Focal Photography By Ashton

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Focal Photography By Ashton Anything that can be photographed will be by me! Married, animal lover, mama to one, bird enthusiast, future teacher.

08/29/2026

Heya friends. I'm coming with some (sorta?) unexpected news. After taking some time to work on myself & my mental health, I've decided that dropping the photog biz for now (& maybe forever, who knows?) is something that is in my best interest.

As I've said many times, I started photography by getting into nature & learning about nature. Finding random bugs, searching for birds, chasing butterflies, & admiring plants. I stepped into the business side of it for the sake of those close to me that wanted photos on a whim & they graciously encouraged me to make something of myself with it. While I am very thankful that I have grown this business with each & every session, I just can't say that this is something I want to do with my life. I don't know all the bits & pieces of lighting, composition, locations, pricing, outfits, tips, editing or anything that gives me true confidence in what I'm doing. I went from appreciating nature to being inconvenienced by its inconsistencies. Finding the perfect background for my clients, looking for the perfect location, the perfect lighting, & the perfect pose. I went from loving everything about nature to being overly critical of it. It's a totally different game when you photograph people compared to nature. I wasn't prepared & I should've given myself more space to learn before taking on too much.

I want to learn to love photography again without all the technicalities of it... away from social media where things are harshly criticized & never loved by everyone. The thing I've always loved about my nature photography is that I've always been so proud of it, & I didn't need everyone else to love it too. I didn't need anyone to love it or give me feedback or pay me. I just did it because I thought that what I saw was an important memory I wanted to keep for myself. I wasn't doing it for anyone else.

All of this to say that I truly do appreciate everyone who gave me the coolest opportunities to learn & grow in portrait photography. I've met some awesome people, built amazing relationships, & found myself in ways I never would have without this business. I will still do sessions for family & close friends but I will not be taking any other clients. Thank you for supporting Focal Photography by Ashton as a business, but I need to draw that back in to what I originally loved because I need that. Remember, finding space for your mental health is okay. We all have things we love, things we hate, & things we do because we think we should. I've felt all of those things during my journey in portrait photography. I'm ready to end that cycle now.

Thank you forever,

Ashton ❤️

p.s. - if you are family or one of those close friends, reach out to me on my personal Facebook. I will no longer be checking with this page. 🫶🏼

Hey everyone! I'm sure you've noticed my silence over the last week or so. I've been working on my mental health & I thi...
07/28/2026

Hey everyone! I'm sure you've noticed my silence over the last week or so. I've been working on my mental health & I think I need to take some time away for a few months to work on myself & prioritize my needs.

At this time I will not be booking any dates for August or September. Any future bookings must be made in October or beyond. That will be the perfect time to start getting those fall sessions in & I would be so excited & happy if you chose me to capture those moments!

But for now, I need to rest. I need to work on myself, my family, & my friends.

Thank you for understanding & I hope you'll choose me again in the future. 🫶🏼

Looking for my dream client... OH! There you are!! Go on ahead & message me to book 🥰
07/15/2026

Looking for my dream client... OH! There you are!! Go on ahead & message me to book 🥰

Who... oh! Hey! It's me, Ashton Sydnor from Focal Photography by Ashton! I don't know if I ever really got to the nitty ...
07/14/2026

Who... oh! Hey! It's me, Ashton Sydnor from Focal Photography by Ashton! I don't know if I ever really got to the nitty gritty details with you guys on who I am, so here's my go at it...

I'm not very polished. My clothes always need lint rolled because of my 6 cats & german shepherd mix, & I don't like putting makeup on that much. My nails are never done & my hair is always up. You hardly ever find me wearing anything other than pajamas, t-shirts, or my newly discovered fashion choice of biker shorts, & this is all mainly because I have a beautiful two year old daughter to take care of & prioritize at home, & a hard-working husband that loves me no matter what.

I have always lived somewhere in the world of photography, but I also enjoy video games like Minecraft, creating activities on Teachers Pay Teachers, coaching soccer, & listening to twenty one pilots.

As someone who has tried lots of different hobbies, studied many different things, & can recite the most random facts (usually at the worst time), I can confidently assure you that anything you bring to my table is safe with me & will be captured to forever freeze those precious moments & attributes of your life. Nothing brings me more joy than making people happy & relaxed. After all, my favorite compliments I've received have nothing to do with my physical work. It's the way multiple clients have looked at me & said, "I just had so much fun. I felt so comfortable with you!" You'd think it would be so hard to keep someone comfortable when you're basically telling them to pretend to be statues. 😉

While working with natural light & natures beautiful backgrounds, we can create those fantasy stories together. So take a chance on me while you sit back (except... actually... sit up straight!) & let me make the magic happen. ✨

● Refer a Friend Program● What?? A super cool and easy way to get a $15 Amazon eGift Card and share the love for Focal P...
07/13/2026

● Refer a Friend Program●

What?? A super cool and easy way to get a $15 Amazon eGift Card and share the love for Focal Photography by Ashton??

That’s right! YOU spread the word about your experiences with me and I’ll make sure to spoil YOU with rewards!

From now on, all clients can opt in to be a part of my Refer a Friend Program. With this program, you'll receive your own Virtual Loyalty Card! Every time a new client you refer books and completes a session, you'll earn one punch toward exciting rewards!

