Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlee Burke.
Hi Ashlee , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I actually started out as a special education teacher — ten-plus years in the classroom before I ever picked up a camera professionally. That job shaped how I show up with people— including behind the camera: how to appreciate people exactly as they are and actually read their energy. How to notice what someone needs in the moment and adjust — more guidance, more space, more silliness, whatever gets them comfortable. How to meet someone exactly where they are instead of where you wish they’d be.
Turns out that’s most of the job when you’re behind the camera.
I picked up a camera on the side, fell hard for it, and eventually made the leap to full-time. LoveJoy Photography grew out of that — brand and lifestyle photography for women-led, values-driven small businesses across the Front Range. Somewhere along the way I stopped thinking of it as “career two” and started thinking of it as the thing the first career was quietly preparing me for.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, no — and I don’t think anyone’s is. One of the biggest hurdles has been convincing people that photography actually matters. It’s not exactly a sexy line item. Nobody wakes up excited to book a brand photography session the way they might for a new website or a big launch. It usually feels like one more thing on the list — a nuisance, a box to check, something you’ll “get to eventually.”
But here’s the thing: we live in a visual world. Between social media, websites, and basically every platform your business shows up on, your visual voice matters — a lot. So a huge part of my job isn’t just showing up with a camera. It’s shifting the whole experience from “ugh, I guess I have to do this” to something people actually enjoy.
What’s actually taught me the most through all of this is patience — with the process, and with people. I’ve learned to slow down and really pay attention: to notice when someone’s nervous, when they’re holding back, when they need a beat before they can relax. Those small moments of someone actually loosening up in front of my camera — that’s still the part that gets me every time. It’s a reminder that this work isn’t really about the photos. It’s about helping someone feel seen.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What I’m known for is less about a specific style of photo and more about how the session feels. I read energy constantly — are you tensing up, are you overthinking your hands, are you starting to relax — and I adjust in real time. Sometimes that means slowing down and giving someone space. Sometimes it means being a little goofy to break the ice. It’s never one-size-fits-all, because no two people show up the same way — and that means no two clients should walk away with the same kind of photos, either. I’m not chasing one signature look. I’m chasing whatever look is actually true to the person in front of me.
I’m most proud of the number of clients who’ve told me, unprompted, that they walked away from a session feeling seen — not just photographed. That’s the whole goal. What sets me apart, I think, is that I don’t treat the “in front of the camera” discomfort as an inconvenience to push through. I treat it as the actual work. Get that part right, and the photos take care of themselves.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The easiest way is to reach out and start a conversation — you don’t need a fully formed vision or a shot list ready to go. That’s exactly what the planning process is for. I work with small business owners who care about their brand’s story, but also companies looking for headshots and commercial work — the common thread is just wanting photos that actually feel true to who you are, not like stock images with a logo slapped on.
Beyond booking a session, following along on Instagram [@lovejoy.photo] and sharing my work with other business owners who might need it goes a long way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lovejoy.photography/
- Instagram: @lovejoy.photo
