Ashley Strong Smith Reviews
Reviews
5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
50 Reviews
100% recommend it
Awards
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Zing Sent on 11/06/2023
AMAZING Professional Photographer!!!
Ashley was our wedding photographer and she did an AMAZING job! She was our preferred vendor from the start and she exceeded our expectations! We did our engagement photo with her and the results was absolutely stunning! Her pictures are so vibrant and brings out the best possible pictures one can hope for. Her level of professionalism and her charming personality made our experience truly wonderful. If you are thinking of hiring a professional photographer for your special event, please hire Ashley as she will deliver above your expectations!!! -
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![Sarah]()
Sarah H. Sent on 01/21/2023Bright, Airy, and Natural Photographer
While Ashley and I attended the same high school, I originally reconnected with her after I saw that she photographer another high school friend’s wedding. I started following her photography on Instagram well before I met my now husband. When my husband and I began dating and I knew I would marry him one day, I knew I had to have Ashley be our photographer. Not even a few weeks after being engaged I reached out to Ashley to connect and discuss hiring her as our wedding photographer. And honestly, it was the best decision we made for our wedding other than marrying each other. Both my husband and I are very camera shy and hate having our photos taken, but Ashley made us so comfortable it was like we were hanging out and catching up with a close friend rather than having someone take pictures of us. Her bright and natural photography style is exactly what we were looking for in a society where highly edited and photoshopped styles are popular. From our engagement shoot in the San Bernardino Mountains to our wedding at Lake San Marcos, Ashley embraced us and the natural scenes around us which is exactly what we wanted with an outdoor wedding in November. She worked diligently with us on our timeline to make sure we wouldn’t miss the sunset with our winter wedding and on the day of the wedding she made sure we were happy and as relaxed as we could be, that we had a drink in our hands post ceremony and even brought me an extra slice of cake after our cake cutting. Not even a week after the wedding she had sneak peak of photos ready for us to look at. There is not a picture she took and presented to us that we don’t love. I would love for her to photograph every major moment in our married life together and highly recommend her.Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Sarah - oh my heart! Oh my heart! Am I ever so grateful for you and Ken! Thank you soooooo much for the deep honest and trust in getting to document both your engagement and wedding portraits! I am in awe of your love, your incredible connection and bond! It's been such a blessing getting to be a part of this incredibly scared time in your lives! Your wedding was one of my all time favorites! Those colors giving me all the feels! Congrats again! I appreciate you dearly! -
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Brindusa D. Sent on 03/09/2022
The Most Amazing Day
The moment we had our first phone conversation with Ashley, we were immediately drawn to her positive, vibrant personality, and we knew that we had found our wedding photographer.
Ashley really makes you think about your wedding vision, something we hadn’t really put too much thought into until she came into the picture (pun intended).
She truly wants to know her couples, their story, which makes for a more personal experience. She quickly becomes your friend, not just your wedding photographer.
Our favorite aspect of working with Ashley is her skill of making us feel super comfortable in front of the camera, all nervousness and shyness gone (we must admit we had some wine before our engagement session that also helped😉, but that was not needed anymore the wedding day). Ashley made us feel like we were alone in front of the camera, made us focus on each other and in the moment, without worrying about what was happening around us.
Needless to say, all her pictures are absolutely GORGEOUS. She made an amazing job capturing all the important moments of the day, from the first look pictures to the ceremony, reception, and all the details in between. Her pictures make us relive the wedding day over and over.
Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Oh my heart! You two are truly some of the most the sincere, genuine, all around incredible human beings! I am beyond honored to have been witness to and document your insanely magical wedding and engagement. I cried with so much happiness, all throughout your wedding day as love, was so deeply felt! Thank you for such a sacred love, trust and honor. Congrats again you two! -
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![Andi]()
Andi C. Sent on 02/02/2022Amazingly talented and overall wonderful soul!
