Applause

February 27, 2009

nici33Imagine 7:15 on a cool Spring Saturday morning. Pink blossoms beginning to open on peach trees in a peach orchard. A chill in the air. Two cranky girls that wanted to sleep late and a 7 month old that was ready for nap. A mama that forgot to bring the white cardigans to ward off the chill. That’s the setting for our photo session with Ashley. Amazingly, she had the girls giggling within minutes, frolicking in the dewey grass and having a tea party. The baby was full of smiles centered on Ashley. When all was said and done, she captured the most magical photos of my children and gave me a treasured gift that I will cherish for my lifetime–a precious moment in time caught forever. I highly recommend Ashley. She’s an extremely accomplished, client-focused photographer, with an eye for the smallest of details. I am really looking forward to booking another session with her and seeing what tricks she pulls out of her bag.

Nici C.
Columbia, SC
family session

mevansAshley Ward is, without a doubt, the most talented portrait photographer I have ever worked with. Her pictures captured the essence of our family in such a natural and beautiful way. Both colors and personalities pop under her guidance! The twist she puts on pictures is very modern and cutting edge. This is a lady who knows her stuff. The product range offered is diverse and unusual, making the outcome a real treasure. Not to mention Ashley packages everything so beautifully it is a work of art within itself! After describing all of these wonderful attributes about Ashley’s photography, Ashley’s calm, reassuring demeanor is just one more outstanding piece of the experience. I love getting pictures made but the process itself is usually frenzied and makes me panic stricken trying to coordinate the children’s attire and their demeanor during the shoot. Ashley is so experienced in child photography that nothing phases her and she knows tricks to get the perfect shot in the midst of chaos.
Ashley is truly the total package.

Marissa E.
Leesville, SC
family session

beckys34I first learned about Ashley through a friend, as I hear about many photographers. I pulled up her website on the computer and browsed through every picture available. There wasn’t a blog at that time. It has been established since and I just love it! There was something different about her work in comparison to some of the others I had taken the time to look through. Her photographs not only seemed to capture the “normal” moments in families lives, they were truly a work of art.

My son has never enjoyed being photographed. It has been a challenge to capture certain moments in his life because he totally shuts down when a camera comes out. This was different with Ashley. Our first meeting was at a park. He played and took part in normal 2 1/2 year old experiences while she went to work. At times, I forgot for a second that she was taking pictures. I know he did too! Not only does she have a calming way about her that makes the experience feel natural and enjoyable, but this girl was born to photograph. It’s an art and she is very talented!

Becky S.
Lexington, SC
2 family sessions

38cherisewebDuring my pregnancy, I began looking for a photographer for maternity and newborn pictures. Initially, the search was pretty grim until I came across Ashley’s website. I was simply blown away at her images. I contacted her immediately for a session.

Not only is she a talented photographer, she is the consummate professional. Ashley’s attention to detail and cheerful personality really sold me. Her patience with children, especially newborns are an asset. I will continue to use Ashley Ward Photography in the future and refer my friends and family.

Cherise S.
Columbia, SC
Newborn & 6 month sessions

hoover2Ashley Ward was truly a pleasure to work with! My husband and I first met Ashley when we were 34 weeks pregnant and having maternity photos taken in our home. Although I loved being pregnant, I still felt the obvious insecurities of my new added baby weight. Ashley was professional and conscientious of my privacy during the entire shoot. She made me feel comfortable while she captured that very special time and made me look beautiful in the finished product!

We then had Ashley back in our home after the birth of our son. As a new mom, the thought of having someone come in to our home and photograph our new little baby at just 5 days old was very overwhelming. We put our trust in Ashley and decided to go forward with the shoot…And we are so happy we did! Ashley was kind, gentle and patient with our new little one. William, our son, was a less than perfect subject…refusing to fall into a deep slumber and having accidents on Ashley’s beautiful blankets! Nothing seemed to upset Ashley, she smiled through it all. And the best part about working with Ashley is the finished product! The pictures we received are truly treasures. She captured moments during the photo shoot that we never even knew existed. My husband and I couldn’t have been
happier to have her in our home and look forward to working with Ashley in the future.

Brianne H.
Columbia, SC
maternity & newborn sessions

thuntsI’ve had the pleasure of working with Ashley now for almost 4 years. I feel so blessed to have been able to share some of my most cherished moments with her. She has not only been a wonderful photographer but someone I am happy to call a friend. I deeply value the trust I have in her ability to capture my family in a way that represents who we are. It is amazing how a personality can be viewed in a photo but I see this in each session we’ve shared. Thank you so much for the effort, time and patience that you’ve given to my family each time we’ve been together. It will never be forgotten!

Tiffany H.
Columbia, SC
family, newborn, 6 month, & 1 year sessions

gmarksI simply cannot say enough wonderful things about Ashley Ward Photography! We had such a great experience with Ashley, from start to finish. She stayed flexible to ensure that she could photograph our newborn son as soon as possible after he was born. On the day of our session she was incredibly patient, letting him eat, nap, have diaper changes…whatever it took to make sure she captured the most beautiful images of our family. The images from our session are truly works of art and we feel so very lucky to have found Ashley! We hope she will continue to document our growing family for many years to come!

