Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Asp.
Hi Lisa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started photography in college. I was pursuing an art major and had to take a photography class as a requirement. I wasn’t very interested as my love was in painting, so put it off until my junior year. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed it and took as many other classes as I could squeeze in. I was also pursuing a mass communications major so shifted to photojournalism in that area. I started a job at a local portrait studio during my senior year and have been creating portraits ever since (25+ years).
I opened my first commercial studio in 2003 in West Hartford, Connecticut. Eight years later I made the move with my husband to Minnesota and started over. 2021 will be ten years in business in MN! Though I have been offering pet portraits since 2003, it wasn’t until moving to MN in 2011 that I began specializing in that niche area of the industry. My love of animals has led me to wildlife photography as well. I am lucky enough to have been named one of the top photographers in the industry by Professional Photographers of America. I have served as the president for the Twin Cities Professional Photographers Association and in 2018 founded the “Animal Image Makers Conference” – an annual international educational conference for pet and animal photographers.
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?
Starting a business is never a smooth road. So many people open a business because they love to do what they are offering. But it’s the other 80% of the work that is tough – marketing, bookkeeping, cleaning, etc. Most photographers do it all, and it takes a lot of work and dedication to stay in business. Aligning one’s self with the right partners is key, and I’ve had a few who were definitely not the right people for me. But you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and push through.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
“Tangerine House of Design offers exceptional and dramatic portrait photography for your four-legged (and two-legged) family members.” I specialize in pet photography, and I love every minute of it. I say often that I have the best job in the world, and I truly believe it. A big part of my business involves giving back to area animal rescues. I offer photography for their adoptable animals (after all, professionally photographed animals are adopted 3-5 times faster!) at no charge, and host fundraisers. I am proud to have single-handedly raised more than $125,000 for local rescues over the last 10 years! Not to shabby for an independently owned small business.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The onset of digital photography was the biggest change to the industry in a very long time. Now, everyone’s a photographer.
Professional grade cameras are more affordable and cell phone cameras have gotten VERY good. But there will always be a place for professional photography. Studio lighting, flattering posing, and proper composition, for example, are things the average person doesn’t know. Add to that the capabilities post-processing offers. Professionals who educate themselves on the newest technology and continue to practice their craft will always be able to offer artwork the consumer cannot produce.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@lisaasp.com
- Website: https://tangerinehouseofdesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tangerinehouseofdesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TangerineHouseOfDesign/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tangerine_Edina
- Other: https://animalimagemakers.com/
Image Credits
©Lisa Asp
Tangerine House of Design
