Conversations with Ariel Phoenix Productions ATL

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Phoenix Productions ATL.

Ariel, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My husband and I started our business a little over 10 years ago now. We started with a ring light and a point-and-shoot camera and took every photography gig we could find – food photography, events… we even chased a food delivery truck around the block in Atlanta to get pictures of it. We started off in photography and videography, and then my husband introduced social media management and digital marketing and we truly became a media production house.

After dabbling in nearly every niche of photography for years, I began working as a newborn photographer in the hospital and realized that I absolutely loved working with families and children. I found a passion for working with families as they grow – from the birth of the relationship, to the birth of all the children, and all of the milestones along the way. I’ve met and worked with so many families over the years and I’m extremely grateful for it. As my family’s “historian”, I find myself connecting with other family memory keepers and helping them document these moments and milestones for their families as well.

My husband and I then had the opportunity to procure a creative studio space in Riverdale, Georgia – Studio Noir ATL – and have been so happy to have a home for our photoshoots, and the opportunity to tap into our creative side even more by hosting crafty workshops and events like paint-and-sip, scrapbooking, and even game nights.

I love what I do because I believe in what I do. I believe in investing in the preservation of memories. I believe in capturing and memorializing as many moments as we can in our personal journeys and in the lives of our families. We have to cherish every moment we have with our loved ones. Every milestone. That is what drives me.

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?
Absolutely not. Entrepreneurship is one of the bumpiest roads there is. There have been great months, and there have been months where I wondered if maybe I should throw in the towel and work a 9-5. But at the end of the day, I didn’t become an entrepreneur to get rich – though that would be a wonderful and welcome perk – I became an entrepreneur because running my own business brings me joy despite the hardships, offers me flexibility so I can be with my family, and allows me to let my chaos and creativity run free.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a family photographer specializing in capturing and preserving all of life’s great milestones – from anniversaries and pregnancies, to family Christmas card photos and birthdays. I love planning photoshoots that capture who my clients are – their passions, the things they love most, how they connect as a family. And I absolutely love a good theme! My husband describes my style as “whimsical”. I’m definitely the person to come to if you want to incorporate your Bratz obsession into your birthday photoshoot, or if your idea of a fun family session is throwing paint at each other in the park. I absolutely love when a client says to me “I don’t know how you came up with this, but this is amazing!”. That is my “Why”, and what keeps me going. The biggest compliment my clients can give me is coming back and allowing me to capture more and more of their families memories. Imposter syndrome is weird – I often feel like no one will understand my vision or the weirdness in my brain, but it brings me so much joy when I know I’ve “nailed it” and make my clients happy.

Any big plans?
My plan for the future is, of course: scaling up. Meeting and working with more families, over and over again. My goal is clients, not customers. I love watching families grow and change over time, forming relationships with them that help me do better and better at capturing them in their truest light. Capturing all of their milestones so we can see that growth and change year after year.

I also want to build a trusted team that I can work with regularly so that I can handle the increase and always provide my clients with the best. This is a family business, but I know that it can’t just be me and my husband forever. Especially if I want to be able to service more clients and families.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://phoenixproductionsatl.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phoenixproductionsatl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phoenixproductionsatl/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/studionoir_atl