Today we’d like to introduce you to Audrey West.
Hi Audrey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was a senior in high school, I asked for a camera for Christmas, with the desire to take more elevated photos just for fun! After a few months, some of my friends asked if I could take their senior photos. Of course I said yes, and I did most of them for free or maybe $30. I soon graduated high school and went off to college at Texas State University, and eventually made a photography Instagram account to showcase my work! As I joined a sorority and met new friends, more and more people began asking me to take their pictures. This is when I really realized how passionate I was about taking photos. Flash forward to my senior year of college, I was fairly busy taking senior photos as a side gig, primarily through word of mouth recommendations. I graduated college in 2022, and decided to take the corporate job route for a few years, but was still doing photoshoots here and there when I had time. After gaining experience from my most recent corporate job as a Marketing Strategist, I felt much more equipped to take my photography biz full time, and decided to launch Audrey West Photography, LLC in January 2025. While being a business owner can be a challenge, it has truly been a joy to fully pursue my passion of capturing special moments for my clients, and I look forward to continuing my journey as a photographer.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road, and some struggles I faced along the way included comparing myself to other photographers, feeling like my work wasn’t good enough, etc.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in portrait photography and would say I’m most known for taking senior photos and having a bright and airy editing style. A lot of my clients have mentioned they were drawn to my editing style and that’s one of the reasons they booked with me. I am proud to look back on my old work and see how far I have come after years of mostly self taught skills and learning through experience. I try to stand out as a photographer by making my clients noticeably feel welcomed and comfortable during their session, avoiding making them feel rushed through the session, and overall giving them the best experience possible.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
If you know someone who can be your mentor, I believe that is one of the most helpful ways to learn and grow even quicker! If you don’t know anyone, consider joining photography Facebook groups or purchasing a photography course or mentorship session from a photographer you love. Maybe reach out to another photographer who may also just be starting out and you can exchange helpful tips and tricks, and grow with each other! There are endless resources online and in real life to help you excel. I remember working at a boutique in high school and had a co-worker who was a photographer on the side, and simply talking to her and asking her questions here and there really made me jump into the photography world and feel hopeful that I could do it too from her encouragement. I am a visual learner and also learn best through talking to other people or watching videos/courses of other photographers teaching how they do certain things. Even if you aren’t able to purchase a course, YouTube and TikTok have unlimited amounts of free, helpful information! Networking with a variety of people is also great. I have gotten so many inquiries simply through word of mouth recommendations from people I have connected with or previously worked with.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @audreywestphotography
Image Credits
All photos by Audrey West Photography
