed and couldn’t will himself out into the world to find a way to support his family financially. Instead, my granddad, merely a kid at the time, stepped up in his place and put himself in the workforce to put food on the table for his siblings and parents. He went on to get a J.D. in patent law from George Washington University in 1963, with which he pursued a successful patent law career that spanned just over 30 years. He passed in 2002, but even up until this time he was still riding his bike to work, four miles each way, writing patents for drug delivery mechanisms (like sustained release medications) on that classic yellow legal paper. Though I hope to retire and spend a few more years in leisure than my granddad did, I certainly believe I take on his attitude towards work in my everyday life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
For the last 15 years, I’ve served Denver as a photographer in some capacity, starting as a wedding photographer and now morphing into a boudoir photographer. Currently, I shoot boudoir primarily (along with family photos in the fall usually) and work out of my home studio just a mile from downtown Denver — probably the best work-from-home setup you can have as a photographer! I love working out of my home. It provides a cozy, familiar element for my clients when they arrive, helping them feel at ease when they walk in and prepare to disrobe for their photos. We do hair and makeup in my kitchen, where we chit-chat and get to know each other more while prepping for the boudoir session, which takes place in my larger second bedroom that I’ve outfitted to be a proper photography studio. The backdrops featured in my photos range from original exposed brick (my building was constructed in 1896!), delicate white lace, and neutral furniture pieces so that my clients can wear any color or style of lingerie.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Time management is the real deal. I value my time more than I value anything else in my business, as it’s something that we can never get back. I like to make sure I don’t overbook myself so that I can (1) stay true to my work-life balance commitment and (2) stay true to my clients. I don’t want to deliver a subpar experience to my clients, and I also don’t want to let my relationships dwindle in favor of work. Hustle culture isn’t a thing for me, especially in a post-pandemic world, which showed us that work can stop for months at a time and things will turn out (mostly) okay. Years ago, I used to stay up until three in the morning editing photos and would respond to client messages at all hours. These are things I no longer do, and it’s more than that now — these are things that I *must* do. I have to have separation from my business in order to enjoy my personal life, so I make sure I stay committed to the boundaries that separate my personal life from my work life.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal Denver boudoir client is someone who (in no particular order, and of course, is not limited to) loves museums, the arts, bird-watching, Red Rocks concerts, dog park days, microbrewery patios, staying active, city things, seeing the latest blockbuster at the movie theater, 90s music, Keanu Reeves, those awful Twilight movies (unironically), getting out of the country, lifting weights, disco music, and of course, themselves! Boudoir photography, in my opinion, is a form of self-care. Sure, many of my clients gift their boudoir photos to their partner on the eve of a wedding, or birthday, or anniversary. But deep down? It’s a gift for my clients first and foremost. They pick their outfits, the makeup, the hairstyling, the final photos that go in the album or box of prints. At the end of the day, boudoir is something you do for you. It’s art that you end up sharing with your loved ones. *You* are the art, and I can’t think of anything else that’s more indulgent and caring and empowering to treat yourself to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ashleykidderboudoir.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleykidderboudoir/
Image Credits
Main headshot: Adena Rossiter
Pizza headshot: Kimberly Mitiska
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