Welcome friends! 

However you happened upon my blog I am thrilled to have you.

This is my little space.  My nook.  My spot.  Where I create things.  Then photograph them.  Then eat them.  Then try my best to write about them.

It’s an investigation of my life.  Or perhaps, into my life.

My name is Ashley McLaughlin.  Edible Perspective was created in October of 2009.  At the time, my husband and I had just moved cross country to Colorado.  We were jobless but hopeful + persistent.  We were a civil engineer [the husband - Chris] and an architect* [myself].  While furiously job hunting, I created this blog to keep busy and avoid boredom.  At the time, I knew absolutely zero about photography and a little bit about cooking.  I was passionate about food and wanted to share my findings with others.

After previously writing off learning how to use Chris’s dSLR camera, one day I decided to just pick it up and see what happened.  That was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

photo credit Fuse Photographic

I am now a cookbook author, freelance food photographer, recipe developer, and portrait photographer.  The architecture job never came, so the photography + blog continued. 

I'm currently writing and photographing my very first cookbook, due out in October of 2013.  It will be filled with 101 gluten-free baked doughnut recipes and over 50 photos.  In 2011, Foodbuzz named Edible Perspective as Best Photography blog.  Also, in 2011 my photos were published in the New York Times best selling cookbook, Peas and Thank You by Sarah Matheny.  You will also find my photos published in Sarah's second cookbook More Peas, Thank You.

To see who else I’ve worked with and where I’ve been featured check under Press.  To see more of my photography, head to Ashley McLaughlin Photography.

A few more things, in no particular order…

• My passions for food research + whole food cooking, spurred from my thesis on Food + Architecture.  Strange, but true. 
• I am a self taught photographer + wannabe cook.
• I shoot with a Canon 7d [since spring '12] but prior to that was using a Canon Rebel XTi.  My go to lens is the Canon 50mm 1.4.
• I make a lot of kitchen messes.  Evidenced here + here to name a few.
• I hate beets and mustard and haven’t eaten meat or fish in 3 years.
• I love raw honey, farm fresh eggs, cinnamon, large breakfasts, and wine.
• Breakfast is my favorite meal.
• I have a split type A + type B personality.
• This blog is always evolving and has grown immensely since its start. 
• I’ve grown immensely since its start.
• In the winter of 2011, I discovered my body responds best on a gluten free diet.  However, I don’t let this define my work in the kitchen.  I strive to make every single recipe appealing to all.  It’s about flavor + texture.  It’s about eating with not only our taste buds but our eyes.  It’s about savoring + enjoying food.
• In 2009, I owned + operated a granola bar business.  I sold my bars at a farmers market and a few stores in Charlotte, NC.  It was fun while it lasted but closed when we decided to move to Colorado.
• While in Colorado I've held a handful of different jobs.  To name a few...Whole Foods, nannying, freelance recipe writing, product marketing for Love Grown Foods, etc.
• Staying active is a part of my everyday life.  I don’t even think about it.  It just happens.  Whether I’m walking the dogs, snowboarding down a mountain, snowshoeing up a mountain, cycling on country roads, biking to breweries, lifting weights in my home office, climbing on a boulder, or hiking, staying active keeps me feeling healthy, energized, + focused.
• I’ve lived in quite a few places.  Michigan [0-7yrs] - Cleveland, Ohio [7-18yrs] - Columbus, Ohio [18-23yrs] - Charlotte, North Carolina [23-26yrs] - Denver + Fort Collins, Colorado [26-28+yrs]
• Most of my family lives in Ohio.  I miss them dearly.  I talk to my mom every day.  My dad and I email every day.
• Chris and I were married in June of 2008, and have been together since 2004.  We currently live in Ft. Collins, Colorado, in a cozy little house which we adore.  Before moving in we renovated the entire interior of our home [with my Uncle’s guidance].  You can find numerous renovation posts in early 2011 [march - april].
• We have two ridiculous dogs which you will frequently see.  Kenna [lab/great dane] + Dakota [boxer]
• I am on a never ending quest to make this unconventional job path work.  Having the opportunity to photograph for more cookbooks + magazines is hopefully in my future.

Want more?  Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter, to catch little snippets of my daily happenings.

I truly appreciate you stopping by.  You keep me inspired.  You have helped make my blog what it is. 

thank.you.so.very.much.

Ashley

 *I am not an officially licensed architect.  Becoming licensed involves 6 years of school, 3-4yrs of internships, and a series of 7 tests, which take at least a year to complete.  I made it through six years of school [The Ohio State University + The University of North Carolina at Charlotte] and was over half-way through my internships.  I worked a few different full-time jobs, but was unable to find any type of architecture work after moving to Colorado.