Check Out Alyssa Hunter’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Hunter.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I took a film class in high school and excelled at it. It was the encouragement I needed to pursue a degree in photography. I attended the Rochester Institute of Technology and graduated with a BFA. My goal after graduating was to work with nonprofits, which is why I moved to San Francisco. It didn’t work out exactly as planned. While I was in San Francisco, I started working with a wedding photographer which leads me to family photography. I found such a love photographing families and then in turn birthday parties. After a few years, I moved to Los Angeles and have been photographing celebrations and families ever since.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Running your own business is not an easy thing to do and most definitely not for everyone. You have to work constantly and often times when you aren’t working, you feel guilty for taking time off. It’s one of the hardest jobs I’ve had, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. It’s hard enough especially to move your business to a new city but when you throw a pandemic on top of that, it’s almost impossible. I’m lucky enough to say that my business has survived the pandemic and is having a great year. I spent Covid reaching out to as many vendors as I could to see if we could work together. You may be running your business by yourself, but there are so many people in this industry who can help and want to help you succeed.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love the way I’m able to capture such special memories for families. The fact that they’re able to enjoy the day and their family and friends is why I do what I do. I often photograph birthday parties for kids, but I love being able to celebrate people of all ages. I specialize in celebrations and families. I made the decision to step away from weddings and engagements. I’m also very proud of the fact that I can get a smile out of the shyest of kids!

What matters most to you?
I love being able to get to know so many different families while celebrating big milestones for them! I’ve photographed clients from their maternity session to newborn session to sitting at six months to their 1st birthday to their second child and so on. It’s so important to me to create such a strong bond with my families I work with. Having someone come into your home to photograph a new time in your life can be overwhelming and emotional, and I’m here to make it easy but also to make sure my clients know they have a friend in me. When kids get excited to see me again or want to give me a big hug at our session, I know I’ve done my job well.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.alyssahunter.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/alyssahunterphoto
• Other: www.pinterest.com/alyssahunterphotography