Episode Transcript
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Dennis Day (00:00):
Welcome to Getting your Edge how to Downsize your
Home and Life podcast.
My name is Dennis Day and I'mwith co-host Judy Gratton.
Judy, do you want to share apicture or two of your new
grandbaby?
Judy Gratton (00:13):
Oh, I don't know how well they'll turn out.
Dennis Day (00:16):
While you're checking that out, let me
introduce our guest.
This is.
Judy Gratton (00:20):
Ashley Werder, can you see?
Dennis Day (00:23):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Judy Gratton (00:25):
Little grandson John Moses Cook.
Dennis Day (00:29):
All right, and he's like 11 ounces.
And this is day two right.
Judy Gratton (00:35):
Yes or not Day two Day two.
Dennis Day (00:38):
That's remarkable, and let me introduce our guest.
This is Ashley Werther.
She is a Northwest, formerNorthwest resident, and I met
her through Kenmore Camera.
She was offering photographyclasses and she has moved Puerto
Vallarta, and so we're heretoday to talk about.
(01:00):
Ashley is running a business asan American in Mexico.
Welcome, ashley.
Ashley Werter (01:06):
Thank you.
Thank you for having me.
Dennis Day (01:08):
Yeah Well, why don't you tell us how you got started
in photography?
Ashley Werter (01:13):
I've always loved photography.
I can't remember starting itreally, but I remember I was
about 10 when I got my firstcamera.
I had an aunt who would spendthe photography and she always
had a camera.
I had an aunt who was intophotography and she always had a
camera, and I just got to apoint where I was always at
every family gathering takingher camera and running off with
it, and she just gave me thefreedom to do so and I just fell
(01:37):
in love with it.
I was in middle school and Ifound out that it was an actual
job that I could have, and so Istarted taking photography
classes in high school and Iended up going to an Institute
of Photography Brooks Instituteof Photography in California.
I got my bachelor's degree inphotography and then I moved to
(02:00):
Hawaii.
I started working at a largeformat printer and from there I
got a job at a stock photographyagency.
When I moved to New York I keptthat job and just worked
virtually.
Then I started to teach someclasses at the local camera
stores and I started doing somelike image restoration and
(02:23):
shooting portraits of my own,and then, when I left New York,
I just sort of continued thatwork in Seattle.
So I did some portraits andworkshops in Seattle.
We went to Bainbridge Island.
We did a whole bunch of coolworkshops.
I started my little camera clubat Kenmore.
I started my little camera clubat Kenmore and then, when we
(02:44):
decided to move to Mexico, itwas just based on this idea that
I'm going to be doing liketravel photography workshops in
Mexico and to do some moreadventurous stuff.
Dennis Day (03:00):
That's quite a what do you call it?
Resume?
Very impressive, you've beenmoving a lot Wonderful.
Tell us about you've movedthere and it's a brand new place
and there's lots of differentthings to learn.
Tell us about starting abusiness in Mexico.
Ashley Werter (03:19):
Well, it did definitely take me a little bit
to get it started.
When I first moved here, thepriorities were find a place to
live, get my kid in school andthings like that, and then it
was starting to build thisbusiness and wanting to offer
photography workshops.
There's really only one otherwoman in the city who offers
(03:41):
photography classes and shemostly does film photography and
to like more local peoplebecause she's a local herself,
and so I really felt like I hada niche with teaching the
photography workshops.
And it's such a traveldestination and I had so many
cruise ship clients, and sofirst I needed to design my
(04:02):
workshops.
So first I needed to design myworkshops.
So I picked some themes ofphotography that I wanted to
teach, like travel, sunsetportraiture, seascapes, and then
I had to sort of design what Iwas going to teach where,
because I wanted it to include alittle bit of a tour of my
travel photography workshop.
(04:22):
We mostly stick to the Molokonand the main part of town, but
we get to see quite a bit of themain attractions, and for my
night photography class we're onthe beach in front of the pier
because they light it up atnight and I can do star trails.
I have a fire dancer so thathelps me with the painting with
(04:48):
light, and so I had a lot of funlike designing my workshops and
making Viarta like part of mysubject Did you go to the hotels
and the cruise ships anddifferent other businesses to
get them to promote your productto people coming in.
Yeah, actually I made a brochurethat had information on some of
(05:10):
my classes and portraitssessions, because I offer a few
different sessions, like 30minutes, 60 minutes session and
so I did make a brochure and Itook it around to all the hotels
and banks and pretty muchanywhere where people like beat
their cards or there's so manytourists and things to do here
(05:31):
that virtually everyone has alittle place for you to
advertise your certain tourbusiness.
Dennis Day (05:38):
Were you doing a little bit of bartering, say, if
I'll do some photography foryour business, if you help
promote that, or if I'll do somephotography for your business
if you help promote that, or?
Ashley Werter (05:44):
Definitely, especially during the COVID
years when there weren't so manytourists to photograph.
I definitely did a lot of.
I went to businesses and I'vesaid I'll do a shoot for you and
your business if I can use thisas a location for my portrait
or if I can teach photographyhere.
(06:05):
Or I did lots of shoots forrestaurants and they still
invite me to events and I getlots of free food and hotels.
Even when I went to Guadalajara, I did message quite a few
hotels and offer to trade themphotography for a free stay.
(06:30):
I have this one hotel inTlaquepaque who was very happy
to exchange with me and theyhave such a beautiful hotel and
so to take pictures of it wasfun, and then I just include to
them photos of what I take whileI'm there.
The zoo in Guadalajara isamazing.
The town of Tlacopaque isincredible.
(06:50):
I basically just traded themphotos for free stay and I know
that anytime I go to GuadalajaraI will have that free stay.
And when they've come toVallarta, like I shot their
daughter's quinceañera anddefinitely a lot of ways to
barter and use your skill set.
Dennis Day (07:11):
Wow, I bet a quinceañera must be an amazing
event to be a part of.
Ashley Werter (07:17):
Yes, that one specifically was during the
COVID years, so it was on a boatwith much less people.
But the quinceañeras arefabulous.
They are an absoluteextraordinary event, and so the
dresses are incredible.
Dennis Day (07:33):
Yeah, let me ask Go ahead, judy.
Judy Gratton (07:36):
What were some of your challenges on getting a
business started in Mexico?
Ashley Werter (07:41):
There are definitely some rules as
foreigners starting businesses.
I didn't come as a tourist, Icame as a temporary resident,
and again, they change theserules all the time.
But at the time that I came,temporary residents were allowed
to start businesses.
I hired an accountant and Itold him oh, I want to start a
(08:03):
business, and so he set me upwith the tax system so that I
could pay taxes.
And then he said now just go toimmigration and let them know
you started a business.
So I did, and I got there andthey said you have to ask us to
do that first.
And they had their wholeprocess of what I was supposed
(08:23):
to do before I went to the taxoffice.
I started that process and thenthey changed the rules while I
was in process.
Only by the grace of myaccountant's mistake was I
actually able to start mybusiness at that time, because
they had already given me my taxlicense, and so I did it
(08:44):
backward.
But I did it backwards just inthe nick of time.
The rules have changed againand now, yeah, temporary
residents can start businesses,but nationals and everybody this
time need to have RFC numbers,it's like that's like, I guess,
a social security number or abusiness number license.
Everybody's required to haveone.
(09:05):
Now, foreigners, if you arestarting a business, you're
definitely required.
