Alyssa Risley About Me 7 Magic Mountains Portrait
 
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I'm Alyssa, Traveling (Nomad) Fashion & Portrait Photographer for Entrepreneurs, Musicians, Designers, & all genuinely awesome creative human beings.

Together, my Team & I (& maybe you!) create elaborate fashion campaigns and creative content with Models, Influencers, and Agencies around the globe.

The Main 2024 Locations I’ll shoot at consistently are:

  • Tulum, MX

  • Bali, Indonesia

  • Los Angeles, CA

  • London, UK

  • Las Vegas, NV

  • Denver, CO

    (For my current location & upcoming travel dates, check my IG here!!)

The 2024 Festivals & Conscientious Events I’m attending & have openings to create & shoot magic for you are:

  • Day Zero Tulum

  • Texas Eclipse Festival

  • LIB: Lightning in a Bottle

  • Electric Forest

  • Shambhala

  • Burning Man

If you’re in one of these places (or if you’d like to book a shoot in another exotic location, definitely reach out! I loveeee traveling all over and making magic in new and exciting scenery!!)

❤️‍🔥

Most of what you see in my portfolio is all shot with natural light on location in nature and in the industrial jungle of city scapes. Shooting with the rhythms of the weather, the changing of the seasons, and the cycles of the sun is kind of my jam. I’m what you might call a “boujee ‘n outdoorsy” bad b*tch. Make it fashion, but with a bit of an extremist scenic twist. She’s giving fierce with Stiletto claws but also uses power tools to setup basecamp.

I’ve also frequently been told I’m one of the fastest shooters in the game, sometimes it’s one ‘n done, so getting the most perfect holy of holy shots that is truly “THE ONE” won’t take long in any situation or environment, I promise. We’re here for a good time not a long time you know, I? (Thanks Big Sean.)

With that said, on set the vibes are fun, playful, chill, relaxed, creative, open, & expressive. This might be “work” but it should never feel like it. This is a space for true collaboration & unhinged creativity, and everyone’s opinion & vision is relevant and welcomed throughout the entire process & journey. We’re making ART, not war, the strategy is creativity with flow and self expression lighting the way. No matter whether it’s a huge team of amazing hired talent & results-driven creatives, or just an intimate cozy one on one client portrait sesh, I want EVERYONE involved to have an absolutely EPIC & unforgettable experience, & to alwayssss feel safe, seen, heard, and empowered. This is the way. (Thanks Mando)

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A super DEEEEEEEP DIVE ABOUT me ‘n my past:

(Read at your own volition)

I'm obsessed with every place and every climate, it's all my favorite! I was born and raised in the desert with an awesomely supportive family, and then my youthful heart called me to the sea for college, where I attended FIDM, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA in 2008 (Yes. The one from “The Hills” & they actually asked me to move out of the way of the shot once, kind of hilarious.) There, I began studying all things Fashion Design. I also began to realize that it was actually the photos in the editorials that I saw in the fashion magazines that inspired me… Not the actual garment production and sewing (I discovered I loathe sewing Haha) I took 1 Photoshop class before I knew anything about Photography, which gave me an unexpected perspective onto a unique path… After college I ended up picking up a camera to capture one of my newest collections for my website… And I was HOOKED.

A few speedbumps (& Jerry Springer worthy years) past & my intuition & an unexpected job opportunity from a friend drew me from the city up into the mountains in 2013 for a seasonal snowboard photo gig where I transformed from City Girl never set foot in a gym into athletically empowered adventure babe. (Nottttt overnight Haha) I could say that the mysteries of the forest unlocked the possibilities of life back into my soul.

