Ashley Armitage

Ashley Armitage is a New York based filmmaker, photographer, and creative director with a quirky style and honest approach that has garnered worldwide attention. Whether it’s photographing  women combing their underarm hair or gorgeous pastel portraits of families, her work exudes candidness and brings an intimate, fresh approach to storytelling. Her photography is centered around reclaiming clichés and subverting the hyper-feminine image. 

Armitage catapulted herself into photography and directing at the young age of 15 after observing the lack of diversity and representation in the media. Her work, which helps to dismantle beauty standards, continues to push the boundaries of the expected and often out-dated ideals that society adheres to. 

Marrying impactful imagery with a progressive outlook, this Seattle native continues to inspire the next generation of female filmmakers through her commercial campaigns.  She’s worked with Nike, Gucci, and Nordstrom. Her ad for the razor brand Billie was the first ever to show women removing body hair.  

You can check out her latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

Maybe not exactly the first but a notable early project was when I was in third grade. I had a role in a school play as a shark and had to make my own costume. So I recruited my grandpa and together we made this incredible cardboard shark head that fit over half of my body and left me pretty much unable to see. On the day of the play opening, I was going to be the best shark there ever was. It was my big break. When it was time I ran out onto stage and immediately collided into some sort of stage prop, fell over, and moderately injured my face. I haven’t acted in a play since.

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Colorful, nostalgic, cinematic.

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

One of my favorite projects I’ve ever worked on was this commercial for a diaper brand called All Good. It was a nine-day shoot in Toronto and I just got to hang out with surprisingly chill babies all day.

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

Two years ago I was brought on to direct Billie’s launch film called Project Body Hair. Before that I had only been a stills photographer and this was my first real motion job. On that day I very clearly remember thinking, “Yes, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”  That was the day I realized I definitely wanted to be a director. 

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with or something you’re taught?

That’s hard to say! I kind of believe that anything can be taught if you’re put in the right circumstances and given the right opportunities. Like heck, maybe I’m a REALLY good chess player but I’ll just never know because I didn’t start young enough. Maybe I’m actually (secretly) a math prodigy!

I think the same goes for creativity, I bet there’s something innate that can’t be taught but I think so much of everything is nurture, not nature.

What’s the last dream you had?

Last night I had a dream that someone snuck into my bedroom and cut my hair as I slept (in my dream), and then I woke up (in my dream) and was kinda okay with it!

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

I’m not really sure but I hope my work can serve as some sort of sweet time capsule for someone to stumble upon.

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