Meet Atalie Bale of Atalie Bale Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Atalie Bale.

Hi Atalie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
I would almost certainly not have started photography without the encouragement of my dad. Since I was a little kid, he would talk to me and my siblings about running our own businesses someday. When I graduated from high school and wasn’t sure what I wanted to pursue, my dad suggested a photography business. To be honest, I’m not sure I’d call myself naturally entrepreneurial, but having that encouragement and a desire to do something unique that was in the creative field was enough to start. I chose to give photography a shot for at least 2 years. I had a love/hate relationship with it at first. I really despised having to market myself and try to convince others I was good at what I did when I wasn’t convinced I was good at what I did. But slowly and surely, I learned from my mistakes. Looking back, I’m so thankful for the early clients who encouraged me and kept coming back. Some of these people are still with me today! 

The time period that I saw the most improvement in my photography was after I took several mission trips to teach photography to teens in Ecuador and South Asia. The point of the trips was to teach a skill to youth and share the truth of God’s love with them through the teaching, but I got the additional benefit of having a camera in my hand every day, all day, and learning to really “see.” See light. See story. See people in the everyday moments of their lives and catch it on camera. I saw a significant leap in my ability to catch stories on camera every time I came home from one of these trips. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been smooth. There were times I questioned whether I really deserved to be called a “professional photographer” and how I could ask people to pay for my work. I have always worked more than one job, so I’ve never had a schedule fully dedicated to photography either, which makes prioritizing and juggling a constant struggle. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I tell people I am a lover of people and of stories and of what makes people’s stories worth telling. Sometimes, we think photography is about catching the highlights, but I know that stories are hard. They include difficult chapters, too. Photography helps capture both the good and the hard and the everyday humdrum. I think that we will all look back on those humdrum days and wish we had more of a record of them. 

I mainly photograph Seniors, Families, and Events. My favorite sessions often involve the unique. Some of my favorites have been photographing an Indian wedding, an aspiring pilot with her small plane, a Jewish Bar Mitzvah, a girl and her fair pig, a senior and the boat he refurnished, and the list goes on. 

Another theme in my favorite session category is photographing seniors who are not super excited to have their photos taken. I get it. I don’t like to have my photo taken either. It’s intimidating. But what I love is talking to these young people and learning what they enjoy, watching their personalities emerge, and trying to capture them in their element. I feel like I’m winning when a mom tells me her senior son said, “he actually had fun” or that I made her daughter “feel comfortable in front of the camera”. 

I’ve always struggled to put words to my own style, but others have told me they appreciate the way my photos are down-to-earth, genuine, and natural. 

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
First of all, don’t get discouraged if your photos don’t look like you want them to. Photography takes time to learn, and artists are usually the hardest on themselves. To practice, try taking more than one photo of your subject. Try to see it in a way it is normally not seen. When you have run out of ideas, try to take one more photo. This will stretch your creativity and your technical skills. It also helps to spend an extended amount of time with a camera in your hand, watching for candid moments. It takes patience and curiosity as you watch to see what will happen as the story is written. 

Pricing:

• One-hour sessions start at $315 and include the naturally edited photos in a download.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ataliebalephotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atalieb.photographer.lifecoach/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AtalieBalePhotography/

Image Credits
Atalie Bale Photography, LLC