Stop what you are doing and HIRE ASHLEY RIGHT NOW! I found Ashley on Instagram and immediately fell in love with her work. From the moment we had our first phone call, I knew I would be hiring her - not only for her vision but for her amazing personality and overall just fabulous spirit. I hired Ashley before we even had a date or venue set. Before our engagement photos, she truly took the time and got to know my fiancé and I. She carefully picked out locations that best fit our personality and even made sure we could have an animal friendly location to make sure our two Labs made it into our photos. Both of us being camera shy, Ashley made us feel comfortable and she was silly which helped us relax a lot. Her preparation and communication before the wedding was unmatched. She was perhaps the most prepared person on the day of our wedding. Ashley handled my VERY large family, including an unruly uncle, with poise and reverence. She, again, made us all feel at ease in front of the camera. She truly is the best vendor we worked with and I'd hire her over and over. All our photos - engagement and wedding - turned out to die for. I cried with each photo because of how perfectly Ashley captured our perfect day, with our perfect dogs, and our amazing friends and family. I plan have Ashley continue to capture all of our amazing life events going forward. Hire her!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Oh my heart! Are you really trying to make me cry like this? Truly, thank you for this incredibly sincere, thoughtful and loving review. I have been beyond honored getting to witness and document your engagement, wedding and the entire journey throughout the process. Your love, is sensational, beautiful and truly inspirational. I couldn't be happier for you both as your adventure to a whole new country. Keep loving each other so deeply. Cannot wait till our worlds connect again! -
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![Kimberly]()
Kimberly T. Sent on 11/04/2021Made our wedding day!
Hiring Ashley for our wedding was the single best decision we made! Not only did the photos turn out beautifully, but also the day went so much smoother because of her help! We threw together a very last-minute, backyard COVID wedding, and thankfully Ashley was available. She was so responsive and worked very quickly with us to make all the arrangements. She worked really hard in advance to understand (and help us think through!) what type of photos we wanted. She also helped us figure out the best timeline for the ceremony and other wedding events.
The day of, Ashley arrived early and immediately set to work figuring out the best spots for photos in our Airbnb. She was so organized and took the helm on making sure everything went smoothly that day. The florist actually thought Ashley was our wedding coordinator (which she basically functioned as!). I can honestly say our wedding day went so much better thanks to Ashley’s help. Ashley’s bright and cheerful personality set everyone at ease, and we are very happy with the photos. I cannot recommend Ashley enough! She is so talented and such a wonderful person, we just love her!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Awe Kimberly, thank you so much for the trust, the honor and the privilege of witnessing and documenting your love. I truly appreciate your trust during the most magical day of your lives! So much love to you both! Congrats again! -
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![Nicole]()
Nicole Sent on 11/17/2018Quick, easy, friendly, professional, TALENTED
Our first experience with Ashley was a friends wedding, she was LOVINGLY nicknamed Bulldog after the guys realized she meant business! Don’t let the size fool you, this woman runs the show! I loved her interactions with everyone throughout the evening, and then seeing the final product really solidified my obsession. I decided to book her for my own engagement shoot. I was clear from the beginning,
I’m not a frilly, picky, sassy gal, I just want a comfortable shoot, and please dear god don’t make me smile for too long. She immediately suggested scheduling a “holiday mini shoot”. Done. She’s the sweetest, easiest person to work with. I didn’t have to think about anything, how do I pose, does my hair look ok, what’s my best side? We walked away feeling relieved and excited! Geoffrey and I have been together for 9 years, we’ve never had professional photos taken before, and I’m so glad we waited for Ashley to do them! Ashley, you are perfection!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Ah Nicole, you two are the best! "Bulldog" is most definitely a new nickname, but one that I will proudly stand behind! Thank you for sharing your love, creating the honor of getting to document and tell this part of your story! I am so grateful for you! Congrats again! :) -
Ryan S. Sent on 05/09/2019
Exquisite Quality Curated with Loving Care
I have been using the services of Ashley Strong Photography for my family and my business for years! Recently I was able to marry the love of my life, and who did we plan the wedding around..... ASHLEY and we had to make sure she was available. There wasn't going to be a wedding without her photography! She has taken pictures of my work events, our family holiday photos, the birth of our baby girl, and capturing the intimate moments from our wedding. She hustles to get the "shot", while making sure she never interrupts the moment. She understands TRUE LOVE and finds a way to capture the energy between you and your partner. Every part of the process is very well detailed and planned. She wont miss a moment of this special day. I couldn't recommend her more highly to anyone looking for those special shots of your day.Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Ryan and Mary! My goodness, you're bringing tears to my eyes over here! It has truly been such an honor to witness and document so many MAGICAL moments in your lives! Watching the two of you exchange vows, with your family and loved ones there to witness, was by far one of the greatest moments! Thank you for trusting me in documenting lives greatest moments! I adore you both so much! -
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![Jamie]()
Jamie N. Sent on 07/22/2020Ashley goes way beyond her role as photographer!
