My name is Ashley Young, although I like being called Paige (middle name).
I consider myself an artist, more so than a ‘wedding photographer,’ because I like to create and really make connections with people.
My photography style is one that reflects the personalities of who I am photographing. I don’t necessarily like ‘making up’ a day, as I do storytelling about that day.

My photography is a variety of posed imagery, lifestyle imagery (unposed), fine art based images, and quirky moments that hopefully my clients remember more than any of the above styles I offer.

My workflow is one that is not heavily edited, although sometimes I like to play around with more fine art based photography. This means that I will not alter your body when I edit your images. I love how you look, and I think you should too. I do edit out the occasional zit when I find it necessary, but I won’t alter a body to reflect a body that does not exist. I think our world needs to slow down and find acceptance in people, and altering body types is a way to go against that mindset, as well as make the unattainable body ‘ideal’ even more unattainable… and to be honest I want my clients to look at their images knowing they are beautiful in every way, and they exist.

I have been photographing since I was 16.
I interned with a studio photographer for 2 years from 16-18.
Went to Lake Michigan Community College from 18-20 – where I studied Film photography, and received my associates in Art.
I studied at Grand Valley State University from 20-23, and graduated with a Bachelors degree in both Advertising and Photography, and received an Associates in Business.
I took two years off school and photographed on the side, while working at a full time real-estate office, where I photographed and managed social media, website and other online ‘things.’
But I got bored.
So in Fall of 2015 I went back to school at Kendall College Art and Design and started my Double Masters, one being in Fine Art Photography (MFA), and the other being in Visual and Critical Studies (MA). I graduated in May of 2018 with both degrees and now do full time photography as well as I teach at Grand Valley State University, Michigan State, and Kendall College of Art and Design.