Ginny M.
Columbia, SC
newborn session

petty2These are amazing!!! I can’t get over these images! Every time I see them I cry – tears of thankfullnes, love & so much joy. Thanks to you I will always be able to re-live the emotion I was overwhelmed with in that moment. Your talent captured & forever encapsulated a moment in time that, luckily, I can now relive as many times as I want… all I have to do is look at my beautiful pictures….THANK YOU!!!!…….We LOVE our book.

Ashley P.
Irmo, SC
newborn & 1 year sessions

pettyI am Heath Petty’s mom and I want to tell you that the photograpy you made of my grandson absolutely took my breath. The photos are all so incredible! I can’t wait for the opportunity to purchase some of them. Each time I share the website proofs to anyone – the response is always the same … “she should enter these in a photo contest”!! WOW … I can’t express how proud I am of this baby boy and you have captured so much of his love and personality. Thank you so much for working with
my children and expressing your unbelievable talent with them!

…….I have looked at them over and over and it’s so hard to narrow down the list of the ones I want. Your love of photography is certainly expressed in each one and just looking at them makes me so proud!

Please feel free to use any of my message to you in your testimonial section. I can sincerely say that I will recommend your talent every chance I get!

Thanks again … I look forward to receiving my package!!
Paula P.
Mother of Irmo, SC client
newborn & 1 year sessions

ngainousAshley took pictures of our daughter on the beach just before her 1st birthday and I can say we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. She truly captured the beauty of our daughter and the happiness of our family. We know we’ll treasure our images for years to come.

Not only are our pictures beautiful, but we actually had lots of fun at our session. Ashley has a quiet gentleness about her that immediately makes you feel comfortable. We’ve already booked another session for the Fall and are so looking forward to it.

Ashley’s DVD presentation of your photos will bring you to tears and her delivery of your order, so beautifully wrapped in paper and bows, will make you feel like it’s Christmas!

Nancy G.
Columbia, SC
multiple family, maternity, & newborn sessions

robinAs an Esthetician and spa owner for seventeen years, I have made a career of helping women discover their beauty within and helping them to project that beauty in their everyday lives. This gift is rare and one that Ashley possesses. My sessions with her were incredible. She helped me to discover the child within that is sometimes too fearful to come out and play, and the woman that is sometimes too insecure to be sensual and confident. I love the finished product and have the portraits in my home. Whenever I pass them I am reminded to make sure that the woman that showed herself in those pictures doesn’t forget how powerful she really is. From my first meeting with Ashley to the delivery of the finished product, it was a truly unforgettable experience.

Robin Lee of Robin’s Nest
Columbia, SC
promotional & women’s session

christiesmI love working with Ashley – both in front of the camera as a subject, as well as behind the scenes as a makeup artist. I love her work so much that I find it hard to want to put any other photographer’s work in my portfolio!

Ashley makes you feel so comfortable and at ease during a shoot. She captures the essence of the people she’s photographing. And the way she works with color is amazing! She has a way of seeing the beauty in people that is truly a gift. I love that she helps empower women through the art of self expression. I believe seeing ourselves through the eyes of someone else helps us understand ourselves better. Give yourself or someone you love the gift of being seen through Ashley’s eyes!

Christi Stewart of Robin’s Nest
Columbia, SC
promotional & family session

gardIt was a pleasure to have Ashley Ward photograph my family. She captured the exact image I had my heart set on and envisioned above my fireplace, along with each one of my children’s individual personalities. Ashley made this a fun adventure for our family as we hiked around the lake, played in the leaves, and fed the geese. Thank you, Ashley, for taking such great care and time to make this experience so enjoyable for our family and for capturing wonderful photographs we will treasure forever.

Jennifer G.
Florence, SC
family session

cevansAshley’s photographs truly capture the magic of childhood. I love the brilliant colors, the playful style, and her ability to catch those moments that pass so quickly. My children have enjoyed their sessions because Ashley allows them to lead the way while she “simply” documents their curiosity and their own unique sense of fun.

While children don’t seem to need much instruction, I found, as a mom who had not had my own photograph taken without my children since my wedding almost 15 years ago, I did! Ashley was great. She would show me how to stand or sit and I have to say, I had a ball. And I love my own pictures! – Now how many times do you really get to say that?!

Catherine E.
Lexington, SC
family & women’s session

Ashley reached out to us when we had our second son and wanted to take some photos of him. She spent numerous hours at our house trying to get the “perfect shot.” She ended up getting many perfect shots, and we actually had a second session a few months later. Both sessions were great, and Ashley made us feel very comfortable. She is a unique and passionate photographer and has a true gift for her work. We can’t wait for the opportunity to use her again!

Melanie T.
Florence, SC
newborn/family session
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