Ashley goes well beyond professionalism, to the point that you feel like your wedding is as important to her as it is to you. She communicated with us frequently throughout our year of planning, and especially in our final weeks. She even visited the area surrounding our venue before the wedding, just so she could find any hidden spots for pictures.
She asks for your insight and inspiration, but knows when to add her own touch and talent. Most importantly, she is a dream to work with on the actual wedding day. Whether it was sharing calming words with the bride, or herding 10 rowdy groomsmen, she knew exactly what to do to get all the shots, and make the day flow seamlessly. Ashley did way more than take our photos, she was essentially a second coordinator.
We recently got all of our photos back from Ashley- and WOW. As if I wasn't already blown away by her talents, she truly outdid herself. She knows exactly how to capture the perfect mood lighting of every scene. She knows where to whisk you off to get the best golden hour portraits. She truly has a talent that is irreplicable. She then also applies that talent to her social media presence. Seeing Ashley's words about our love on her blog, instagram, and facebook made us feel SO special (and teary-eyed).
I strongly encourage you to hire you for your event, family portraits, etc.!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Jamie and Chad! You have tears in my eyes! Thank you so much for the honor of getting to witness and document your wedding day! And thank you for this immensely thoughtful review and reflection on your experience working with Ashley Strong Photography. I absolutely love what I do and to hear it translate the way it does, gives me so much inspiration! I appreciate and adore you both and couldn't be more excited for you! Truly such an honor documenting your love and special day. Congrats again! -
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Ashton R. Sent on 02/24/2020The. Best. Ever!
There are not enough words to express the appreciation we have for Ashley. She is a master at what she does and we will be asking her to capture all family milestones moving forward. We had looked through Ashley’s portfolio and were immediately drawn to the brightness of each photo. She first captured our engagement photos and we were completely blown away by the entire process. Ashley has a way of putting you at ease and truly capturing honest and raw emotion. We were in love with every single photo from our engagement session and we knew our wedding day would be no different. My favorite part about working with Ashley is that she treats every photo as if it is the only photo she will be taking that day. There is so much care and attention that goes into each snapshot. It is no surprise that we were also blown away by our wedding photos. They are bright, fun, and perfectly capture our personalities. We can’t wait to work with Ashley again soon and have since told everyone we know about her!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Ah, Shaina and Ashton! I have chills reading this! Thank you SO MUCH for your incredibly kind words and most importantly for the honor of getting to witness and document your wedding. Your love was truly so beautiful to capture as each time capsule so naturally came to life! Thank you again for all your love, support and sharing of your time capsules. I am infinitely grateful. -
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![Kate]()
Kate H. Sent on 11/15/2019Absolutely stunning photos! Hire Ashley now!
Can we give 6 stars?!?!?
Ashley is beyond amazing! Look no further for a photographer.