Judy Gratton (09:10):
So would you suggest, if someone is
considering this, to go toimmigration first?
Ashley Werter (09:16):
Yeah, you definitely need to go to
immigration first and they'lltell you all the requirements
for the time, and then you'regoing to be spending a lot of
time there and at the SAT office, which is where you're going to
be fed up with your taxes.
So it definitely is a process,but it's certainly worth it and
you can make it happen.
Dennis Day (09:35):
Do you have a city business license that you have
to?
Ashley Werter (09:39):
On my permanent resident ID card, like my ID,
there is a specialclassification that says that I
have a work permit.
Judy Gratton (09:50):
Are there any cultural differences in running
your business?
Ashley Werter (09:54):
I wouldn't say that there's a lot of cultural
differences.
I mean, I have a lot of thingsfrom the US that I would
consider as like a standardpractice that maybe not everyone
here would think of as arequirement, but, like, I have a
website and I pay for it and Imake sure it's polished and
perfect, and a lot of thebusiness in Mexico don't have a
(10:15):
website.
They have a Facebook page orWhatsApp phone number.
My business cards are veryprofessionally printed and some
people it's a handwrittenbusiness card, and so those are
some differences.
Judy Gratton (10:29):
For sure, you know , it's not as cream and polish
always, but there's still waysto network you mentioned when we
were talking to you in ourprevious podcast about, uh,
living there, that there, thereis, um, there is a sense of uh,
how do I want to say this?
(10:50):
You don't, don't anticipatethat everything is going to
happen in line right on time.
Um, yeah, therapy or the mananaidea.
Ashley Werter (10:59):
As far as the businesses go, there's
definitely a little bit morelike reliability.
If we have an appointment, theappointment's generally going to
be stuck to, you know, butdefinitely there are a lot of
it's a lot more waiting thanyou're probably going to be to.
In the United States Someprocesses take a little bit
longer and to combat that that Ijust you know I mean there are
(11:23):
other things I can do while Iwait for these things and I just
don't do everything in the sameorder that I might have done it
in the United States, but I canstill get it all published.
Dennis Day (11:34):
So some of these business practices like the
website or is, are youconnecting to a US business or
are you connecting with aMexican business for the website
?
Ashley Werter (11:45):
For my website.
I just kept my website fromwhen I was in Seattle.
I just changed the domain nameand I gave it a fresh base.
But I used Enfolio and GoDaddy,so they're both American based
company.
I've always found the customerservice with both of them really
impeccable, so I stuck withthem.
But for lots of things thereare definitely local things you
(12:10):
can pick, where we have alltypes of foreigners and locals
who do you know your socialmarketing, social media
marketing or that are there tohelp other people with their
businesses.
So it's just a reallyentrepreneurial place and
there's really room foreverybody to offer, something
which I thought was really cool.
Judy Gratton (12:31):
You mentioned that entrepreneurship is very
supported in Mexico, so wouldyou encourage people expats
moving into Mexico if they wantto work?
That it's a good place toconsider that.
Ashley Werter (12:48):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, there's definitely some
things to keep in mind.
The wages in Mexico are fardifferent than the United States
.
The locals are going to bemaking, you know, possibly like
200 pesos a day, $10 a day or$20 a day, depending on what
their jobs are.
(13:08):
So their wages are verydifferent and I think that's
important to keep in mind.
So you're not going to come toMexico and get a job at a cafe.
Come to Mexico and get a job ata cafe.
I really don't see Americansdoing that.
If they need that job tosupport them, if it was just to
be more immersed in the cultureor the language or something and
(13:31):
have something to do, sure, butI think that if you're going to
come here and if you need tohave an income, if you need to
make money, then you need toknow what it is you're going to
do and not just get here andfigure it out.
But there are a lot of avenuesand things that you can do once
(13:52):
you get here.
Dennis Day (13:53):
With your business.
You've kind of transitionedless from the teaching and tour
to the portraits and weddingsand so forth.
Is that correct?
Ashley Werter (14:06):
Yeah, I did move here mostly with the intention
of doing my workshops, becausethat's like where am I
passionate?
I love teaching photography.
As far as clients go, themarket for wedding, destination
weddings and destinationportraits is far greater, so
(14:26):
that's really my bread andbutter.
In weddings and portraits.
I do lots of different types ofevents also, but that would be
my main source of income.
Vacationing families, you know,I get a lot of large groups with
like a set of grandparents andmaybe three there are three kids
and their kids and everybody'son vacation and they want group
(14:49):
family photos.
And then certainly the weddinghere in Vallarta are a
well-oiled machine and it's suchan accommodating place All the
resorts have have.
You really have no way ofhaving a bad wedding here.
They're gonna take care of youand there's probably gonna be
firework to boot.
So, wow, the wedding is reallyjust like a no-brainer um, and
(15:13):
they're a lot more fun to shoothere than they were in Seattle.
There's a lot more outdoor,beach, sunset weddings as
opposed to indoor, maybe flatlights or just not as
interesting of a place.
Dennis Day (15:27):
Okay, now I'm not sure I should ask this and we
can edit it out if we need to,but are you charging a two-tier
system with, say, if I'm doing awedding shoot for a US-based
family, one price, versus doingthe same product for a local
(15:48):
family?
Ashley Werter (15:49):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean I have my price listedin dollars and pesos but I
charge as an American.
I mean my prices are not thehighest of my profession here,
but they're certainly higherthan most and I really don't
have much of a problem lookingat that price.
(16:10):
But those would be marketed toforeigners or expats.
But my local clients when Ihave somebody reach out to me in
Spanish or something that I cantell that they're a local or if
it's a friend of a friend, I docertainly offer a different
(16:30):
price because I just feel likethat's the right thing to do for
me.
It's sort of just that Iappreciate the people being so
welcoming to me that I'm goingto give back to them and also
just understand that theywouldn't hire me if they had to
pay those other prices.
Dennis Day (16:49):
It's a business reality.
I mean, yeah, okay.
Judy Gratton (16:52):
So what does your daily routine look like then?
Ashley Werter (16:56):
Daily routine, including personal life, is I
usually get my son off to school, I go train and I come home,
and either I have a shoot in themorning.
I usually offer my shoots fromlike between nine and 11 in the
morning for the morning ones,and sunset is usually between
(17:18):
five and seven, depending on thetime of year.
So if I have a shoot, it's that.
Otherwise I'll be editing ormarketing and I just try to find
new ways to make money inMexico as a photographer, like I
just last week shot all theschool portraits for my son's
(17:39):
school.
So my day will be packaging allthe prints and giving them to
the parents and collecting mypackage payments and that was
something new for here, becausethey don't really have those
school portraits like we do backin the United States.
Just you know, always trying tofind ways to grow my business
(18:03):
here.
Judy Gratton (18:03):
It was a really good idea.
So that's something that youcan do again, and, again, and
again.
So once they leave, they loveit.
Dennis Day (18:12):
And you've been there six years, so you've been
able to make a living doing whatyou love in a foreign country.
Ashley Werter (18:23):
And it's been successful.
Yeah, I definitely um took afew years and that uh covid
interruption was a little bitrough, but even during covid I
uh was making new classes orteaching online or um, and
currently I'm working onrecording all of my classes to
sell them online so that I canhave a revenue happening.
(18:45):
Um, and, yeah, I really made aname for myself.
