Hi! I’m Ashley Cousino of Ashley Len Photography. I’m from a tiny little town in the bottom-right corner of the Mitten… aka southeastern Michigan. My specialties are candid, natural-light newborn & child photography; but I’m also experienced in Weddings & engagements, High School Senior photography & portraits, families, maternity, & boudoir photography. So basically, a little bit of everything! Along with photography, I’m a full-time nursing student working part-time in a Newborn Intensive Care Unit, and when I’m not studying or working (what’s “not studying or working”, right?), I’m planning a wedding and making our first house a home.
Just like most of the photographers out there, I’ve been taking pictures for practically my whole life. I honestly cannot remember how old I was or what my first camera even was... all I knew was that I was a happy camper because I always had a camera in my hand. I never took a photography class, nor did I ever even truly know what all the buttons and settings meant on my camera; all that mattered to me was that I was capturing moments to last forever.
I finally got, what I like to call, my “big girl camera”, along with that handy-dandy Photoshop in 2013. If I thought before that I didn’t know how to use my point-and-shoot camera, then I REALLY didn’t know how to use my new DSLR. Regardless, I decided to capture a few photos of a toddler releasing a monarch butterfly just for fun and to practice with my new camera. I posted them on Facebook for his mother and I got so much attention from that little ‘session’ that I had completely booked my entire summer within a matter of a week. It was so flattering and absolutely mind-blowing that someone other than me liked my work! Although I had been snapping pictures for as long as I could remember, I just never imagined myself being an actual photographer.. where people actually search for my name, and recognize my work, and ask me to be there to capture their special day or occasion. It truly is the biggest blessing.
Newborn photography is by far my favorite... there is something about those sleeping little beauties that I just can't get enough of! And the baby bits! Those are my favorite! I also adore capturing the life and energy in children; so carefree, happy, and always on an adventure. I could click my shutter all day at either one. I'm also crazy about capturing the love and happiness between two soulmates, families, and friends.. whether that be at a wedding or an engagement session, or even if it’s a small little session at home with just the immediate family. It’s so exciting to me to capture the excitement of a graduating senior and telling their story before they go on to do great things. And I’ll tell ya, there is truly something wonderful about maternity & boudoir sessions; making a woman feel beautiful and powerful and sexy, or doing all of those things while preparing to welcome baby, is so awesome.
I strive to capture exactly what I see so I can remember exactly how I felt in that moment. I want to capture the wonders of the world. The joys in life. The beautiful things that make life worth living. A smile. A kiss. A giggle. The little lips of a newborn. The big day that changes lives. I like to capture real life. I love capturing candid moments that unfold naturally throughout the day… to capture a true laugh- that’s my absolute favorite and something I hope for with every session. I have a knack for finding beauty outdoors... I have used studio lights and have captured many memories indoors, but my work truly shines outside in natural light, and that's what I enjoy the most. My editing style is either soft and creamy or vibrant and loud, depending on what I feel the focus of the photo is trying to portray. But either way, I like to keep the photos natural.
I'm so blessed to be able to capture this beautiful thing we call life. Being a photographer is so rewarding, but the most rewarding part is seeing the happiness in the faces of my clients when I’ve done my job right. When I’ve told their story exactly how they envisioned it, that’s the stuff right there.
I could go on and on for days about my story, but I’d rather tell yours.
COMPANY: Ashley Len Photography
WEBSITE: http://ashleylenphotography.com