From our first FaceTime meeting we instantly connected. She listened to our story and helped us create our vision for our wedding photos. I'm so glad we did a first look and Ashley found the perfect location in Laguna Canyon. Not only is she crazy talented at capturing unreal lighting but she is just a rad person and I'm so stoked that she was a part of our special day. She is super professional, a great communicator, absolutely no stress and so good at organizing everyone for group photos at the ceremony. We were blown away by our album, all of the images were STUNNING and way better than ever expected! In my opinion hiring a good photographer is priceless because you'll have these images forever and you will not be disappointed!
Thank you Ashley!!!!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Oh Kate and Grant! Your smiles are seriously still do embedded in my heart! I cannot thank you enough for your sincere words as it was my honor to witness and document your magical day! Thank you for such trust! A huge congratulations again! -
Rebecca L. Sent on 11/16/2019
Ashley is absolutely amazing!
Matt and I can't say enough great things about Ashley! We are so glad we were able to find her during our extensive search for wedding photographers. Her beautiful sunlight images caught my eye immediately. From the first phone call Ashley made us feel so comfortable and a priority. She truly cares about what was important to us as a couple, and gave great suggestions along the way in areas we weren't too sure about. Neither my husband or I are big picture people, so I was worried we would end up looking forced or overly posed, especially since we didn't "practice" with engagement pictures due to living across the country. Worry not though- Ashley truly makes you feel like you are spending time with a friend, and captures the most amazing, natural looking photos. Ashley was such a dedicated photographer, and went out of her way the week of our wedding to find the perfect sunset location for us to sneak off to during cocktail hour. She made all the family shots go so smoothly, and kept us on track for our timeline allowing us to enjoy our day stress-free. I can't wait to have more photo sessions with Ashley in the future!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Rebecca and Matt - I cannot tell you what an honor it has been getting to know you both through getting to witness and document your wedding day! You two truly radiated with so much love, sincerity and ease! Thank you for the kind words and taking time to reflect on your experience as it inspires and warms my heart! Congratulations again! -
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Helen Sent on 10/20/2019
The most positive and talented photographer we could have asked for!
Ashley is absolutely who you want as a wedding photographer! My now husband booked her in Oceanside for his secret proposal to me and not only was she stealthy but captured some amazing photos after I said yes! Naturally, we booked her for our wedding too and the photos were stunning! Even being out of state in Arizona she was so easy to work with and explore photography ideas for our beach wedding. We received so many compliments on our photos, and for a couple that agrees they are not photogenic that’s huge! Lol not only that, but Ashley is so upbeat and positive that even after taking so many photos in the sun after the first look she helped keep us sane. She is detail oriented and knows exactly what will work and what won’t, for example our first look location did not have good sunlight so we moved to a different spot and I’m so glad we did! She is so talented and made me feel so beautiful! Ashley bottom line is just a joy to be around and we would book her again in a heartbeat!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Oh, Helen and Taylor it truly was such an honor getting to witness and document two monumental events in your life! Your proposal couldn't have been more adorable and your wedding was truly a dream! Heat and all, I loved every single moment of it! Congratulations again and thank you for the trust, honor and privilege of documenting your special day! -
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Nicole Sent on 11/19/2019
Absolutely Perfection
I planned my wedding date around Ashley’s availability. I had to have her for our wedding! All of my photos look like they belong in a magazine. She does such an amazing job and I couldn’t imagine using anyone else for our big day. Thank you Ashley!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Nicole! It was truly such an honor getting to document yours a Britt's wedding! You two were beyond stunning and your happiness shined through each and every smile! I adore you both and truly appreciate how supportive you were with having a flexible date to work with my schedule - my goodness, thank you! Congratulations again! -
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![Kileigh]()
Kileigh M. Sent on 03/23/2019Amazing experience!