I feel like I'm one of thehighly recommended photographers
.
What people are looking onfacebook or you know who should
I hire?
I've just worked with a lot ofthe people here.
I really tried to shoot for asmany businesses as possible.
I don't do studio shootsbecause I don't have a studio my
(19:10):
house I love my house, it'ssuper cute, but it's not exactly
set up for that.
So I use a lot of locationsaround town and that just has
given me so many opportunitiesto make connections with
businesses, business owners,models, all types of clients.
And I really also tried toembrace my photographer
(19:32):
community because you know therewas already photographers here
when I got here.
There's more and more new onesevery year, but I really didn't
want it to be competitive.
I didn't want to feel like Iwas coming in and stealing
people's work or stepping ontheir toes, especially if they
were Mexican national.
(19:53):
But the photography communityhere is really great.
We all work super well togetherand if I can't cover a shoot, I
can hand it off to any numberof my friends and they do the
same.
So I just felt like that was areally important part was to be
involved with that community andinstead of making it so
(20:16):
competitive because there reallyis enough work for all of us,
there's you know, there's 80,000weddings a year here in
Vallarta and Banderas Bay.
There's really no shortage ofopportunities.
It's just sometimes you have togig for them or tell people
when they need to hire you.
Judy Gratton (20:35):
So, as a foreign entrepreneur, are there any
regulations?
Is there anything that kind ofsets you apart or makes it more
difficult for you in Mexico than, say, Mexican National to do
what you want to do?
Ashley Werter (20:51):
I would say probably for a Mexican
photographer.
They're going to know a lotmore of their clients.
You know my clients help me go.
I have very few clients thatare repeat clients for me.
I do have a few families thathave condos here and when their
family visit I shoot them every.
You know, every time theirgrandkids come to visit I shoot
(21:12):
that family.
But it's very rare for me tohave repeat clients and I think
that that's something that theMexican nationals are going to
have more of because theircommunity and their clients are
really local, like themselves.
So I feel like that's probablyone way that we share that
workload.
(21:32):
But I really don't have muchproblems connecting with either.
I think that my Spanish helpsme to be able to sort of do both
.
Dennis Day (21:46):
Tell us about how, say probably specifically
Facebook but other avenues ofsocial media have helped build
your business in Puerto Vallarta.
Ashley Werter (21:55):
Yeah, well, as I mentioned, facebook is huge,
especially in our little BanderaBay.
Here there are groups foreverything Any question you
could possibly ask if you need afood recommendation, or we have
hundreds of different types ofFacebook groups and I think it's
just like a common practice.
(22:16):
If you need to know anything,you go to Facebook and you find
a group and you type in aquestion and there are so many
responses.
So it's really been helpful forme to have such a huge network
of people that I've worked with,because that helps me get
recommended.
(22:36):
So many times.
When somebody says, oh, I'mlooking for a photographer, I
see my friend who's the modelwho makes peanut butter, who's
recommending me, and I see myrestaurant owning clients
recommending me and three orfour families who.
Those people don't still livein Bayarta, but they're still in
those groups, so they see thequestion and they say, oh, I use
(22:58):
this person, and so it's reallya huge networking plus Facebook
specifically.
But I have also booked weddingsfrom my Instagram and that's
always surprising to me becauseI feel like it's so puny.
I don't post on there much, Idon't use hashtags, but there's
a lot of ways for people to findyou and I feel like the social
(23:22):
media marketing is extremelyimportant here.
Judy Gratton (23:25):
You mentioned that people have WhatsApp numbers on
their business cards.
What is the?
I thought the positive thingabout WhatsApp is that it
doesn't last long.
Is that?
Why would you want to promoteyour business?
Our phone service doesn't lastlong.
Why would you want to promoteyour business?
Ashley Werter (23:42):
Our phone service doesn't work as well here in
Mexico.
Our text and talking on thephone is not as clear and easy.
So pretty much everyone hasWhatsApp.
Whatsapp is also a great placewhere you can make groups, so a
lot of business owners will makea WhatsApp group and then they
can send out like oh hey, we'rehaving a special today and it
(24:03):
goes out to whoever has chosento be in that group, or like
here's the details on my expense.
But yeah, facebook and WhatsAppare certainly the two
must-haves for a person ingeneral, but especially a
business, for sure.
Dennis Day (24:20):
How about Google profile?
Ashley Werter (24:22):
Yeah, I mean I would say that that's certainly
a good thing to have, but, as Imentioned, like, most people
don't have websites in Mexicoand it's just like just not, as
it's just one of those littledifferences, it's just not one
of the things that they're goingto.
They're less likely to look foryour website than they are for
your Facebook page Interestinggoing to.
Judy Gratton (24:41):
They're less likely to look for your website
than they are for your Facebookpage.
Interesting.
Is it possible, or do you needor do people incorporate?
Ashley Werter (24:54):
or have LLCs or anything like that within Mexico
.
Well, I mean, I registered mybusiness with the tax department
, so I have that, but that'sanother little difference here
is, you know, it's definitelypossible, but I just don't think
it's always necessary.
Judy Gratton (25:08):
You don't see it a lot among other businesses.
Ashley Werter (25:11):
No, and I really wouldn't know how to answer that
, for, like a Mexican nationalwho started their business,
maybe that's more of a thingthat they do, but certainly for
me it wasn't necessary.
Dennis Day (25:23):
So, Ashley, would you be willing to share some
photos from your business, someclasses, weddings, etc.
Ashley Werter (25:31):
Yeah, I've got my website pulled up so I can show
you some local photographs.
Dennis Day (25:38):
There we go, there you go Beautiful.
Ashley Werter (25:41):
Okay, I don't know how, in the way it would be
if I am.
So these are just some localphotographs that I have.
This is portraits someseascapes.
This is obviously from awedding.
Wow, it's quite the one.
Mostly outdoor portraitsessions, engagement, posable
(26:06):
family portraits, and then thiswould be something I would teach
in a landscape class or mytravel class Morbid portraits
and weddings.
Slow this down.
It's from my night class,loading here that one.
But I do like to find lots ofbusiness ideas that I can use as
(26:28):
cute backdrops, for a lot of myclients want it's just
headshots.
That's one of my main portrait.
Nations is that you know,there's so many people who work
from home.
There's so many people.
Everybody needs pictures ofthemselves on their websites and
social media, so I'm alwayslooking for Disney foods that I
(26:49):
can do.
Branding shots in Like this,for example, is not branding,
but it's in front of a Chinesefood restaurant and it's just
like.
I love Mexico for theirabundance of backdrops.
I love Mexico for theirabundance of backdrops.
I always have somethingbeautiful to shoot or something
beautiful to shoot.
So these are just some pictures.
Dennis Day (27:10):
Well, a lot of pregnancy photos.
Ashley Werter (27:18):
Yeah, we are, I guess, a popular babymoon
location.
You know your last vacationbefore a baby comes.
And then this one would be frommy travel workshop from the
Molotov.
I'm sure some of them areloading Lots of digital nomad
business portraits.
It's a sunset workshop and thenjust lots of the wedding
(27:42):
engagements.
Dennis Day (27:43):
Oh, that's adorable.
How about the food class?
I'd love to see that.
Judy Gratton (27:49):
So this is teaching people how to
photograph food.