Ever since that time, I’ve been a Nomad. (Total 11 years, consistently for the past 8) At first, it was not so cute. I started out couch surfing and living in grandma vans (the not boujee kind) sneaking into campsites late at night & mainly eating cheap kraft mac ‘n cheese packets for fuel for several years, and then backpacking a few seasons all to keep the Location-Independent Photog Dream alive (at any cost) and finally a few years back around 2019 I transitioned into the short-term rental boujee AirBnB circuit. Now, I usually stay in a place 1 - 6 months (depending on the vibe & my current client’s needs) and I also frequent many of the same “hot spots” (as you read at the top of the page!) I’ll be releasing a guide and additional resources to help others learn about and set up this type of lifestyle, if it’s something you’re interested in, subscribe to the list here.)

I’ve been a Photographer for 12 years in total, fashion and portrait hyper-focused for about 8, with a total of 15 years of straight nerdingggg out on Photoshop & obsessively learning all things business until odd hours in the night. Teaching myself all the tricks, figuring out how to make skin look SO TAN, and to give layered depth to colors and tones in sisinct actions giving myself and my work a very recognizable style. (My methods are a bit on the unconventional side) not to mention diving deep into the realms of the social media land.

But it wasn’t all butterflies and pixel rainbows, that’s only the pretty and professional way of saying it. Throughout my creative photography career there have been SO many ups and downs. So many uncertainties. So many insecurities causing me at different points to feel that I needed to initially hide behind my work and the lens (for years people didn’t even know what I looked like before showing up to a shoot), many times being told I wasn’t professional enough and that I would never make it by previous bosses and employers, feeling like I needed to blend in to be hired, to be worthy to be paid, to be “less me” by being more conservative and basic to appeal to the type of person or company that had the money to pay for my services. Ohhhhh, was I wronggggggg.

This way of thinking (& after hiring one of the baddest Biz Coaches in the game because I was tired of being a broke a** starving artist with too much talent and not enough street cred) is what lead me into an accidental route of hyper-masculine style marketing tactics, and subsequently a few years past that, into a complete burnout spiral of myself and my coaching business. (Also not very pretty)

Why am I telling you all of this?… It’s simple really, the more authentic you are, living in your truest essence and expression of self and desire, the more you attract your ideal client (take notes.) This will either align you or repel you, and that is its purpose.

Post-business meltdown and conformity apocalypse, I’ve found a true balance and harmony to incorporating the masculine of taking action with the feminine of surrender and intuition (the perfect necessary combination for a creative business) Nothing is forced, including the creative process we will journey on together if you decide there is alignment. Personally, I’m MOST happy flowing in my feminine like a fairy in a meadow, creating art and connecting with others for unique perspectives, outcomes, and expressions.

I know my power. As a Projector (Human Design, google it, it will revolutionize the way you do business and navigate social media) I can see your’s as well.

For this, & so many reasons, I’m here to change the narrative of the creative game. To elevate the industry back to its original artistic roots. To establish a global network of unity, community, and positivity over the negative isolation of “market competition.” To restore respect and dignity to the endless talents that so many humans pour their hearts into. And to empower those, who may then elevate and empower others in a high-vibe high-frequency domino effect.

Through harmonic & strategic partnerships and growth strategies I now teach my clients, I’ve grown my own IG to 111K, and I’ve grown accounts for brands 300K+! Now, I’m stoked to also teach other amazing humans around the world to do the same in their own Biz & visions! With my Coaching, I’m able to help a select number of conscientious brands & inspiring creatives who are struggling to get visible on Insta actually learn how to get clients & sales, & build the audience & business of their dreams!

(To learn more about that, hop over here!)

I live to take pictures, create art, connect the industry through community and collaboration, and elevate other awesome boss babes to achieve their unique dreams through social media!

 
ALYSSA RISLEY LOGO COPYRIGHT 2021
 

 

here’s a lil slice of some of the Photography Clients, brands, Partnerships, Collabs, & Campaigns I’ve set up over the last 12+ years!…

feel like you’re ready to talk more about Influencer marketing, creative social strategy, or how to get out of the starving artist grind forever??

want to see some exciting results I’ve gotten for my clients inside of my 1:1 Coaching programs?