I have been struggling to come up with the right words to describe my experience with Ashley Strong Photography because every encounter has been beyond my expectations. I am writing this review for the Brides out there who are photo obsessed like myself and think it is one of the most important aspects of your wedding day. The photographer you choose will have the responsibility of capturing one of the most special days of your life and those photos will be a gift to yourself and loved ones that will last a lifetime. To me that is PRICELESS. This is a responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly by you or your photographer. I was very selective when I was researching photographers and had a list of them to meet with. Ashley was the first and last photographer I spoke with because I KNEW she was the one I wanted to capture my special day. From the moment we connected, Ashley was nothing short of exceptional. She truly cares about your vision and wants to connect with you on a deeper level which shows in her pictures. Ashley has a creative mind that takes your photo session to the next level. One of my favorite things about her style is how she plays with the sun and uses the lighting to enhance your photos. She gives so much direction while making you feel so beautiful and comfortable in your own skin. It can be a little awkward being photographed and Ashley made it so fun and enjoyable. From the beginning Ashley has been upfront and transparent about communication, and when she found out she was expecting her first baby around the time of our wedding she contacted me immediately and was upfront and honest about the reality of her possibly not being able to shoot our wedding day. I was devastated because our engagement shoot with her was unbelievably perfect and I was sad to think she wouldn’t be there for our big day. I was blown away by her commitment and dedication to work out a solution to be there for us on our wedding day in some way. She truly cares about her commitment to you. Ashley’s passion for capturing life is so beautiful and shows in each photo she takes. For me, establishing this relationship will be one that will last beyond the wedding day, as we plan to hire Ashley to capture all our big moments in life!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW and did I say WOW?!? My goodness, are you trying to make me cry? I'll never forget our first phone call. Before it ended, you asked me, "As a bride, what are your expectations from me?" Seriously?!? I've never had a bride ask that very question before and it truly tugged on all my heart strings as this is a photographic exchange, a relationship being created. To me, to my couples, it is more than a transaction, it is a seeing, knowing, hearing! I truly appreciate you and Tim so much and couldn't be more grateful for you understanding, respect, trust and love! It's been an honor getting to know you both and I hope this is only the beginning! Congratulations again! it's been an honor documenting this part of your journey! Such big hugs my friend! -
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![Anna]()
Anna Sent on 03/14/2019Amazing experience!
Ashley did our engagement shoot at Laguna Beach, and WOW! She did an amazing job. She made us feel super comfortable, since we were both a little nervous. We had never been photographed before. She helped us with our outfit choices, and had such an eye for every detail! I now have so many photos of my fiance and I that are not only gorgeous, but that really capture that love and joy we wanted to portray.
She knew exactly what to say when we didn't know exactly how to stand, and made us laugh. Honestly, it was just a really fun day! Thank you so much, Ashley. You made our engagement shoot a fun activity and a great day to remember!!!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Ah Anna and Spencer! You two have been a dream to work with! Thank you for being so incredibly supportive and graceful! You two were glowing throughout your entire engagement session of which I know is a direct reflection of your immense love! Congratulations again! iIt's been an honor documenting this part of your journey! -
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Jami Sent on 09/24/2018Ashley is SO professional, but makes you feel like you’re hanging out with your best friend. Aside from her amazing photos and artistic abilities, she makes you feel so comfortable in front of the camera! I cannot say enough great things about Ashley!!! ♥️ I’m super bummed that she’s already committed to another wedding on our wedding date, but SO grateful that she was able to do our engagement photos, & quickly to boot! ♥️ LOVE LOVE LOVE Ashley!!!!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Jami and Orson,
Ahhhhhhh! I just appreciate you SO MUCH! Although I am so bummed I won't be there to document your wedding, thank you for the honor of documenting your engagement portraits! I just feel so honored to have been able to tell this part of your love story! You two have such a beautiful family! Congrats again!
Much love, Ashley -
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Erica L. Sent on 03/29/2019
Engagement Photos
Where do I even begin?!?! Ashley was referred to me by a friend, I was given her blog info and I immediately was captivated by her work at that time most of her work was a cultural photography based out in Africa yet her work outshined for what I was looking for.
