Meet Ashley Kidder | Denver Boudoir and Portrait Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Kidder and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I am a huge fan of advocating for work-life balance, whether for myself, my friends, or other photographers I’m mentoring. Post-pandemic, we learned that work will be fine if we step away for a little bit. Work does not make the world go round, and we learned as much when the world itself shut down for months at a time in 2020. It’s not work who will be there for us when we are sad, tired, lonely, or overjoyed, though it can certainly help as a way to pass the time — and of course, a great way to fill our bank accounts.

As I’ve aged and grown over the years, both in the capacity as a human and that of a photographer in the Denver photography industry, I’ve learned that work will always be there. It’s a constant in a world full of variables, those of which matter the most — variables like family, friends, personal enrichment, hobbies, interests, etc. These variables can be fleeting, staying in our lives sometimes only for a period of time here and there. For this reason alone, the variables will always be more important to me than work. Birthdays, dance recitals, graduation parties, when friends are in a time of need, events that can’t be as easily recreated as money can — that’s what will always be most important to me.

To make sure I can live this ethos, I make sure to manage my photography calendar so that I can still make a living and put food on my dinner table, with enough time to spare for myself and my loved ones. I try to avoid overbooking and I refuse to cancel plans with friends and loved ones if an opportunity to shoot an event comes up. Ultimately, time management is one of my most valuable commodities as a business owner, as time — opposite of money — is something we can never get back.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My arrival as a Denver boudoir photographer was not linear. I’m a self-taught photographer, having never taken a class or course about photography. It was all trial and error. Before I became a business owner, I was a high school French teacher for five years at Northglenn High School. There, I learned intangible skills that helped me navigate busy wedding days with bridal parties and endless family photo groupings. I always thought, “If I can handle 35 freshmen in French I in the last period of the day, I can handle a wild wedding day.” And that’s stuck with me always. Providing customer service to clients is simply learning how to interact with people and meet them on their level — just like I did as a teacher.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a regular at Little Machine Brewery, conveniently located a 20-minute walk down Federal Blvd. from my home boudoir studio. Since 2021, my group of friends and I have frequented their Thursday night trivia events — often to success, though sometimes not. We’re a big group of nerds and I couldn’t love us more. The beer at Little Machine though? It’s exactly what I love as someone who prefers full-bodied, flavorful brews. The fruitier the better. They have an award-winning raspberry sour that is divine, and the staff is always wonderful. This place is my version of “Cheers.”

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My boudoir photography business would not run nearly as well — or at all — without the hair and makeup team I work with, Kim J Beauty. I’ve known Kim Jundt, the owner, for probably 15 years now. We met many moons ago when the primary focus of my business was weddings. We’ve done styled shoots together in the past and now, she’s my go-to glam team for when my boudoir clients need hair and/or makeup the morning of their boudoir shoot. Every time I get a client who needs these services, I’ll simply text Kim to book an artist through her and she sends her best. She’s an incredible business owner with an even sharper eye for talent, as all the artists I work with for hair and makeup are top level. I owe so much of my continued success to Kim and can’t thank her enough!

Website: https://ashleykidderboudoir.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleykidderboudoir/

Image Credits
Main headshot: Adena Rossiter
Pizza headshot: Kimberly Mitiska