Ashley Werter (27:52):
Yeah, I'll do a food workshop or a private
lesson and we just go to I don'tknow if that's going to load my
internet I don't know if that'sgonna load my internet and it
may be for so I do a lot ofprivate workshops or classes for
food photography, um, where wejust go and order food and I
shoot and teach them how toshoot different types of food,
(28:16):
different angles, by using your,your backdrop, trying to.
I don't know how fast these aregoing to load and I don't want
to show you that it's just empty, so maybe I'll just keep it
here.
Dennis Day (28:29):
Okay, beautiful.
Ashley Werter (28:30):
Just wait for that octodule.
Dennis Day (28:32):
That was food important in Port Vale Yard.
Ashley Werter (28:34):
Definitely we have a lot of foodies here.
The food is incredible andthere's pretty much every type
that you could ask for.
I won't rave about all of theChinese food.
I will say that has been alittle disappointing, but as far
as Mexican food or differenttypes of cultures, Indian food,
(28:56):
Italian food, we have a lot tochoose from.
The seafood is amazing Steaknot so much.
The cows are a little biggerand beefier in the United States
, but as far as seafood and justfresh fruits and vegetables go,
I mean you really cannot beatMexico.
The quality is incredible.
Dennis Day (29:18):
Wow, that looks fun and you get to eat it.
Ashley Werter (29:21):
Yeah.
Dennis Day (29:22):
And you have specific restaurants.
You go to that kind of workedout something to allow this to
happen.
Ashley Werter (29:27):
Yeah, I mean I'm always looking for a new one
because I like to keep it freshand have options.
But generally, yeah, I justreach out to businesses that I
think are cute, that I have nicelighting and when it comes to
the food photography like, I'mobviously checking their menu to
see like what they offer andwhat I can teach with that.
(29:49):
But just in general, I havelocations for portraits.
I like to find a lot of justcute restaurants or businesses.
Dennis Day (29:58):
Fantastic.
I've been a great admirer ofyour photographer because you
came in years ago and taughtclasses at the camera store and
I've watched through yourFacebook and you have fabulous
photography.
It's just beautiful.
I really am an admirer of yourwork and it looks like you enjoy
(30:18):
your work.
It comes out in yourphotography.
Ashley Werter (30:22):
Yeah, I do.
I feel like Beth.
Do you want me to stop sharingthis?
Sure, okay, sorry.
Well, what did you do with that, quintana?
Dennis Day (30:33):
I said I love your photography and it just seems
like the joy you have in takingphotographs of special occasions
, teaching it, comes out.
I mean, it's visible in yourwork.
Ashley Werter (30:45):
I definitely love that.
I get to do what I love at myjob.
It's not always the mostglamorous, right?
I love photography, but weddingcan be a hassle.
You know it's a lot of work.
Sometimes the portraits getthey portraits Right.
So sometimes it can get alittle bit old or daunting or a
(31:07):
little bit burnout.
But for the most part, I learnedyears ago how to make portraits
of other people, my ownexpression and just being able
to, you know, choose thebackdrop or change poses or have
different combinations of them.
Whatever it is that I can makeit like my own little piece of
(31:30):
art.
And I also always try to havecreative.
I don't want to always shootthe same commercial portraits of
different family combinationsin front of the ocean.
I do a lot of creative shootswith my friends and all the
suggested friends on Facebook.
There's always people in thereand if I see somebody beautiful,
(31:53):
I always just add them and say,hey, I'm a photographer, I'd
love to shoot you and just tokeep it fresh for myself.
So I always have something thatI'm enjoying doing and I always
, always have the option to gointo nature and shoot waterfalls
and macro photography, andthere's just such an abundance
(32:14):
of beautiful thing to takepictures up here.
It really it's hard not toenjoy it.
Dennis Day (32:20):
We will post links to your website.
You do portrait photography,you do wedding photography, you
do engagement photography,family photography, and then you
offer classes.
Anything else I missed.
Ashley Werter (32:34):
Nope, I mean, we also have the fire to school for
girls.
It was started by Francie.
She also started our food bankand she runs several restaurants
in Viarta.
So our newest project is thisSchool for Girls, and it's about
60 girls from 8 to 18 who getschool completely free.
(32:57):
They get two meals a day andit's one of the highlights of
living here and getting to teachthem photography.
I had a student who came to meonce from Arizona and took a
class with me.
I stayed in touch with her andshe has been able to fundraise
(33:20):
to get these girls all 20 ofthem brand new cameras to shoot
with.
So every week we have a greatadventure and I just took them
to the beach last week and nextweek we'll do the Molokon and
then we have their expositioncoming up to print their photos
and, yeah, it's just really funto be able to share that with
(33:43):
them.
Dennis Day (33:44):
Oh, that's amazing.
And send me that link becausewe can post that with and maybe
we can get some more listenersand subscribers to donate.
That's just amazing.
It sounds like you'reintegrated into the community.
Ashley Werter (33:59):
Yes, yeah, that was really important to me and
it also just sort of happened sonaturally because it is such a
welcoming place and I'm justreally ambitious, so I was able
to find lots of things to do andpeople to be around.
But it was important to mebecause this was really the
(34:20):
first place, you know, living inWashington, california, hawaii,
new York, washington again, andbeing all over the place, this
was really the first place thatfelt like a home and that, you
know, it wasn't going to wearoff after a few years, that I
really felt like it was where Iwas meant to be, was where I was
(34:44):
meant to be, and so it justsort of came naturally that I
built such a community aroundmyself, because I just loved it
so much.
Dennis Day (34:47):
That's fantastic, ashley.
I'm so glad you have made thiswork for you and I can see the
joy that you have.
This is awesome and it's aninspiration for others who are
thinking.
Any last words of advice forsomebody who was thinking I want
to go to Mexico and start abusiness.
Ashley Werter (35:06):
Yeah, I would just say do your research.
What is it that you're offering?
Who else is offering that?
What can you do differently?
To set yourself apart and justyou know, research them and have
a plan.
You'll adapt your plan manytimes, but still just to have a
base to start off of, I thinkit's important and to be as
(35:28):
involved as possible becausereally, especially with the
expat community, it's extremelywelcoming and do anything.
You can put up a post that sayshey, I'm Dennis, I want to move
to Mexico, I need to make somefriends.
And there will be dozens ofpeople who will reach out to you
and say, hey, join this group,hey, come with us.
(35:48):
And I would just encourage youto take those opportunities
because the way that you willgrow your community and your
business and in general will beawesome.
Dennis Day (36:00):
Thank you so much, Ashley.
This has really been helpfuland really beneficial.
I hope this helps people outthat if they're considering this
, your information will givethem a little head start there.
Ashley Werter (36:13):
Yes, thank you.
Dennis Day (36:14):
Tell us, if they wanted to look at your work some
more, what your website is,your Facebook page.
Ashley Werter (36:19):
Sure, my business is called Nomad Family Photo
Group, so you can find me atnomadfamilyphotogroupcom or on
Instagram with the same handle.
Dennis Day (36:28):
Okay, any last words of advice, judy?
Judy Gratton (36:31):
No, I don't think so.
I think this has been veryinformative and I think I'm
ready to pack my bags off this.
Dennis Day (36:38):
So thank you everyone.
All our listeners and watchersappreciate it so much.
I hope this has beeninformative and we will see you
next time on Getting your Edgehow to Downsize your Life
podcast.
Thank you, ashley.
Thank you Judy.
Judy Gratton (36:55):
Thank you.