My husband and I were in the midst of possibly planning a destination wedding so we wanted to do our engagement photos as quickly as possible to send out save the dates. Therefore, I immediately contacted Ashley and just her presence over the phone- I knew she was the one for the job! She was so friendly, energetic and professional and she quickly became available, suggested locations and even recommended to set up a Pinterest board with our ideas, poses, etc.
The day of the photos she and her assistant Lux were beyond early scoping the location and both were so full of great vibes! Ashley made us feel so comfortable, it was as we had known her for years! Her sense of humor and passion for what she does shined through every frame and we couldn't have been happier with the results of our engagement photos at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and LACMA. -
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Erica L. Sent on 03/29/2019
Engagement Photos
Where do I even begin?!?! Ashley was referred to me by a friend, I was given her blog info and I immediately was captivated by her work at that time most of her work was a cultural photography based out in Africa yet her work outshined for what I was looking for.
My husband and I were in the midst of possibly planning a destination wedding so we wanted to do our engagement photos as quickly as possible to send out save the dates. Therefore, I immediately contacted Ashley and just her presence over the phone- I knew she was the one for the job! She was so friendly, energetic and professional and she quickly became available, suggested locations and even recommended to set up a Pinterest board with our ideas, poses, etc.
The day of the photos she and her assistant Lux were beyond early scoping the location and both were so full of great vibes! Ashley made us feel so comfortable, it was as we had known her for years! Her sense of humor and passion for what she does shined through every frame and we couldn't have been happier with the results of our engagement photos at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and LACMA.Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Erica and Luis, way to rock my WORLD! Ah, I couldn't be more grateful for the both of you and getting to take part in and document some of the most magical times in your lives! Every single photographic exchange and interaction felt as if I was reconnecting with an old friend. Your love is truly radiant and your joy for family and community just rocked my world! Getting to witness and document your Cancun wedding was truly such an honor! I am infinitely grateful for the both of you, all the love and trust and for taking the time to leave such an empowering, thorough review! Congratulations again! I can't wait to see you again (soon)! -
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Hannah Sent on 09/06/2018Ashley was absolutely amazing from the very beginning of our interaction.. she checked the boxes for everything I was looking for in a photographer, and SO MUCH MORE!
She is extremely helpful and accommodating. She scheduled my photo-shoot within 3-4 days of our first phone call (I very a VERY engagement, so this was huge.) The awesome part was that she genuinely cared about what I wanted and was willing to do whatever it took to help make "my vision" come to life in a very short time-frame. She provided her number to me and told me to text her with any questions I have regarding outfits, etc - such a HUGE help! It was nice because she knows what colors, styles, etc. work with the setting. She wants to make sure your photos turn out how you're envisioning them to turn out.
Setting:
My photos were taken in Laguna Beach on the sand, in the water, on top of rocks, etc. Ashley wasn't afraid to do what it took to capture a great photo- and man, did it pay off!!
Contract/ Terms/ Processing:
Her contract and payment terms were very simple and easy to process. Many other vendors I have worked with leave me asking questions regarding "what's next".. not with Ashley- she provided the full scope and what to expect from the beginning. It was nice to finally not have to think about it all so much and know that she was going to take care of this part. (Such a relief when wedding planning!!)
Photo Turnaround Time:
Lastly, her turnaround time for edited photos were unreal. She was able to expedite them for me and they turned out incredible, and I was able to add them to my website and wedding invitations in time!
I can't say enough great things about Ashley Strong Photography! Thank you again, Ashley!Ashley Strong Smith's reply:
Hannah and Brett,
I cannot thank you enough for the honor of getting to document your engagement portraits! You two were truly a dream to work with! I am overjoyed by your love for your time capsules and cannot wait to watch them come to life! Congratulations again!
Love, Ashley -
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