Meet Leyna Noelani Ambron of Yellow Heart Photography in Sherman Oaks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leyna Noelani Ambron.

Leyna Noelani, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My love affair with photography began at an early age. My family spent a lot of time road-tripping and camping and exploring these pretty picturesque places, always with cameras in hand. When we’d get home, my father would set up a dark room across our bathroom sink. He’d spend hours in there developing pictures, and I’d sneak in to watch, and eventually help and learn. I think I decided pretty young that I loved the arts, but that photography was my one true love.

Then, there was this pivotal moment senior year in high school that changed everything. I was in class, and our teacher went around the room asking what everyone wanted to be when they grew up. When he got to me, without a beat, I answered “photographer,” and in front of the whole class, he scoffed and said, “Good luck with that. It’s so competitive, trust me – you’re better off doing something else”.

Those words ran through me like a punch to the gut. I was crushed. But I took his words to heart and ultimately decided not to pursue it.

Life went on. I did a few odd jobs after high school, did community college for a hot minute, and then decided to pursue entertainment. For an LA native, it was kind of a no brainer. I got my first job as an audience coordinator on a game show when I was 19 years old. From there, I worked my way up and got my first Casting Director title at the age of 21. My 20’s were a super fun ride. I worked a ton, made great money and great friends, traveled a lot and photography stayed in my life, but more as a hobby. That is until my friends started having babies.

My girlfriend Deena, who was really the first of my peers to get pregnant, invited me to the hospital to meet their new babe. Naturally, I brought all of my cameras with me and snapped a handful of pictures during our visit. In my mind at the time, it wasn’t a big deal. I was just excited for them and this new journey and wanted to document it. But when I delivered the images to her, she went bananas, telling me she loved the pictures so much and that I should start a business, etc.

This was the first time in 10 years that I had thought about photography as a career. At first, I thought she was just being polite, but every time I saw her, she would mention it again. Frankly, even though I loved my job in television, I was ready for a career change. I was just nervous to make the switch.

So, she suggested I simply share some of the pictures I took of her son on social media, and see what happens. So that’s what I did. A week later, I booked my first paying client. And then I booked another one and another one. And soon, my weekends were booked six months out, and I couldn’t accommodate everyone because I was still casting shows during the week. Burning the candle at both ends, if you will.

It all felt so surreal and dream-like to me. Even with all the interest and support that I was feeling, it took me a beat to believe in myself again. To believe that I could be a photographer for a living, after convincing myself otherwise for so many years. So, I did both for about a year and a half before I mustered up the courage to dedicate my whole self to photography full time, and I never looked back.

It’s been seven years now, and my business has evolved so much. I still shoot with a lot of families, but I’ve also branched out to clothing lines and lifestyle brands, content and editorials. I believe I’ve really found my groove, even though I continue to learn every day.

Great, 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?
My business grew somewhat organically, but not without some growing pains, of course. I’d say my biggest struggle has always been finding a healthy work-life + home life balance. I’m a bit of a work-a-holic by nature, and since I do a lot of my work from home, it’s really easy to just keep working at all hours. But there’s no faster way to burn yourself out, and then you’re really no good to anybody. So, I have had to work really hard on boundaries and allowing myself to “clock out” at the end of the day.

Another thing is, knowing your worth and staying true to your vision. I’m finally at the point where I’m just not willing to work with people who don’t value what I do. In a supersaturated market like photography in LA, it’s very easy to get swayed this way or that way by people and their opinions about how you should run your business, what you should charge, what your pictures should look like, etc. Learning to trust myself has been an insanely important part of my growth.

Lastly, I have found that it’s important to continue making art for myself. My biggest fear in doing photography full time, was that it would become “work” and my passion for it would fade, and it does sometimes! But that’s when I know. I have to take some time to create something that feeds my soul. Sometimes it’s painting; sometimes it’s just going out and shooting something super unique or unplanned… whatever it is, it’s necessary.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Yellow Heart Photography – what should we know?
I make pictures! I spend the majority of my time photographing kids because they are just the best. They are free and uninhibited, and so much fun. I also love helping families document the fleeting days of parenthood in a cool, relaxed, and organic way. It’s really important and special, and truly an honor to grow with these kids.

When I’m not working with families, you will find me shooting a lot of lifestyle content for brands and small businesses. That’s a super fun little niche that’s become more popular over the past five years or so. And editorials, those are always a treat.

I’d say I’m most proud of the fact that I have clients booking me all over the country now. I get flown out to San Francisco and New York annually and even shot in Paris. I have people who book me a year in advance to ensure they get a spot. These are the things that keep me going on the harder days. Knowing that people believe in my vision that much is a really incredible feeling.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Passion. I believe that my love for what I do and my genuine interest in people is a huge part of my success. If I can connect with you in life and conversation, I can capture you authentically through my lens, and our images will be that much better.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yellowheartphotography.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatleynachick/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yellowheartphotography/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/yellow-heart-photography-los-angeles
• Other: www.leynanoelani.com

Image Credit:
Main bio shot by Matt Sayles

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