Your Friendly, Waukee, Portrait Photographer
Serving Central and Eastern Iowa
Hi, Im AJ!
I am the Waukee Portrait Photographer!
I specialize in capturing the moments that mean the most. Family connections, senior milestones, and the love shared between couples. My approach is relaxed and natural, allowing you to feel comfortable in front of the camera while I focus on documenting authentic emotions and genuine interactions. Your session will be easy and fun 🙌🏼
My goal is to provide you timeless and personal images that you will cherish forever. These images wont just be for posting once, these are the photos your children will show their children. We will capture the way your children look at you, the special relationship between you and your spouse, and the close bonds forming between your children. These are the moments you never want to forget.
Located in Waukee, I serve the greater Des Moines metro. I also regularly travel to Bettendorf and serve the Eastern Iowa region as well.
I’m frequently sarcastic, occasionally funny, and chronically 10 minutes early. If you want to laugh, capture important moments, and hear all about my dog, book a session.
Have questions?
Check out the FAQ for more info!
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![A young male athlete in a pink tank top with a lion logo stands on a track field during sunset, smiling with hands on hips.]()
We couldn't have had a better experience of taking senior pictures than we did with AJ. His talent to visualize the best lighting/setting for a picture is top notch. He is patient, funny, and humble. We were able to show important aspects of my son's life all through these pictures. We are already looking forward to have him take more pictures of our family.
Kim Timmerman
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![A smiling couple stands outdoors in an autumn setting with colorful fall leaves in the background. The man wears a long-sleeved rust-colored shirt and dark pants, while the woman wears a floral dress. They look at each other affectionately.]()
AJ and his wife, Rachael, did an absolute wonderful job capturing our family! He was very interactive with the kids and took every opportunity to grab some candid shots. The background of our photos were gorgeous. We would HIGHLY recommend him! 10/10!
Allison Van Oort
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![A smiling woman with long brown hair and two young girls sitting on a white sofa, hugging and looking happy in a cozy, well-lit room.]()
We had the pleasure of working with AJ for both maternity and family/newborn pictures. He made both sessions very fun and stress free. AJ is patient and a natural with kids. We had our photos back within days and were amazed by his talent in capturing our family. We highly recommend Ash’s Aperture for all your photography needs!
Halli Getting
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![A woman holding a young girl outdoors among lush green trees, both smiling at the camera.]()
We had the pleasure of having AJ shoot our family photos this year. He made our session fun, easy going and made us felt comfortable around the camera, especially our 3 year old! He kept it professional but very laid back. Shout out also to his wife, Rachael who helps him with his shoots! They are a wonderful team. If you're looking for someone who can deliver amazing photos AND makes the process super easy, AJ is your guy! 5 stars!!!
Carly King
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![A smiling woman holding a serious-looking young child in a yellow flower field on a sunny day.]()
We loved working with AJ (and his wife!) for our family pictures. He captured some great moments and the entire process was so easy. He was attentive to our needs and made the session seamless. Our pictures turned out great, making it difficult to choose which ones to print. We can’t thank him enough for an overall amazing experience. Highly recommend and we’ll be using him again in the future!
Megan Rainey
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![A woman sitting on a cream-colored sofa holding a young child, both smiling, in a minimalist living room with white walls, beige pillows, and green plants.]()
Absolutely loved working with AJ with Ash’s Aperture! Very professional, friendly, and love our pictures! He did super well getting our little one to cooperate and smile. Will definitely be using him again for future photos 🙌🏻
Tess Hook
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![A young couple holding hands, standing close to each other, smiling and looking at each other against a brick wall.]()
AJ did a fantastic job with our engagement photos! He is very easy to work with and truly has a vision for capturing the perfect pictures! Our session was fun and light-hearted and AJ had many fun ideas and was open to any of our own. I highly recommend him for photos of any occasion!
Bre Hill
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![A woman with long brown hair wearing a cream knitted sweater and a brown skirt lifting a baby in a fall outdoor setting with tall grass and trees.]()
I truly could have not asked for a better experience! I’ve used Aj for maternity pics and our first family session! I would choose him every single time for every single occasion! He makes it very easy even if you aren’t sure what poses to do, he helps you out and makes it such a wonderful experience!! We can’t thank him enough❤️
Hailey Rassmussen
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AJ was wonderful to work with and took fabulous family photos for us. He was very accommodating, punctual & personable. Will definitely use him again and recommend him to others.
Lona Woods
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![A young woman holding a red lead rope next to a brown horse in a grassy field.]()
He did an AMAZING job catching so many beautiful moments with my horse and I! He was so patient with us and the photos turned out PERFECT!! Highly recommend!!
Natalie Hauf
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![Four people, two adult daughters and their parents, standing closely together outdoors under trees, smiling and laughing.]()
AJ was so wonderful to work with. He fit us in for the perfect fall family session and worked around our very crazy schedule! Beyond that he was knowledgeable, talented and had the greatest assistant! They made photos with 2 toddlers easy (and that’s a feat in itself) and the end product was amazing! We couldn’t be happier with the photos. He captured our family so beautifully and I can’t recommend him enough
Sam Ellis
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![A family of three standing outdoors in a lush garden with sunlight filtering through trees. A woman holds a toddler in her arms, and a man stands beside them, smiling. The woman has long blonde hair, and the man has short dark hair. The toddler looks serious, wearing a green sweater.]()
AJ is amazing! As well as his wife, Rachael. They made the whole experience easy, fun, and stress free. AJ has such a good eye for what will make a great photo and such a calm and easy going demeanor. For two adults who are typically awkward in front of a camera and an opinionated 1 year old I couldn’t have asked for a better session. 10/10 would recommend to friends and family and will definitely be using him again for future family photos!
Daitin Turner
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![A woman and a young boy sitting on a blanket outdoors in a park, smiling, with evergreen trees and autumn foliage in the background.]()
Aj was absolutely amazing to work with. Not only did he agree to take outside pictures in the single digits, but he spent time before looking for good locations. He worked with us and our less than cooperative toddler to still get pictures of our family. He went above and beyond and our pictures turned out absolutely amazing!
Brittany Frerichs
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![A young couple leaning against a wall getting their portrait taken]()
Had a low stress and enjoyable session with AJ. He worked smoothly with what we were looking for big picture and provided suggestions along the way to help us capture our important moment in time. Even more than the in person experience, his editing gave fantastic effect of opposing light and dark as well as being able to highlight our pet, who does not usually love sitting for photos.
Kiri Hamilton
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![A same-sex couple on their wedding day, standing outdoors and smiling at each other, with one holding a bouquet of flowers, against a background of green trees and grass on a sunny day.]()
A.J. is by far the most talented photographer we have ever worked with! He was so accommodating, & obviously captured the the beauty in every photo. Tears came to my eyes when we received our pictures back. I HIGHLY recommend Ash’s Aperture for any of your photography needs! He will be sure to capture a picture perfect photo for you! We couldn’t have picked a better photographer for our engagement pictures!
Lexi Frush
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Book your session today!
ashsaperture@gmail.com
442-236-2815
Waukee, Des Moines, Bettendorf, Iowa