hey there! i'm ariel
I challenge photographers to experience growth from the inside out.
I live in Illinois and spend most of my time working in my home office, photographing weddings and families, attending speaking engagements, podcast interviews and of course, creating educational content for photographers. Online courses. Guides. Coaching. Freebies. You name it, I've got it.
10,000
accomplishments
Community
members
3,400
Photography Clients Served
200+
Students
learning
3
happy
children
Business and Marketing has always been easy to me. As an enneagram 7w8, I'm not just a dreamer, I work hard to make them happen. My very first business was when I was 4 years old, I turned my bedroom into a "home office library." Basically I hijacked all the pens, pencils, paper, and scissors in our home and anytime someone wanted to use one, they had to pay me a dime and return it within a certain amount of time.
My next business venture was at age 5. I started a neighborhood Mountain Dew Stand. Because let's be honest... the lemonade stand market is way to saturated! ;)
This continued on with dog walking business, typing peoples papers for them, video creation and so much more.
but, running a business when you're 30 isn't as easy as when you're an adorable 5 year old selling mountain dew across the street, ya know?
I've been an entrepreneur from the time I was 3 years old...
running a business is in my blood
Most photographers will tell you that they've loved photography from the day they were born. But that's not true for me.
I've loved business and marketing since the day I was born... my love for photography came much later.
why photography
See that girl up there. That is me holding my first baby ever, 8 years ago. She was a surprise that my hubby and I found out about a mere 6 weeks after getting married. And I loved that girl to pieces. More than I've ever loved anything before.
But when I look at that picture, do you wanna know what I remember? I remember the struggle.
I remember feeling afraid that my body would never be the same again... that *I* would never be the same again. Sleep was a distant memory and anxiety was my new BFF.
All I could see were my imperfections and everything that I had lost by becoming a mother. All of my inadequacies stood out like a sore thumb. The overwhelming parts of motherhood were making all the good ones fade.
but then
per the suggestion of my amazing husband who so desperately wanted his happy-go-lucky wife back, I "got a hobby." And for some unbeknownst reason, I chose photography.
And photography forced me to do something that I was unable to do on my own. Photography forced me to look for beauty among even the messiest parts of motherhood. I was able to not just embrace the mess, but find joy in it. It reminded me to sit back and marvel at my life as it was in each and every season. It changed my perspective and all of a sudden the mundane became truly marvelous.
To six-figure Entrepreneur
from mom with a camera
As a former psych major who is still obsessed with all things regarding the human brain, I began to research if photography was capable of changing my brain in this way or if it was all in my head.
So, using my certifications in business and marketing, and the knowledge I've received because of my obsession with photography, I started my own business: wholistic photography. Through photography I helped re-energize the love mom's have for their children and the love spouse's have for one another so that they could keep choosing each other every single day of their lives. I remind them of their purpose.
turns out, it was legit.
and now I help photographers do the same thing...
Every single photographer is sitting on a gold mine. The problem is, they use all the wrong tools to dig it out.
marketing isn't enough
Neither is branding or finding your ideal client, or focusing on client experience. All of your hard work, staying awake into the wee hours of the morning, all the editing, mini sessions, website tweaking, blogs you both read and write will never be enough. Because none of that is what makes you unique.
ENOUGH MARKETING EDUCATORS HAVE TAUGHT THE WORLD HOW TO MARKET...
WHAT YOU NEED NOW IS MORE THAN MARKETING, MORE THAN BRANDING, MORE THAN IDEAL CLIENT RESEARCH, AND MORE THAN A UNIQUE CLIENT EXPERIENCE.
You need to know your life purpose, your gifts, your strengths, your weaknesses, your story, your personality, your identity... because that is what you have to uniquely offer. that is what will make you stand out. That is what should inspire your marketing. that is what should guide you not just in your ideal client selection but in every single thing that you do.
luckily, that's what i'm here for
fun facts!
Next Fun Fact
PLAYING WITH MY KIDS, TRAVELING, BREAKING UP SIBLING FIGHTS, DOING LAUNDRY...
THOSE ARE MY "DAYS OFF."
ARE YOU AN:
A. introvert
B. extrovert
C. ambivert
about me
magazine style
favorite dessert:
____________________________________________
puppy chow
would you rather:
A. swim in the ocean
B. swim in a lake
C. swim in a pool
D. none of the above
i'd rather lay on the beach
place you dream of visiting:
____________________________________________
Italy
how many siblings?
A. five
B. two
C. eight
D. one
most scared of:
A. the dark
B. the ocean
C. failure
D. rejection
my degree is:
______________________________________________
bachelor's in
Christian ministry
editing style:
A. bright & airy
B. dark & moody
C. true to life
born & raiseD:
____________________________________________
wichita, KS.
joplin, mo
biggest pet peeve:
A. excuses
B. smacking
C. foot-tapping
D. singing
Ariel Dilworth is a wife, mom, photographer and educator who is passionate about challenging others to live lives of purpose on purpose. She started out as a ‘mom-with-a-camera’ and managed to turn her hobby into a six-figure business while moving to a different state and adding 3 kids to her family.
Ariel has worked with over 3,000+ clients and been featured in many publications. Through her own photography business, Ariel has found a passion for marketing and authentic communication via social media. She has since created multiple online courses to help other photographers do the same in their own business.
professional bio
