Ashlyn Lee Dinger
Ashlyn Lee Photography
“My story started out like every typical photographer,” says Ashlyn Lee. But in reality, her path has been anything but typical. This 22-year-old entrepreneur has built a following of more than 17,000 on Instagram and carved out a respected place for herself as both a photographer and videographer.
What began as casual photoshoots of friends and family and filming the soccer team she managed in high school eventually evolved into Ashlyn Lee Photography. Growing up, her family documented everything with cameras, camcorders, and home videos. Being surrounded by that love of capturing memories gave her an early appreciation for the art, something that would later shape her career. The summer before she left for school, Ashlyn booked her first two weddings. She already knew her passion was capturing people through a lens, but societal expectations pushed her toward cosmetology school, with hopes of weaving photography into that career.
It didn’t take long for her to realize her true calling. Inspired by her grandparents, who had built successful businesses without degrees, Ashlyn made the bold decision to drop out, invest her entire savings into a new camera, and pursue photography full time. With support from her family, she leaned into the uncertainty. “People only see your success,” she says. “Behind the scenes, you fail countless times before you succeed. The more times you try and fail, the closer you are to succeeding.” Over time, she’s learned that continually investing back into her business is what has helped her grow and reach new opportunities.
Ashlyn is determined to stay true to her creative vision. In such a saturated field, she admits it’s easy to compare yourself to others, especially on social media. But she encourages others to “follow your own lane.” Social media, she says, can be both a blessing and a downfall if it leads you away from your own perspective. “Everyone’s creativity is different. It’s not mapped out, you can’t just follow a path someone else created.”
Her work reflects this philosophy. Ashlyn describes her style as organic, authentic, and rooted in human connection. She focuses on documenting raw, unfiltered moments, capturing what is already there rather than creating something artificial. Beyond photography and videography, Ashlyn is also creating opportunities for collaboration in the industry. Last year alone, she hosted five retreats and even launched a clothing brand, The Romantics Club. She also hosted the Girls of God Retreat, a faith-based gathering for women looking for community, which has become one of the most meaningful parts of her work outside of photography.
Despite her success, she’s honest about the challenges of being young in the industry. “It’s hard when you want to make weekend plans, but your weekends are booked out for weddings a year or two in advance,” she says. And when you’re young, people sometimes assume you aren’t experienced, but really, it’s about how much you’ve invested in your art.
Looking ahead, Ashlyn has plenty of ideas. For now, she’s focused on growing her retreats, expanding The Romantics Club, and building her photography business. Her fiancé is slowly making his way into videography, and she would love to team up with him in the future to combine their skills. One day, she dreams of opening a small space that brings everything together - a studio, clothing store and coffee shop under one roof.
