Meet Ashish Bhandari of Denver

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashish Bhandari.

Hi Ashish, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Nepal, where I didn’t have many tools or resources to start a creative journey. But I always loved photography. When I was around 21 years old, I got my first DSLR camera — and that changed everything for me. It opened a new world, and I started to see life in a different way, through the viewfinder.

For the past 13 years, photography has been a big part of my life. It started as a hobby, just taking pictures of anything I found interesting — landscapes, streets, random things. As I grew older, I also grew as a photographer. With time and experience, I found my true interest: people and emotions.

As someone who used to be shy and awkward, I’ve always been fascinated by human emotions — love, jealousy, sadness, happiness. I’m always thinking: how can I show what someone feels in a photo, even when they’re not speaking? How do I show someone who is in love, even if their partner is not there? These questions inspire my work.

That’s why I started my business, Shots by Ace. I wanted to share my view of the world and connect with people through honest and emotional photography. I believe the more you practice, the more doors you open — not only in photography, but also in life.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I feel that any field — especially creative ones — comes with struggles. It has never been a smooth road for me. There have been creative blocks, times when I lacked the resources to develop certain skills, and moments where I didn’t even know where to begin. Even now, with the internet and computers offering so much, finding the right tools or the right information often feels like searching for a needle in a haystack.

One of my biggest challenges in the early days was affordability. Photography is not a cheap hobby or career to pursue. Getting the right gear took time and sacrifice.

But despite all of this, I’m deeply grateful for the people I’ve met along the way — friends and colleagues who were a big part of my growth. Many of them gave their time to help me learn, sitting in front of my camera for hours while I tried to figure out what I wanted to capture. That kind of support means everything.

Beyond the technical or financial challenges, the biggest struggle for me has been internal — developing ideas, learning to read situations, and especially connecting with people. I’m not naturally an extrovert, so building those relationships and drawing emotions out of people has been a learning process. But it’s also been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a photographer who focuses on people and emotions. I do portraits, couple photography, and storytelling through pictures. I try not just to take a good-looking photo, but to show how someone is feeling in that moment. I want the viewer to feel something when they look at my work — even if they don’t know the person in the photo.

What I’m most proud of is the progress I’ve made. I started by taking random pictures without much knowledge, and now I create images that have meaning and emotion. I’m also proud of the trust I build with people. Some of my best work came from people who allowed me to see their true self through the camera.

What makes me different is how I see and capture small emotions — the quiet moments, the little details in the face or body language. I am not someone who tells people to just smile for the camera. I try to connect with them first, to make them feel comfortable. That way, I can capture something real.

My background, my journey, and my love for human emotion all help me see the world in a unique way — and I try to show that through my photography.

I have done few other types of photography as well but these are the ones I have my focus right now.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I believe success really depends on the person and how they see life. For me, success is not only about big achievements — it’s about small moments that bring happiness and meaning.

Internally, I feel successful when I take a photo that captures something real — when I see someone smile or get emotional because they love the picture I took of them. That feeling, when a couple looks at their photo and sees the love between them, that’s something you can’t buy. It gives me so much joy. Also, being grateful for what I have, and learning to stay present in a world that always pushes you to want more — that’s a big success for me. Being self-aware and understanding your thoughts and emotions is not easy, but I think it’s one of the greatest achievements.

Externally, success for me is being financially stable, having a roof over my head, a warm meal, and people I can share those things with. Life doesn’t need to be fancy to feel full. If you have peace, purpose, and right people for you — you are already successful.

Pricing:

• Portraits: 30 Minutes- $200
• Couple’s Photo / Family Photo , External Location: 3 Hours – $400
• Couple’s Photo/ Family Photo, Studio : 2 Hours – $300
• Wedding : 8 Hours Minimum – Negotiable

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shotsbyace.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shotsbyace25
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shotsbyace25