Brevardian of the Week: Ansley Chappell!

Ansley with her fiance and business partner, Kurt

Ansley and Kurt

Place of employment: Capturing WNC Photography (828-553-2299). We have a new studio located at 22 West Main St. above Mayberry’s. The business is made up of myself and my fiancé Kurt Reise.

When/how did you first get interested in photography?
I feel like I have always been an image person. I have always been a very visual learner and have loved art and being part of creative projects, so it felt natural to find a passion in photography. Actually, it was more Sean Parrish the art teacher from Brevard High than it was me just stumbling across photography. I had been in his art classes since my first year in high school. When we started our first section on photography in Art III, I immediately fell in love with it. Sean started us on B&W film in 35mm film cameras and taught us to process our own film and to make our own prints in the darkroom. He has a real passion for photography as well he actually graduated from ECU with a degree in photography. I really was just so lucky to have that experience so early; my career path was pretty much mapped out in my head from that point forward.

Of all the photography jobs you’ve done, which ones are you most proud of?
That’s actually funny because I think about that all the time. I honestly feel that every week I have a different photo or project that we are working on that I am really excited about. With photography as with any trade you just keep progressing and trying new ways to do the same projects that we have shot before. Especially with the fact that we are involved in so many different industries with photography, one day we are really proud of the latest wedding or engagement session we shot and the next day we can’t stop talking about the new biking image or corporate group shot that we are working on.

What are some items on your bucket list?
Traveling is definitely my number one. Traveling is always good but for a photographer being at a different location opens your eyes and help restore your creativity. Some of my top places would be Argentina/Chile, Indonesia/Thailand, Nepal, and New Zealand.

How do you spend your free time?
I am always moving, even in my free time. I love riding my bike and exploring the forest, working in my garden, hanging out with my family. I also really like fixing things, lots of things like house projects; building stuff, working on cars (I have a thing for old Volkswagens), painting the walls, working in the yard. I really enjoy that sort of thing. Kurt and I also LOVE snowboarding, we travel to go ride whenever we get a chance.

Ever had a brush with a celebrity?
My favorite brush with a photo celebrity was at the Photo District News Conference in New York. I had the opportunity to meet Steve McCurry the National Geographic Photographer, his most famous photo is “Afgan Girl” which originally appeared in National Geographic in 1985 and is the most recognized photo in history. This image is a girl in an orange cloak with the most mesmerizing eyes, the photo was shot in a refugee camp in Pakistan. He was such a friendly and humble guy.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Brevard?
Whoa, where would I start? I love the public land, the music, walking down Main Street and always seeing familiar faces, the old-time culture, adventure sports, the feeling that great things are really happening in Brevard right now and that we are all here at the perfect time. I love the weather, the southern hospitality; there really are not many things not to like about this place.

Click below to read the rest of Ansley’s profile…

What was the best (or worst) summer job you had while growing up?
I think kids in Brevard are so lucky when it comes to Summer jobs, one of the most camp rich areas in the country. There are so many summer jobs here that involve getting to play outside. My favorite Summer job would have to be working with the Cradle of Forestry as an interperator. The interpreters go to each COF campground and teach kids about being in the woods – things like Smokey the Bear, identifying trees, and Leave no Trace. I actually remember this program when I was a kid too. That’s where I learned to identify poison ivy, make berry baskets out of Poplar Leaves, and judge storms by the veins on the back of Hemlock needles.

Do you have a secret you never told your parents?
Actually I am really lucky that I am so close to my parents. There is really nothing that I have ever kept from my parent, they have always been the type of people to really encourage open dialouge. That has definitely helped to shape who I am today and it has led to us having lots of fun “inside” jokes.

Your biggest pet peeve:
Probably the sound of someone ripping grass out of the ground….torture. It like fingernails on the chalkboard but worst. I remember kids in Elementary School love to pull grass out of the ground every time we where sitting no the ground, during recess, fire drills – the whole time I was just thinking that I might go A-Wall

When you needed punishment as a child, which parent corrected you, and how?
I still remember the sound of my Dad coming down the hallway popping his leather belt and the dread of knowing he was coming for me. My mom was always more of the “I am so disappointed type”, either was equally lethal.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I changed my idea on what I wanted to be like most people change underwear. A marine biologist, flight paramedic, bellhop, and forester to name just a few but when I made my first photo print at age 14, I had no doubt that was what I wanted to do.

Where you ever scared of anything as a child?
The drain at the bottom of a swimming pool…terrifying

Share the best vacation experience you can recall.
Week long trips at Lake Keowee, it was always so simple. The whole week we stayed in the same place and rode jet skis, fished, listened to old country and cooked together.

Share your most unpleasant vacation experience you can recall.
I don’t know if I have ever had a vacation that I could sum up as unpleasant. Raining, cold, or broken down in the middle of the desert you still get a chance to take some time out of yourself and that is always good.

Who was your first crush?
Hulk Hogan. I used to sleep with a Hulk doll every night when I was a kid. I am not quite sure what that fascination was about.

Did you ever have a crush on a teacher?
Lots. There are few male teachers that I have not had a crush on. There is just something about teachers, particularly middle school / high school science teachers.

Have you ever been in a life-threatening situation?
I almost drown on the Upper Davidson in a kayak.

What’s been the most challenging time of your life?
Right now. I feel like from early 20s on life gets tougher and tougher, its all about taking on all kinds of new responsibility. Right now I have a new business, a new home that we are updating, and we are getting married in August and have we sent out invitations yet? Nope. You would think with working in the wedding industry we would have accomplished more by now, but nope. The best part of the year to have a wedding is also the busiest time of the year for us.

What’s your favorite indulgence?
Craft Beer

What are your dreams for the coming year? The next 5 years?
I hope to continue to set deep roots in Brevard and to continue to tighten the identity of our photography business. We love the concept of experiential photography (creating an experience with our clients that produces real-life emotional images). We would really like to become more involved in the entire Brevard outdoor movement and the future of the town.

Things I like: playing outside, anything pickled, hound dogs, purple, playing fiddle, ski towns, mountains

TOP PICKS:

Favorite book: Anything Tom Robbins

Favorite movie: Donnie Darko

Favorite music: Bluegrass, Newgrass, Old-time, and Folk

Favorite TV show: Mind of a Chief

Favorite beauty product: Jane Iredale mineral cosmetics

Favorite de-stress technique: Riding my bike and floating in the pond

Favorite Brevard locale: Depends on the day. How could I have a favorite? I just love Transylvania County

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