Today we’d like to introduce you to JJ and Alison Ochsenbein.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Our story started with a move across the ocean. With love in our hearts and a desire to help family. We moved to Hawaii in 2013 to help care for JJ’s dad who was terminally ill. We didn’t know how much time we had left with him but we knew that we wanted to make the best of it.
In the early mornings, before the demands of the day would start, JJ would slip away to photograph the sunrise. It was in those early mornings surrounded by the beauty of the islands that a little seed was planted.
That seed started to grow and what started out as a hobby and a safe space to express one’s self turned into a business.
Our business started in 2015 with JJ starting and doing it all on his own. After several weddings and Alison pointing out the hair out of place on a bride’s head, JJ knew what he needed to do. He brought Alison on and our husband and wife team took off.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been quite a few, Covid being the biggest but I’m sure that’s very common. It was such an obstacle that it really made us think outside the box. We decided to pivot and do what we had wanted to do but never had the courage to do before. We moved back to Utah and started traveling all over for weddings.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are a husband-wife photography team specializing in weddings and adventure elopements. We also love family shoots, and we make sure to save time in our schedule for those as well. Working as a husband and wife team means you’re getting more than just a “second photographer” you’re getting a team. A team that works together every day, understands each other and knows how to utilize teamwork to cover all aspects of your photo shoot.
We got started doing photography out in the beautiful island of Oahu. Oahu was home to us for 9 wonderful years. With a leap of faith and a love for the great outdoors we moved back to Utah in 2021. Most everyone we know thinks we are crazy to give up that island life, but we like to look at it as having the best of both worlds. We travel back to Hawaii often for work and to get our feel of what only the island can offer, and come right back home for those red rocks and crisp mountain air.
With that being said, traveling for work is a favorite of ours! Seeing new places and shooting at new venues is something we thrive off of. From Hawaii to Australia and all over the US, it never gets old.
It might sound ‘cliche’ but exceptional customer experience is what our business is built upon. We can weigh in with professional opinions when needed but our priority is serving you. We are laid-back, adaptable, easy-going and vibe well with just about anybody, but above all else, we are committed to delivering a product that is timeless and something you will love and cherish forever.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
We are firm believers in effective and fast communication. We won’t leave your texts on “read,” or emails and phone calls unanswered but rather create effective channels of communication so you can stress less leading up to the big day. We are open and up-front and we wholeheartedly believe that “honesty is the best policy.”
Contact Info:
- Website: Palmsandlace.com
- Instagram: @palms_and_lace