Dennis Day (36:56):
Bye-bye.
Welcome to Getting your Edge how to Downsize your
Home and Life podcast.
My name is Dennis Day and I'mwith co-host Judy Gratton.
Judy, do you want to share apicture or two of your new
grandbaby?
Judy Gratton (00:13):
Oh, I don't know how well they'll turn out.
Dennis Day (00:16):
While you're checking that out, let me
introduce our guest.
This is.
Judy Gratton (00:20):
Ashley Werder, can you see?
Dennis Day (00:23):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Judy Gratton (00:25):
Little grandson John Moses Cook.
Dennis Day (00:29):
All right, and he's like 11 ounces.
And this is day two right.
Judy Gratton (00:35):
Yes or not Day two Day two.
Dennis Day (00:38):
That's remarkable, and let me introduce our guest.
This is Ashley Werther.
She is a Northwest, formerNorthwest resident, and I met
her through Kenmore Camera.
She was offering photographyclasses and she has moved Puerto
Vallarta, and so we're heretoday to talk about.
(01:00):
Ashley is running a business asan American in Mexico.
Welcome, ashley.
Ashley Werter (01:06):
Thank you.
Thank you for having me.
Dennis Day (01:08):
Yeah Well, why don't you tell us how you got started
in photography?
Ashley Werter (01:13):
I've always loved photography.
I can't remember starting itreally, but I remember I was
about 10 when I got my firstcamera.
I had an aunt who would spendthe photography and she always
had a camera.
I had an aunt who was intophotography and she always had a
camera, and I just got to apoint where I was always at
every family gathering takingher camera and running off with
it, and she just gave me thefreedom to do so and I just fell
(01:37):
in love with it.
I was in middle school and Ifound out that it was an actual
job that I could have, and so Istarted taking photography
classes in high school and Iended up going to an Institute
of Photography Brooks Instituteof Photography in California.
I got my bachelor's degree inphotography and then I moved to
(02:00):
Hawaii.
I started working at a largeformat printer and from there I
got a job at a stock photographyagency.
When I moved to New York I keptthat job and just worked
virtually.
Then I started to teach someclasses at the local camera
stores and I started doing somelike image restoration and
(02:23):
shooting portraits of my own,and then, when I left New York,
I just sort of continued thatwork in Seattle.
So I did some portraits andworkshops in Seattle.
We went to Bainbridge Island.
We did a whole bunch of coolworkshops.
I started my little camera clubat Kenmore.
I started my little camera clubat Kenmore and then, when we
(02:44):
decided to move to Mexico, itwas just based on this idea that
I'm going to be doing liketravel photography workshops in
Mexico and to do some moreadventurous stuff.
Dennis Day (03:00):
That's quite a what do you call it?
Resume?
Very impressive, you've beenmoving a lot Wonderful.
Tell us about you've movedthere and it's a brand new place
and there's lots of differentthings to learn.
Tell us about starting abusiness in Mexico.
Ashley Werter (03:19):
Well, it did definitely take me a little bit
to get it started.
When I first moved here, thepriorities were find a place to
live, get my kid in school andthings like that, and then it
was starting to build thisbusiness and wanting to offer
photography workshops.
There's really only one otherwoman in the city who offers
(03:41):
photography classes and shemostly does film photography and
to like more local peoplebecause she's a local herself,
and so I really felt like I hada niche with teaching the
photography workshops.
And it's such a traveldestination and I had so many
cruise ship clients, and sofirst I needed to design my
(04:02):
workshops.
So first I needed to design myworkshops.
So I picked some themes ofphotography that I wanted to
teach, like travel, sunsetportraiture, seascapes, and then
I had to sort of design what Iwas going to teach where,
because I wanted it to include alittle bit of a tour of my
travel photography workshop.
(04:22):
We mostly stick to the Molokonand the main part of town, but
we get to see quite a bit of themain attractions, and for my
night photography class we're onthe beach in front of the pier
because they light it up atnight and I can do star trails.
I have a fire dancer so thathelps me with the painting with
(04:48):
light, and so I had a lot of funlike designing my workshops and
making Viarta like part of mysubject Did you go to the hotels
and the cruise ships anddifferent other businesses to
get them to promote your productto people coming in.
Yeah, actually I made a brochurethat had information on some of
(05:10):
my classes and portraitssessions, because I offer a few
different sessions, like 30minutes, 60 minutes session and
so I did make a brochure and Itook it around to all the hotels
and banks and pretty muchanywhere where people like beat
their cards or there's so manytourists and things to do here
(05:31):
that virtually everyone has alittle place for you to
advertise your certain tourbusiness.
Dennis Day (05:38):
Were you doing a little bit of bartering, say, if
I'll do some photography foryour business, if you help
promote that, or if I'll do somephotography for your business
if you help promote that, or?
Ashley Werter (05:44):
Definitely, especially during the COVID
years when there weren't so manytourists to photograph.
I definitely did a lot of.
I went to businesses and I'vesaid I'll do a shoot for you and
your business if I can use thisas a location for my portrait
or if I can teach photographyhere.
(06:05):
Or I did lots of shoots forrestaurants and they still
invite me to events and I getlots of free food and hotels.
Even when I went to Guadalajara, I did message quite a few
hotels and offer to trade themphotography for a free stay.
(06:30):
I have this one hotel inTlaquepaque who was very happy
to exchange with me and theyhave such a beautiful hotel and
so to take pictures of it wasfun, and then I just include to
them photos of what I take whileI'm there.
The zoo in Guadalajara isamazing.
The town of Tlacopaque isincredible.
(06:50):
I basically just traded themphotos for free stay and I know
that anytime I go to GuadalajaraI will have that free stay.
And when they've come toVallarta, like I shot their
daughter's quinceañera anddefinitely a lot of ways to
barter and use your skill set.
Dennis Day (07:11):
Wow, I bet a quinceañera must be an amazing
event to be a part of.
Ashley Werter (07:17):
Yes, that one specifically was during the
COVID years, so it was on a boatwith much less people.
But the quinceañeras arefabulous.
They are an absoluteextraordinary event, and so the
dresses are incredible.
Dennis Day (07:33):
Yeah, let me ask Go ahead, judy.
Judy Gratton (07:36):
What were some of your challenges on getting a
business started in Mexico?
Ashley Werter (07:41):
There are definitely some rules as
foreigners starting businesses.
I didn't come as a tourist, Icame as a temporary resident,
and again, they change theserules all the time.
But at the time that I came,temporary residents were allowed
to start businesses.
I hired an accountant and Itold him oh, I want to start a
(08:03):
business, and so he set me upwith the tax system so that I
could pay taxes.
And then he said now just go toimmigration and let them know
you started a business.
So I did, and I got there andthey said you have to ask us to
do that first.
And they had their wholeprocess of what I was supposed
(08:23):
to do before I went to the taxoffice.
I started that process and thenthey changed the rules while I
was in process.
Only by the grace of myaccountant's mistake was I
actually able to start mybusiness at that time, because
they had already given me my taxlicense, and so I did it
(08:44):
backward.
But I did it backwards just inthe nick of time.
The rules have changed againand now, yeah, temporary
residents can start businesses,but nationals and everybody this
time need to have RFC numbers,it's like that's like, I guess,
a social security number or abusiness number license.
Everybody's required to haveone.
(09:05):
Now, foreigners, if you arestarting a business, you're
definitely required.
