Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Foster.
Hi Alyssa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It all started as a kid, my mom was the photographer in my life and being the only child, I was her model for lots of things. As time went on, I would start to take a liking to nature photography and just stroll through my family land taking pictures of the horses, land, and anything that I thought was interesting looking – from my point of view. My dad had been diagnosed with Stage Four Colon Cancer back in 2011, I was in third grade, and he was forty years old, and he fought. I would struggle with a lot of undiagnosed Depression, Anxiety, and even ADHD. My way to cope? Photography. I would take pictures of anything but was not confident to start taking clients or even wanted to. I would start high school, and this would be the start of some of the roughest years of my life. At the beginning of my freshman year, my dad was getting worse and had stopped all chemo treatments. He would pass on November 19th, 2016. My best friend, the person who had taught me SO much, gone.
All I had left were some Snapchat memories and lots of pictures from all the years before. This would later be the biggest point in my business. Grief would love to hang around for the rest of my life, along with my now diagnosed ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression. I actually started taking in clients right at the end of my senior year, starting for fun mostly, going to sports events and getting shots of all my friends. Since then, I have photographed so many amazing moments and met so many amazing clients. I have lost two clients in my span of being a photographer. Not only were these clients of mine but they were my close friends, Evan Davis and Austin Chamberlain. I hold them close to my heart and have to remind myself often that my images could be the last images that are made of these people. I photograph some of life’s most precious moments and absolutely love what I get to do and who I get to work with. I don’t just have “clients” – I strive to have friendships and relationships that last for generations. My small business has grown SO much within the past two years and I could not have been any prouder of it either.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Like any small business, it has not been easy. I have had several ups and downs – and lots of low months. But then there has been lots of great moments that make it all worth the while. It’s getting those little moments captured that fires me up. The moments that are not posed, the blurry pictures, the stray hairs, etc. those are the moments that make my job so much better.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As of right now, I do a little bit of everything. With that being said though, I love my seniors (high school and college) and my couples! They are the two niches that really get my heart flying. The types of stories that just bring the fire in my soul to life, ya know? I have always loved seniors as they bring the most fun ideas to the table – I have driven in fields with trucks just to get those perfect senior boy moments or gotten down on the ground just to get *that shot*. I love my couples though for a totally different reason, I love love. Basic, I know, but I just feel something for people who have that love that is loud, messy, raw, real, and beautiful.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the city of Atlanta, as there are so many things to do – you never get bored of being here!! I wish there were more small businesses around town or more recognition for our small businesses!!
Pricing:
- Seniors start at $125
- Couples start at $150
- Weddings start at $550
- Families start at $150
- Maternity starts at $125
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mypointofviewphoto.wixsite.com/mpov
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypointofview.photoco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mypointofview.photoco
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/mypointofview_photoco
Image Credits
All images are credited to My Point Of View Photo Co.
