Renee Wofford, owner and founder of Studio 1825, seeks to capture the natural side of life through her documentary-style photography.

Studio 1825 is currently running a Brand Ambassador Program with families who would like to partner with the studio to create photos of their families in a specific type of session. Wofford would call to do a session with families in a certain location or participating in an activity and families who are interested in having photos made that have those characteristics might apply.

The session is free for the family so long as they agree to share their photos and experiences in certain ways on social media. It lasts about 6-8 weeks for each brand ambassador.

Launched in 2017, Studio 1825 serves north and central Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina and provides family, maternity, and birth sessions that aim to capture authentic moments of life and family.

Wofford grew up in and around Charlotte, North Carolina and attended Winthrop University where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in psychology. Not long after graduating, Wofford married her husband, who was from north Mississippi, and we moved to the area.

Wofford originally planned to be a family counselor, but a health crisis in her husband’s family prompted them to move closer to his home.

“It wasn’t really feasible for me to continue going to school at that point, so I started to re-evaluate what other careers I could pursue,” she said. “I’ve always been a creative, so I started experimenting with different artistic mediums until I found something that I felt I could create a successful business out of.”

“I actually bought my first DSLR about 5 or 6 years ago while I was tinkering around with woodworking and experimenting with selling my products online. I needed good photos of what I was making, but I ended up enjoying the photographing more than the actual woodworking. That was the sign I needed at that point.”

There are plenty of family photographers, but Wofford sets herself apart by taking a more naturalistic, documentary-style approach to photo shoots.

“When clients book a session with Studio 1825, I spend time getting to know them — their interests, habits, routines and traditions — so that we can build a session that truly captures the personality, dynamics and relationships of your family or group at that phase of life,” she said.

The shoot is planned in person over a cup of coffee or through a phone call. The session will revolve around the routine activities, special events, family outings or unique traditions that make up the client’s story.

For a family session, it may include making dinner, telling bedtime stories, playing board games, celebrating a birthday, baking for the holidays or having a picnic in the park. It completely depends on the client.

The personalized approach means that every one of Wofford’s photo sessions is different and unique to the family or group.

“Telling the authentic stories of people and families through images and composition is both intriguing and rewarding,” said Wofford. “I have a small background in developmental psychology, so I get to see things that I once read about in textbooks play out in real life. In a way, it’s a wonderful study about the overlap of compassion, care, and human development. Especially with my style of photography, since I don’t pose or coach anyone on what to do in a photo; everyone’s personalities naturally shine through.”

Wofford does not know what’s ahead in the future of her business, but she is always pushing to make progress and .

“I don’t think you’re ever done building your business because you always want to grow and there’s always new endeavors you want to go after,” she said. “I’ve been doing this a few years now and there’s always a new place I want to get to.”

Wofford hopes to spread her name and business throughout the community so more people become familiar with her and her style and she credits Red Window Communications for helping her along.

“I firmly believe that humans function best when we have positive connections with each other, so find ways to increase positivity in the world,” she said. “You and everyone around you will benefit.”

For more information on Studio 1825, the Brand Ambassador Program or how to schedule a session, visit www.studio1825.com.