Today we’d like to introduce you to Angail Wiley.
Hi Angail, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was always a kid who loved a camera. When I was in middle school, I asked my grandma to buy me a digital camera for Christmas and that was the birth of a Photographer. I always loved documenting things so that you can relive them. I actually documented most of my 8th grade school year and our class trip to Washington, DC with that camera and those photos are still on my Facebook page! It’s amazing to see how much everyone has grown since then and I remember wanting to be able to say that when I was younger.
As I got older and that camera broke after while, I wanted to get back into photography but I was doing so many other things and got away from it until the year after I graduated from college in 2021. I went to Best Buy and leased my first DSLR camera, a Sony A6000– and the rest was history!
Although I purchased my camera in 2021, I tell people that I don’t believe I took it serious until 2022. Since 2022, I have been building and growing my photography business in ways I never imagined and it has been so rewarding.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Many people think that photography would be an easy business to start but it is actually one of the hardest businesses I’ve ever ran (this isn’t my first, just my best!)
Some of my struggles have included doing a photoshoot and deleting all the pictures on accident, getting booked for a wedding and missing the first kiss after “I do,” a client wanting a refund but posting the pictures are few client-specific challenges that I’ve experienced.
As a business owner, the struggles I encountered included client acquisition and funding my business. The hardest part about photography, and honestly any business, is training your mind to not give up when you want to. Because photography is generally a fun activity, when unpleasant things happen, they are very intense. However, the best way to overcome all these challenges is to get back up and try again.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a photographer in Greensboro, North Carolina but I will travel everywhere! I specialize in corporate headshots, portraits, branding and event photography.
I am known for doing all types of photography and I am most proud of having a studio that I am able to sublease and essentially call my own. When my clients come to their session, it is welcoming and it is a party! Between my bluetooth speaker and vibes, I love that I am able to give my clients such a fun experience. We dance, we laugh, we share and we just have a really good time!
I am set apart from others because I give my clients an unforgettable experience. I treat my clients how I want to be treated when I am being photographed– fix my hair, tell me to dab my forehead if it’s shiny, hype me up if I’m posing cute, etc. Whatever people have going on in their life, I make it my mission to make the negative things irrelevant as soon as they step in my space– Let’s have fun!
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is spending my summers in Richmond, Virginia with my aunt and dad. My aunt lives in Richmond and every summer, my dad and I would go and spend time with her. Sometimes he and I would go by train or car or she would drive down and get us and we’d go back to stay with her for a few weeks. During this time, we’d explore Richmond, I would go to work with her, we’d travel to other places and vacation. It was the best. Plus, my dad was alive. He passed in 2022 so most of my favorite childhood memories are because of who they were with, especially him.
Pricing:
- Headshots $100
- Portraits $200
- Event Photography $125/hr
- Express Studio Session $140
Contact Info:
