Houston Senior Portraits - Ashley
A month ago, I had the opportunity to photographed Ashley, whose family drove five hours all the way from the southern border of Texas to have her senior pictures done at LWP in Houston.Afterwards, I did an email interview with her so that I can share her story with you. The interviews are an on-going series we'll be doing with our seniors. Be on the look out for more.
Tell us a little bit about yourself - what you like to do for fun or what type of activities are you involved in?
Hi! I love dancing, traveling, and giving people hugs! I serve God and preach as a regular pioneer. This means I spend 70 hours a month in ministry work, and in the future I hope to travel to another country to serve where there is a greater need. Speaking of traveling, I’m grateful to have been so many different countries already! India and Ireland have been my favorite so far! Exploring different cultures and eating yummy food is always fun! As a hopeless romantic, I’m mildly obsessed with weddings, flowers, ballroom dancing, cakes, and decorating. Beauty and fashion have always been a passion! I recently started a blog and an all-natural homemade skincare brand. For fun I love doing makeup, baking, and having dance parties and karaoke nights with my friends.
Describe yourself using only three words?
Warm, Softhearted, Idealistic
What was your favorite thing about your senior photoshoot?
I had a great time taking my senior photos! My favorite thing about my senior photoshoot was working with Ling! I had such a good experience! She has an awesome vibe and positive energy; it made the whole shoot so much fun! I really appreciated how nice and friendly she was, and that she made the effort to get to know me, so that my senior photos would convey my personality. Plus, she recommends the most delicious restaurants in town! Ask her about her favorite Indian place in Houston! Yum!
What did you want your senior photos to convey about you and your personality?
I wanted my senior pictures to be warm, happy, and fun! As a hopeless romantic, I wanted to have some soft, enchanting, and ethereal photos. However, I also wanted some of the pictures to showcase the other side of my personality which is a quirky and fun-loving! Ling delivered both! We decided to take pictures at two different locations. The locations were amazing because so versatile; we were able to get a ton of different looks just by going to different areas of the same location. I was able to get that dreamy fairytale look that I wanted, AND a ton of fun-loving, unique pictures! My favorite season is winter and even though we took our pictures on a sunny day in Texas, Ling made it look like if I was playing in the snow in a winter wonderland! She captured my personality in every photo, outfit, and location.
What is one tip you can share with others about the portrait process now that you've gone through it?
Don’t be afraid to try something new! Ask Ling for her advice and opinion on clothing and accessories. She knows what looks best and she’s extremely helpful! Take a variety of outfits and styles. Most importantly, relax and have fun! P.S. Bring flowers to your session! They look amazing and give you something to play with for the photos.
LWP photoshoots are designed as an experience for our seniors to discover or rediscover their own beauty. What is your PERSONAL definition of "true beauty?"
True beauty is the inner person of the heart - 1 Peter 3:4. Love and self-confidence is what makes someone truly beautiful. Love others, do good, and value yourself. Then, you become truly beautiful.
Who is someone that inspires you?
As cliché as it sounds, my mom truly inspires me. She inspires me because she is strong, a go-getter, and she’s not afraid of a challenge. She’s gone through many hardships in life, but she hasn’t let it taint her soul. She is still one of the most positive people I know and has so much love in her heart. I deeply admire and respect her. She has so many amazing qualities that I strike to imitate such as her ability to stand up for what she believes in, her patience, and her incredible work ethic. She inspires me in all aspects of my life and I want to be just like her when I grow up.
What are some dreams, goals, or aspirations that you have for the future?
The most important thing in my life is my relationship with God, and I want to use my life to serve him. In the future, I’d like to attend School for Kingdom Evangelizers. This is a special school that trains full-time servants to serve where there is a need to preach. Also, I hope to become an image consultant. Although, my main goal in life is to serve God, I realize that I need to support myself as well. As an image consultant, I’ll work with women and help them to develop their self-esteem, self-confidence, and public speaking abilities. Being an image consultant involves working with color theory and clothing styles, to help women find the right colors for their unique coloring of skin, hair, and eyes, as well as clothing that flatters their body. Every body is unique and beautiful; working with your own natural beauty helps you to feel confident and beautiful in your own skin.
What is something you are looking forward to in the next few months?
This summer, my cousin and my best friend are getting married! I’m beyond excited for them and their love. I’m thrilled to be a part of their wedding as a bridesmaid. As a lover of all things wedding, I’ve been helping them decide on invitations, decorations, flower arrangements, and party favors. It’s been so much fun and I can’t wait till the wedding! I am most excited about a trip to Bolivia I will be taking this October. I will be traveling with a group of friends for a 3-day international religious convention. We will be in Bolivia for two week and here is where I will finally get my first taste of preaching and serving in another country! I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be helping out in Bolivia. It is one of the poorest countries in South America, due to it being one of the only landlocked countries there. Still, I hear the people are some of the sweetest and most caring people around. I can’t wait to go and meet some new brothers and sisters!
If you were to tell your friends about us, how would you describe LWP in a few short sentences?
Ling Wang Photography takes timeless, elegant photos that capture your true essence. Ling takes personal interest in her clients and seeks to get to know them, empower them, and encourage them to embrace their individuality. LWP is all about being you-- confident and beautiful, inside and out. The photos are full of life, charm, and charisma.
Another neat thing we got to do for Ashley's photoshoot was that she wanted to have her mom and sister in some of the photos. We took 15 minutes out of the shoot to do these family picture, and from that, we ended up designing this wall gallery for their home.