💸What are the rewards?
After the first 5 punches, you will receive a $15 Amazon eGift Card.
Once you earn all 10 punches on your loyalty card, you'll receive a FREE Standard Session! *Travel fees, if applicable, are not included with the free session.
This session includes:
1-hour session time
Up to 1 outfit change
20 edited photos delivered via Pixieset

Don’t worry, if you are someone that gets referred, you will get 20% off ANY session you book with me. New clients who were referred can also join the Refer a Friend Program and will automatically receive one punch after completing their first session.
*Travel fees are not included in the 20% discount. *This discount cannot be combined with other offers or promotions.

❓How to opt in…
Comment on THIS post so I can send you the link to the form.
OR opt in through the questionnaire on your next booking.

🤨Now what do you do?…
Tell your friends that are looking for photographers that Focal Photography by Ashton is the one for them.
Encourage them to book a session with me!
Make sure that they include your FULL NAME on their questionnaire so that I can make sure you get your punch.
Make sure they complete their session with me.
BOOM! You’re one step closer to a $15 Amazon eGift card and a FREE session!!

🤪Bonus! Every time you book and complete a session with me, you'll earn one complimentary punch on your loyalty card in addition to any referral punches you've earned.

⚠️Terms & Conditions:
*The referring client's full name must be included on the booking questionnaire at the time of booking. Referrals cannot be added after the booking has been submitted.
*A referral only works once both ways. The same person cannot be referred twice, nor can they say that you referred them twice.
*A referral will only be counted if it is a client I have not previously worked with.
*You will only get a punch on their FIRST completed session with me. Any session following that will only be tracked for the referred person.
*If someone has previously booked with me that you have referred, this cannot be backtracked at this time. Only those that are referred to me in the future can qualify for this program.
*Any past completed sessions cannot be used towards this program. Only future sessions will qualify for this program.
*This will be an on-going program. I do not have any plans to end this at this time.
*Your Virtual Loyalty Card (created through Google Slides) can be shared with you through a working email address, but you will not have editing access. I will be in full control of the punching system on every Virtual Loyalty Card. No exceptions.
*Punches DO NOT expire while this program is active.
*The 20% discount can only be applied to new clients and can only be used ONCE!
*Your Virtual Loyalty Card will be reset after each completed punch card so you can start earning rewards all over again!
*Rewards have no cash value and are non-transferable.

✨Ready to work with me forever? Comment on this post and I’ll send you the link to get your Virtual Loyalty Card going! I can’t wait to spoil you for sharing the love.

I have finally made a price sheet that I'm proud of & I'd love to cover some bases as some things have changed...1. My r...
07/12/2026

I have finally made a price sheet that I'm proud of & I'd love to cover some bases as some things have changed...

1. My rates have slightly increased. I have worked extremely hard on my business & knowledge & my time is becoming more valuable as a business owner.

2. I have lowered the amount of edited photos I offer per package. In the past, I have been very generous with how many pictures I give to people. Unfortunately, with more inquiries & less time to spend with each gallery (not that I'm rushing galleries, but that I'm spending lots of extra time trying to give people more), I have to be more consistent with what I'm advertising. From now on, I will not be exceeding my guaranteed image amount unless there are undeniable images. I can always find more, but I have to make this business manageable for myself & my family as my priority is to be a mother & a wife.

3. Travel fees are not included in these prices. My travel fee is 75¢/mile AFTER the first 25 miles from my home address. Prior to booking, I will ALWAYS send you a quote/invoice that clearly states the pricing breakdown. There should be no reason that this is ever a surprising factor for you or anyone else.

4. Customizable packages are still available & give you full freedom to create a comfortable package for the both of us to work with so that you get the outcome you desire.

5. I will have to start enforcing late fees on payment plans. I have started a lot of payment plans for people that have not made their payments & will send me lump sums the day of their session. By allowing payment plans, I was focused on giving people an opportunity to get the updated pictures they deserve without significant financial strain. While I still may be able to do that for those who have not made proper payments, continuously breaking the contract both parties signed is not good for my business. From now on, any payments not made within 24 hours of the agreed upon payment dates will now be subject to late fees. If the full session payment is not made within 24 hours of your session time, the session will not be guaranteed. I will no longer commit to a session until full payment is made. If payments are an issue for you, you must submit a claim in the form of writing ONLY to discuss the expectations. Calls will not be accepted as written notice.

6. Lastly, to follow up on the previous note, there will be mandatory nonrefundable retainers collected prior to bookings. No booking is confirmed until the retainer is received. All retainers will be 25% of the TOTAL cost of your session.

Being a budget-friendly photographer has been a really tough game in a world that's not financially forgiving. In no way am I trying to say that someone else's financial burdens are insignificant compared to my financial needs, as that would directly conflict with my purpose as a photographer. I would just like to keep my time & work more professional & consistent for the sake of everyone involved in giving me all of these amazing opportunities. I truly love & appreciate anyone who has worked with me & given me grace & patience as I've grown my business from amateur bird photography. If anyone has any questions about said changes, I am always happy to talk more about these things.

Sincerely,

Your budget-friendly photographer
(like your friendly neighborhood spider-man 😉),

Focal Photography By Ashton

Took a stab at some creative cosplay photography & had the BEST time!! 🌿⚡️💜
07/06/2026

Took a stab at some creative cosplay photography & had the BEST time!! 🌿⚡️💜

F•R•I•E•N•D•S but these ones just graduated!! 🥳🎉
07/06/2026

F•R•I•E•N•D•S but these ones just graduated!! 🥳🎉

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Morrisvale, WV

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