May 1, 2017

Meet Audrey Herron of Audrey Herron Photography

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Audrey Herron.

Audrey, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I always enjoyed photography–but I never dreamed I’d ever become a professional photographer. I was an English teacher for twelve years–and in my mid-thirties. I thought I had another eighteen years in the teaching field and then I’d retire. I had my whole life figured out–or so I thought. My life plan took a turn when both of my daughters were diagnosed with a rare periodic fever syndrome called PFAPA. I was teaching part-time to be available to them, and one day I got a phone call from a friend at church. She was getting married (that night) and her photographer was not able to come shoot the wedding because of a last-minute family emergency. She was left without a photographer and wanted to know if I could come and shoot the wedding. Until that point, I had only taken pictures of my girls and my family. This friend convinced me that anything I shot would be better than cell phone pictures–and that’s all she would have if I couldn’t come. I agreed, and that night, as I worked with her and took pictures, I was hooked. I came home from that wedding glowing–I was so excited and was eager to learn more. I began researching what colleges in the area offered adult education courses for photography, and came across the University of Georgia Continuing Education program. I enrolled in Fundamentals of Photography and figured I’d take one class and at least learn what I was doing so I could take better pictures. That one class turned into an entire course load–and it was in my second class–Portrait Photography–that I started wondering maybe–just maybe–I could do this. My photography teacher, Floyd Downer, was the one who made me believe that I was good enough. I learned so much from him and from our student teacher, Trish Meadows throughout the program–I wouldn’t be where I am today without their encouragement, guidance and instruction. I graduated from the photography program at UGA, and founded my own photography business. This has allowed me to be available to my daughters when they are ill, still contribute to my family income, and do something that I am extremely passionate about. The journey of life has many twists and turns, and you can’t always see what’s around the corner–I certainly didn’t–but I love what I do and I am excited to see where this new career takes me!

Has it been a smooth road?
This has definitely been a bumpy road for me. I was an English major in college, so I never set foot in a business classroom. I’ve had to figure out all of the requirements of getting a business license, LLC, insurance, state tax, federal tax, and all of the other small things you don’t think about when you start a business. I had come so far and invested so much time, and I refused to throw in the towel when things got complicated. I just found a way to make it work, or figure it out–and if I didn’t know, I would call someone who might and ask questions. I just kept walking forward, and things have fallen into place and I have a much better grasp on the responsibilities of owning a business than I did when I first started.

So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Audrey Herron Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
I grew up loving classics–from Jane Austen to Audrey Hepburn. There is just something about them that never goes out of style– that always appeals to a new generation–and I wanted my photography to reflect that. There are so many trends in photography that in fifty years would appear dated, and I wanted to capture memories that would be cherished for years to come. I am definitely not a “trendy” photographer. My images are timeless, classic, rich and vibrant. I specialize in engagement/wedding photography, and family photography. I love telling stories through images whether it is a love story, the story of a bond between sisters, or a single mother recently diagnosed with cancer. There’s a story in every image, and I love that I can draw on my skills in literature and writing to help me tell a visual story through my photography.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The photography industry is growing exponentially, and with social media, visual images are important to people. I definitely see photography continuing to grow in this new digital age we are living in, and I’m excited to be a part of it!

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