Judy Gratton (09:10):
So would you suggest, if someone is
considering this, to go toimmigration first?
Ashley Werter (09:16):
Yeah, you definitely need to go to
immigration first and they'lltell you all the requirements
for the time, and then you'regoing to be spending a lot of
time there and at the SAT office, which is where you're going to
be fed up with your taxes.
So it definitely is a process,but it's certainly worth it and
you can make it happen.
Dennis Day (09:35):
Do you have a city business license that you have
to?
Ashley Werter (09:39):
On my permanent resident ID card, like my ID,
there is a specialclassification that says that I
have a work permit.
Judy Gratton (09:50):
Are there any cultural differences in running
your business?
Ashley Werter (09:54):
I wouldn't say that there's a lot of cultural
differences.
I mean, I have a lot of thingsfrom the US that I would
consider as like a standardpractice that maybe not everyone
here would think of as arequirement, but, like, I have a
website and I pay for it and Imake sure it's polished and
perfect, and a lot of thebusiness in Mexico don't have a
(10:15):
website.
They have a Facebook page orWhatsApp phone number.
My business cards are veryprofessionally printed and some
people it's a handwrittenbusiness card, and so those are
some differences.
Judy Gratton (10:29):
For sure, you know , it's not as cream and polish
always, but there's still waysto network you mentioned when we
were talking to you in ourprevious podcast about, uh,
living there, that there, thereis, um, there is a sense of uh,
how do I want to say this?
(10:50):
You don't, don't anticipatethat everything is going to
happen in line right on time.
Um, yeah, therapy or the mananaidea.
Ashley Werter (10:59):
As far as the businesses go, there's
definitely a little bit morelike reliability.
If we have an appointment, theappointment's generally going to
be stuck to, you know, butdefinitely there are a lot of
it's a lot more waiting thanyou're probably going to be to.
In the United States Someprocesses take a little bit
longer and to combat that that Ijust you know I mean there are
(11:23):
other things I can do while Iwait for these things and I just
don't do everything in the sameorder that I might have done it
in the United States, but I canstill get it all published.
Dennis Day (11:34):
So some of these business practices like the
website or is, are youconnecting to a US business or
are you connecting with aMexican business for the website
?
Ashley Werter (11:45):
For my website.
I just kept my website fromwhen I was in Seattle.
I just changed the domain nameand I gave it a fresh base.
But I used Enfolio and GoDaddy,so they're both American based
company.
I've always found the customerservice with both of them really
impeccable, so I stuck withthem.
But for lots of things thereare definitely local things you
(12:10):
can pick, where we have alltypes of foreigners and locals
who do you know your socialmarketing, social media
marketing or that are there tohelp other people with their
businesses.
So it's just a reallyentrepreneurial place and
there's really room foreverybody to offer, something
which I thought was really cool.
Judy Gratton (12:31):
You mentioned that entrepreneurship is very
supported in Mexico, so wouldyou encourage people expats
moving into Mexico if they wantto work?
That it's a good place toconsider that.
Ashley Werter (12:48):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, there's definitely some
things to keep in mind.
The wages in Mexico are fardifferent than the United States
.
The locals are going to bemaking, you know, possibly like
200 pesos a day, $10 a day or$20 a day, depending on what
their jobs are.
(13:08):
So their wages are verydifferent and I think that's
important to keep in mind.
So you're not going to come toMexico and get a job at a cafe.
Come to Mexico and get a job ata cafe.
I really don't see Americansdoing that.
If they need that job tosupport them, if it was just to
be more immersed in the cultureor the language or something and
(13:31):
have something to do, sure, butI think that if you're going to
come here and if you need tohave an income, if you need to
make money, then you need toknow what it is you're going to
do and not just get here andfigure it out.
But there are a lot of avenuesand things that you can do once
(13:52):
you get here.
Dennis Day (13:53):
With your business.
You've kind of transitionedless from the teaching and tour
to the portraits and weddingsand so forth.
Is that correct?
Ashley Werter (14:06):
Yeah, I did move here mostly with the intention
of doing my workshops, becausethat's like where am I
passionate?
I love teaching photography.
As far as clients go, themarket for wedding, destination
weddings and destinationportraits is far greater, so
(14:26):
that's really my bread andbutter.
In weddings and portraits.
I do lots of different types ofevents also, but that would be
my main source of income.
Vacationing families, you know,I get a lot of large groups with
like a set of grandparents andmaybe three there are three kids
and their kids and everybody'son vacation and they want group
(14:49):
family photos.
And then certainly the weddinghere in Vallarta are a
well-oiled machine and it's suchan accommodating place All the
resorts have have.
You really have no way ofhaving a bad wedding here.
They're gonna take care of youand there's probably gonna be
firework to boot.
So, wow, the wedding is reallyjust like a no-brainer um, and
(15:13):
they're a lot more fun to shoothere than they were in Seattle.
There's a lot more outdoor,beach, sunset weddings as
opposed to indoor, maybe flatlights or just not as
interesting of a place.
Dennis Day (15:27):
Okay, now I'm not sure I should ask this and we
can edit it out if we need to,but are you charging a two-tier
system with, say, if I'm doing awedding shoot for a US-based
family, one price, versus doingthe same product for a local
(15:48):
family?
Ashley Werter (15:49):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean I have my price listedin dollars and pesos but I
charge as an American.
I mean my prices are not thehighest of my profession here,
but they're certainly higherthan most and I really don't
have much of a problem lookingat that price.
(16:10):
But those would be marketed toforeigners or expats.
But my local clients when Ihave somebody reach out to me in
Spanish or something that I cantell that they're a local or if
it's a friend of a friend, I docertainly offer a different
(16:30):
price because I just feel likethat's the right thing to do for
me.
It's sort of just that Iappreciate the people being so
welcoming to me that I'm goingto give back to them and also
just understand that theywouldn't hire me if they had to
pay those other prices.
Dennis Day (16:49):
It's a business reality.
I mean, yeah, okay.
Judy Gratton (16:52):
So what does your daily routine look like then?
Ashley Werter (16:56):
Daily routine, including personal life, is I
usually get my son off to school, I go train and I come home,
and either I have a shoot in themorning.
I usually offer my shoots fromlike between nine and 11 in the
morning for the morning ones,and sunset is usually between
(17:18):
five and seven, depending on thetime of year.
So if I have a shoot, it's that.
Otherwise I'll be editing ormarketing and I just try to find
new ways to make money inMexico as a photographer, like I
just last week shot all theschool portraits for my son's
(17:39):
school.
So my day will be packaging allthe prints and giving them to
the parents and collecting mypackage payments and that was
something new for here, becausethey don't really have those
school portraits like we do backin the United States.
Just you know, always trying tofind ways to grow my business
(18:03):
here.
Judy Gratton (18:03):
It was a really good idea.
So that's something that youcan do again, and, again, and
again.
So once they leave, they loveit.
Dennis Day (18:12):
And you've been there six years, so you've been
able to make a living doing whatyou love in a foreign country.
Ashley Werter (18:23):
And it's been successful.
Yeah, I definitely um took afew years and that uh covid
interruption was a little bitrough, but even during covid I
uh was making new classes orteaching online or um, and
currently I'm working onrecording all of my classes to
sell them online so that I canhave a revenue happening.
(18:45):
Um, and, yeah, I really made aname for myself.
I feel like I'm one of thehighly recommended photographers
.
