Our Team
At Story Photographers we believe all stories are important worth telling. There is no perfect or “normal” story. We want to encourage you to bring who you are into the experience of being photographed by us. It’s vulnerable to do that, we know, and so we take great care to approach our work with warmth, compassion, patience, and kindness. It’s an honor to be invited so vulnerably into people’s stories, and we don’t want to take that honor for granted. There is only so much we can tell you about us on a website before you’ve met us, but maybe these words will help you see who we are before we meet…
Ashley Stephenson
Founder & Photographer
What an honor to have run this business since 2005! My giftedness and calling in life is to find creative ways to walk alongside of you in your story, helping you see yourself. You’ll find me sharing the different parts of my story often, as that seems to be part of my calling in the world. I am an oldest daughter, enneagram 3, recovering perfectionist/workaholic. I am a queer, progressive religious person that affirms LGBTQIA people and celebrates all the questions and doubts you’re walking around with - you can find the community I lead here. This informs my business life in that I believe in running a business with fruits of the spirit behavior: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. In the harder parts of my story you will find divorce, traumatic death of a parent, high functioning anxiety, disordered eating and body dysmorphia (which is one reason why I am so passionate about photographing people well). Because of that I am a big believer in therapy and will happily give you recommendations on who could hold your story well. People are always in awe that I am an actual Raleigh native, and with that comes a true love for supporting local, small businesses. Antique malls and flea markets are my jam. Find me outside on a walk with friends, swimming laps, hiking, tending to my garden, or sitting on a porch deep in conversation. Put me by water (on the beach, the lake, in the ocean, etc) and watch me relax into myself. Soccer is life - always cheering on the NC Courage, USWNT and my brother. Music is deeply important to me and it’s always worth mentioning that Brandi Carlile is my favorite.
Friends, every story is important and worth telling - trust that we mean that and will handle your story with care.
Rebecca Cain
Photographer
In this season of discovering motherhood, I am endlessly fascinated by the new little human who shares our home. She has changed everything in the best ways, and reminds me every day that time is passing faster than I would like. In my photography, it reinforces how precious it is to document these little every day moments with her because they won’t look quite the same tomorrow or next week. I’m a pandemic baker, discovering the joy of baking during quarantine (who didn’t?). I found it was a way to connect with my mom over family recipes when we couldn’t be together physically. I loved the comfort of making things that reminded me of Sunday suppers with my family. I am a Christian, introvert, homebody, family-oriented, creative, procrastinator, enneagram type 9, and appreciates brevity. Additionally, I hoard art and craft supplies and DIY projects that I hope one day to finish.
Ashley on Becca - I have been working with Becca in the photography field since 2005, so it was such a treat to have her merge and join Story Photographers in 2016. I mean, she’s been doing this longer than I have! It has been such a joy running a business with this woman. She’s the thoughtful introvert to my talkative extrovert. I admire her patience, gentle spirit, the devotion she has for her entire family, and the fact that she absolutely nails any new craft or creative endeavor that she decides to pick up and try. Becca’s presence on this team has been such a gift and you will really enjoy working with her.
Martha Manning
Photographer
I was raised by an artistic family and encouraged to follow my dream of becoming a photographer since age six. Film photography is one of my love languages. I would literally live outdoors if I could find a way to bring my favorite comfy reading couch outside with an ocean view. Thanks to genetics from my Mom, I have a very high energy level. My outdoor time is so important to me, as are my long pool swims. I’m somehow both a night owl and a morning person. I am a true Enneagram 4… and I am surrounded by guys at my house with two grown boys and a fun husband.
Ashley on Martha - Just like in bringing Becca onto the Story Photographers team, the opportunity and incredible timing of bringing Martha on continues to blow my mind. It’s never been the goal to grow a huge team to make lots of money or take over the market. It’s been this “right place, right time” thing of feeling like it’s suddenly the right time to bring on this person who so beautifully fits into the message and purpose of this business. Martha has been a professional photographer longer than both Becca and I, and let me tell you she is still full of so much passion for this craft. Martha truly LOVES photographing people. Her excitement and energy put fresh winds in my sails yall!
Adria Foreman
Social Media Manager
Ashley on Adria - Adria might be the youngest (by far!) of the group but she’s got this old soul and she fits right in. I knew she would be great at helping us manage our social media presence but y’all she is knocking it out of the park! We love someone with this kind of initiative and drive! We have found that it’s a new tradition that this position is filled by an enneagram 6 and she’s our second pastor’s kid on the team. Adria is a Christian Studies Major at Campbell University so you know I love to connect with her on that. She loves being outdoors, especially in the mountains, and has amazing pictures & stories from her time adventuring west with Teens’ Camping Tour of the West. While you might occasionally catch us co-working at our favorite, A Place at the Table, you’re more likely to find us both cheering on the NC Courage together at home games. I am so impressed by Adria and thrilled to have her as a part of our team!
Beth Ziefle
Partnering Photographer
Ashley on Beth - As we grow as individual photographers, we learn more and more about what types of shoots we want to be photographing. Beth continues to run her own business, but is happy to join us when we have shoots that we know she would be an amazing fit for. I have known her and her work for a really long time, and while I knew she was a solid shooter, I have also grown to learn that treating her clients well in the process is also a core value for her like it is for us. Beth is mom to two little human girls and two little pup boys, and loves having extended family close by. She jokes that her marathoner husband still loves her even though she refuses to so much as jog down the street. Beth saw how into the enneagram we all are and remarked, “I have no clue what my enneagram is, but if I had to pick, I’m probably equal parts Monica and Phoebe”… so what I am saying is she has this great, dry sense of humor. I love that she jokes that she’s an old lady at heart, loving to crochet, garden and watch the Golden Girls. I can really relate to so much on this run down about herself Beth gave me: beer > wine, hates to cook, pants are her nemesis and prefers dresses or leggings (HI! SAME!), LOVES house projects and being by any kind of water is her happy place (beach, lake, kiddie pool, etc).
I always appreciate a good photographer origin story, and Beth shares that “ I found photography by accident on my way to be a journalist. It gave me confidence to talk to strangers and a way to connect to people that I’d never experienced before. It was almost like carrying around a security blanket. And that’s the part of photography that I still love most. Yes, I like to take pretty pictures. But for me it’s always been a reason to connect with people and keep a relationship going that wouldn’t exist otherwise.” See?? This is why we love her.
Our Story
Everyone has a story and each of your stories are unique and important. It is important to us to build and maintain authentic, positive relationships with the people whose stories we have been asked to tell, which we believe gives people the space to purely be themselves in front of our cameras.