What people are looking onfacebook or you know who should
I hire?
I've just worked with a lot ofthe people here.
I really tried to shoot for asmany businesses as possible.
I don't do studio shootsbecause I don't have a studio my
(19:10):
house I love my house, it'ssuper cute, but it's not exactly
set up for that.
So I use a lot of locationsaround town and that just has
given me so many opportunitiesto make connections with
businesses, business owners,models, all types of clients.
And I really also tried toembrace my photographer
(19:32):
community because you know therewas already photographers here
when I got here.
There's more and more new onesevery year, but I really didn't
want it to be competitive.
I didn't want to feel like Iwas coming in and stealing
people's work or stepping ontheir toes, especially if they
were Mexican national.
(19:53):
But the photography communityhere is really great.
We all work super well togetherand if I can't cover a shoot, I
can hand it off to any numberof my friends and they do the
same.
So I just felt like that was areally important part was to be
involved with that community andinstead of making it so
(20:16):
competitive because there reallyis enough work for all of us,
there's you know, there's 80,000weddings a year here in
Vallarta and Banderas Bay.
There's really no shortage ofopportunities.
It's just sometimes you have togig for them or tell people
when they need to hire you.
Judy Gratton (20:35):
So, as a foreign entrepreneur, are there any
regulations?
Is there anything that kind ofsets you apart or makes it more
difficult for you in Mexico than, say, Mexican National to do
what you want to do?
Ashley Werter (20:51):
I would say probably for a Mexican
photographer.
They're going to know a lotmore of their clients.
You know my clients help me go.
I have very few clients thatare repeat clients for me.
I do have a few families thathave condos here and when their
family visit I shoot them every.
You know, every time theirgrandkids come to visit I shoot
(21:12):
that family.
But it's very rare for me tohave repeat clients and I think
that that's something that theMexican nationals are going to
have more of because theircommunity and their clients are
really local, like themselves.
So I feel like that's probablyone way that we share that
workload.
(21:32):
But I really don't have muchproblems connecting with either.
I think that my Spanish helpsme to be able to sort of do both
.
Dennis Day (21:46):
Tell us about how, say probably specifically
Facebook but other avenues ofsocial media have helped build
your business in Puerto Vallarta.
Ashley Werter (21:55):
Yeah, well, as I mentioned, facebook is huge,
especially in our little BanderaBay.
Here there are groups foreverything Any question you
could possibly ask if you need afood recommendation, or we have
hundreds of different types ofFacebook groups and I think it's
just like a common practice.
(22:16):
If you need to know anything,you go to Facebook and you find
a group and you type in aquestion and there are so many
responses.
So it's really been helpful forme to have such a huge network
of people that I've worked with,because that helps me get
recommended.
(22:36):
So many times.
When somebody says, oh, I'mlooking for a photographer, I
see my friend who's the modelwho makes peanut butter, who's
recommending me, and I see myrestaurant owning clients
recommending me and three orfour families who.
Those people don't still livein Bayarta, but they're still in
those groups, so they see thequestion and they say, oh, I use
(22:58):
this person, and so it's reallya huge networking plus Facebook
specifically.
But I have also booked weddingsfrom my Instagram and that's
always surprising to me becauseI feel like it's so puny.
I don't post on there much, Idon't use hashtags, but there's
a lot of ways for people to findyou and I feel like the social
(23:22):
media marketing is extremelyimportant here.
Judy Gratton (23:25):
You mentioned that people have WhatsApp numbers on
their business cards.
What is the?
I thought the positive thingabout WhatsApp is that it
doesn't last long.
Is that?
Why would you want to promoteyour business?
Our phone service doesn't lastlong.
Why would you want to promoteyour business?
Ashley Werter (23:42):
Our phone service doesn't work as well here in
Mexico.
Our text and talking on thephone is not as clear and easy.
So pretty much everyone hasWhatsApp.
Whatsapp is also a great placewhere you can make groups, so a
lot of business owners will makea WhatsApp group and then they
can send out like oh hey, we'rehaving a special today and it
(24:03):
goes out to whoever has chosento be in that group, or like
here's the details on my expense.
But yeah, facebook and WhatsAppare certainly the two
must-haves for a person ingeneral, but especially a
business, for sure.
Dennis Day (24:20):
How about Google profile?
Ashley Werter (24:22):
Yeah, I mean I would say that that's certainly
a good thing to have, but, as Imentioned, like, most people
don't have websites in Mexicoand it's just like just not, as
it's just one of those littledifferences, it's just not one
of the things that they're goingto.
They're less likely to look foryour website than they are for
your Facebook page Interestinggoing to.
Judy Gratton (24:41):
They're less likely to look for your website
than they are for your Facebookpage.
Interesting.
Is it possible, or do you needor do people incorporate?
Ashley Werter (24:54):
or have LLCs or anything like that within Mexico
.
Well, I mean, I registered mybusiness with the tax department
, so I have that, but that'sanother little difference here
is, you know, it's definitelypossible, but I just don't think
it's always necessary.
Judy Gratton (25:08):
You don't see it a lot among other businesses.
Ashley Werter (25:11):
No, and I really wouldn't know how to answer that
, for, like a Mexican nationalwho started their business,
maybe that's more of a thingthat they do, but certainly for
me it wasn't necessary.
Dennis Day (25:23):
So, Ashley, would you be willing to share some
photos from your business, someclasses, weddings, etc.
Ashley Werter (25:31):
Yeah, I've got my website pulled up so I can show
you some local photographs.
Dennis Day (25:38):
There we go, there you go Beautiful.
Ashley Werter (25:41):
Okay, I don't know how, in the way it would be
if I am.
So these are just some localphotographs that I have.
This is portraits someseascapes.
This is obviously from awedding.
Wow, it's quite the one.
Mostly outdoor portraitsessions, engagement, posable
(26:06):
family portraits, and then thiswould be something I would teach
in a landscape class or mytravel class Morbid portraits
and weddings.
Slow this down.
It's from my night class,loading here that one.
But I do like to find lots ofbusiness ideas that I can use as
(26:28):
cute backdrops, for a lot of myclients want it's just
headshots.
That's one of my main portrait.
Nations is that you know,there's so many people who work
from home.
There's so many people.
Everybody needs pictures ofthemselves on their websites and
social media, so I'm alwayslooking for Disney foods that I
(26:49):
can do.
Branding shots in Like this,for example, is not branding,
but it's in front of a Chinesefood restaurant and it's just
like.
I love Mexico for theirabundance of backdrops.
I love Mexico for theirabundance of backdrops.
I always have somethingbeautiful to shoot or something
beautiful to shoot.
So these are just some pictures.
Dennis Day (27:10):
Well, a lot of pregnancy photos.
Ashley Werter (27:18):
Yeah, we are, I guess, a popular babymoon
location.
You know your last vacationbefore a baby comes.
And then this one would be frommy travel workshop from the
Molotov.
I'm sure some of them areloading Lots of digital nomad
business portraits.
It's a sunset workshop and thenjust lots of the wedding
(27:42):
engagements.
Dennis Day (27:43):
Oh, that's adorable.
How about the food class?
I'd love to see that.
Judy Gratton (27:49):
So this is teaching people how to
photograph food.
Ashley Werter (27:52):
Yeah, I'll do a food workshop or a private
lesson and we just go to I don'tknow if that's going to load my
internet I don't know if that'sgonna load my internet and it
may be for so I do a lot ofprivate workshops or classes for
food photography, um, where wejust go and order food and I
shoot and teach them how toshoot different types of food,
(28:16):
different angles, by using your,your backdrop, trying to.
I don't know how fast these aregoing to load and I don't want
to show you that it's just empty, so maybe I'll just keep it
here.
Dennis Day (28:29):
Okay, beautiful.
Ashley Werter (28:30):
Just wait for that octodule.
Dennis Day (28:32):
That was food important in Port Vale Yard.
Ashley Werter (28:34):
Definitely we have a lot of foodies here.
The food is incredible andthere's pretty much every type
that you could ask for.
I won't rave about all of theChinese food.
I will say that has been alittle disappointing, but as far
as Mexican food or differenttypes of cultures, Indian food,
(28:56):
Italian food, we have a lot tochoose from.
The seafood is amazing Steaknot so much.
The cows are a little biggerand beefier in the United States
, but as far as seafood and justfresh fruits and vegetables go,
I mean you really cannot beatMexico.
The quality is incredible.
Dennis Day (29:18):
Wow, that looks fun and you get to eat it.
Ashley Werter (29:21):
Yeah.
Dennis Day (29:22):
And you have specific restaurants.
You go to that kind of workedout something to allow this to
happen.
Ashley Werter (29:27):
Yeah, I mean I'm always looking for a new one
because I like to keep it freshand have options.
But generally, yeah, I justreach out to businesses that I
think are cute, that I have nicelighting and when it comes to
the food photography like, I'mobviously checking their menu to
see like what they offer andwhat I can teach with that.
(29:49):
But just in general, I havelocations for portraits.
I like to find a lot of justcute restaurants or businesses.
Dennis Day (29:58):
Fantastic.
I've been a great admirer ofyour photographer because you
came in years ago and taughtclasses at the camera store and
I've watched through yourFacebook and you have fabulous
photography.
It's just beautiful.
I really am an admirer of yourwork and it looks like you enjoy
(30:18):
your work.
It comes out in yourphotography.
Ashley Werter (30:22):
Yeah, I do.
I feel like Beth.
Do you want me to stop sharingthis?
Sure, okay, sorry.
Well, what did you do with that, quintana?
Dennis Day (30:33):
I said I love your photography and it just seems
like the joy you have in takingphotographs of special occasions
, teaching it, comes out.
I mean, it's visible in yourwork.
Ashley Werter (30:45):
I definitely love that.
I get to do what I love at myjob.
It's not always the mostglamorous, right?
I love photography, but weddingcan be a hassle.
You know it's a lot of work.
Sometimes the portraits getthey portraits Right.
So sometimes it can get alittle bit old or daunting or a
(31:07):
little bit burnout.
But for the most part, I learnedyears ago how to make portraits
of other people, my ownexpression and just being able
to, you know, choose thebackdrop or change poses or have
different combinations of them.
Whatever it is that I can makeit like my own little piece of
(31:30):
art.
And I also always try to havecreative.
I don't want to always shootthe same commercial portraits of
different family combinationsin front of the ocean.
I do a lot of creative shootswith my friends and all the
suggested friends on Facebook.
There's always people in thereand if I see somebody beautiful,
(31:53):
I always just add them and say,hey, I'm a photographer, I'd
love to shoot you and just tokeep it fresh for myself.
So I always have something thatI'm enjoying doing and I always
, always have the option to gointo nature and shoot waterfalls
and macro photography, andthere's just such an abundance
(32:14):
of beautiful thing to takepictures up here.
It really it's hard not toenjoy it.
Dennis Day (32:20):
We will post links to your website.
You do portrait photography,you do wedding photography, you
do engagement photography,family photography, and then you
offer classes.
Anything else I missed.
Ashley Werter (32:34):
Nope, I mean, we also have the fire to school for
girls.
It was started by Francie.
She also started our food bankand she runs several restaurants
in Viarta.
So our newest project is thisSchool for Girls, and it's about
60 girls from 8 to 18 who getschool completely free.
(32:57):
They get two meals a day andit's one of the highlights of
living here and getting to teachthem photography.
I had a student who came to meonce from Arizona and took a
class with me.
I stayed in touch with her andshe has been able to fundraise
(33:20):
to get these girls all 20 ofthem brand new cameras to shoot
with.
So every week we have a greatadventure and I just took them
to the beach last week and nextweek we'll do the Molokon and
then we have their expositioncoming up to print their photos
and, yeah, it's just really funto be able to share that with
(33:43):
them.
Dennis Day (33:44):
Oh, that's amazing.
And send me that link becausewe can post that with and maybe
we can get some more listenersand subscribers to donate.
That's just amazing.
It sounds like you'reintegrated into the community.
Ashley Werter (33:59):
Yes, yeah, that was really important to me and
it also just sort of happened sonaturally because it is such a
welcoming place and I'm justreally ambitious, so I was able
to find lots of things to do andpeople to be around.
But it was important to mebecause this was really the
(34:20):
first place, you know, living inWashington, california, hawaii,
new York, washington again, andbeing all over the place, this
was really the first place thatfelt like a home and that, you
know, it wasn't going to wearoff after a few years, that I
really felt like it was where Iwas meant to be, was where I was
(34:44):
meant to be, and so it justsort of came naturally that I
built such a community aroundmyself, because I just loved it
so much.
Dennis Day (34:47):
That's fantastic, ashley.
I'm so glad you have made thiswork for you and I can see the
joy that you have.
This is awesome and it's aninspiration for others who are
thinking.
Any last words of advice forsomebody who was thinking I want
to go to Mexico and start abusiness.
Ashley Werter (35:06):
Yeah, I would just say do your research.
What is it that you're offering?
Who else is offering that?
What can you do differently?
To set yourself apart and justyou know, research them and have
a plan.
You'll adapt your plan manytimes, but still just to have a
base to start off of, I thinkit's important and to be as
(35:28):
involved as possible becausereally, especially with the
expat community, it's extremelywelcoming and do anything.
You can put up a post that sayshey, I'm Dennis, I want to move
to Mexico, I need to make somefriends.
And there will be dozens ofpeople who will reach out to you
and say, hey, join this group,hey, come with us.
(35:48):
And I would just encourage youto take those opportunities
because the way that you willgrow your community and your
business and in general will beawesome.
Dennis Day (36:00):
Thank you so much, Ashley.
This has really been helpfuland really beneficial.
I hope this helps people outthat if they're considering this
, your information will givethem a little head start there.
Ashley Werter (36:13):
Yes, thank you.
Dennis Day (36:14):
Tell us, if they wanted to look at your work some
more, what your website is,your Facebook page.
Ashley Werter (36:19):
Sure, my business is called Nomad Family Photo
Group, so you can find me atnomadfamilyphotogroupcom or on
Instagram with the same handle.
Dennis Day (36:28):
Okay, any last words of advice, judy?
Judy Gratton (36:31):
No, I don't think so.
I think this has been veryinformative and I think I'm
ready to pack my bags off this.
Dennis Day (36:38):
So thank you everyone.
All our listeners and watchersappreciate it so much.
I hope this has beeninformative and we will see you
next time on Getting your Edgehow to Downsize your Life
podcast.
Thank you, ashley.
Thank you Judy.
Judy Gratton (36:55):
Thank you.
Dennis Day (36:56):
Bye-bye.
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