Our Origin Story.

Our Origin Story.

Allison Richmond

Like great comic book characters, every company has an origin story. Here is ours.

Flying Horse Creative is a dream realized. It is born of my passion to create, inspire and to help small businesses succeed.

Years ago, my family had a small business that I was honored to help grow, and that experience never left me. I literally grew up with the business.

My Dad, standing proudly with his “Box Man” at the Grand Opening of my family business.

Back then marketing consisted of creating cheesy advertising flyers and copying them on ridiculously bright neon paper, then plastering them all over cars in the parking lot in hopes of drawing in the crowds.

The internet as we know it was new-ish then and my dad couldn’t foresee the need for a business website at that time. Boy, how things have changed.

Businesses practically don’t exist without one now.

My favorite part of small business life though, was the connections we made with our customers and other small business owners. We were a quirky little family, all working to succeed together.

I eventually took my own path, building a successful career as a photographer, journalist and eventually web developer / editor.

But the thought of once again owning my own business never left, and here we are today.

Flying Horse Creative is the culmination of all my work and passions so far and I look forward to watching it find its wings over time.

We will specialize in aerial photography, also known as drone photography, videography, website design, branding, digital content creation, content writing and business consulting.

My own Flying Horse, Festus, who keeps me humble and grounded, while I dream of flying.

What’s in a name?

The name, Flying Horse Creative, calls back to several important experiences in my life. The ‘Flying Horse’ recalls the Pegasus logo of the University of Central Florida, of which I am a proud Alumni. Charge On!

It also represents my dual passions for aviation and equestrian sports.

And, if I’m doing this right, the Creative part should be obvious. Fingers crossed.

Stay tuned for the next post where you meet me: the owner 🙂

Allison Richmond, Owner and Chief Coffee Consumer

P.S. As a thanks for joining me on this journey, through the end of January, reach out and share your business’s origin story and get 20% off your first services booking.

Aerial photos are marketing magic

Aerial photos are marketing magic

Allison Richmond

If you’ve ever been scrolling through social media and experience that moment when your thumb stops and you find yourself pausing or even scrolling back to look again, you know the power of really great image to arrest the attention.

Well shot, well lit, and well used images bring a level of professionalism to a project that can’t be replaced with stock images alone.

A collection of images from around the region that were part of a recent campaign for the WNC Health Network:

Here are a few other favorites from around Haywood County, NC for inspiration…

Mountaintop Wedded Bliss

Mountaintop Wedded Bliss

Allison Richmond

Photographing a wedding on a mountaintop is never without its challenges, but the day of Netty and James’ wedding proved uniquely challenging.

At lower elevations, the sky was clear, sunny and beautiful with a steady but not too strong breeze. Up at elevation, the skies had other plans.

The ceremony was scheduled for sunset on Black Balsam Knob, an iconic spot for celebrations, picnics, and enjoying the view, here in Haywood County.

As I arrived to greet the happy couple, I was surprised to find several other couples there for the same reason. Everyone was getting married! How awesome!

Following the warm, sunny day the heated air from the valleys had begun to drift upward and the mountain was engulfed in a dense wet fog. Not ideal, but the couples’ spirits were not dampened and everyone began their trek up the hill.

At the top the fog rolled by in thick, white mounds, offering the merest glimpses of the view below.

As Netty and James selected a ceremony site, I got set up to begin flying. A quick check of the wind speed revealed 30+ mph gusts. This would be a unique challenge to fly in!

Off we went though, and the ceremony went off without a hitch. From the drone’s perspective the grandeur of the location and the intimacy of their ceremony was really made evident. The drone performed heroically, gamely battling the gusts and delivering top quality images, no matter where I put it.

Proud drone mama, here 🙂

Just as the ceremony ended and the real picture taking began, the fogs rolled up like a curtain and revealed a stunning sunset, complete with spectacular rays highlighting the valley below.

With each passing minute the golden hour light just kept increasing the intense beauty of the scene. Capturing the moments that unfolded in that light was an absolute joy.

Netty and James were a delightful couple to photograph. Their joy in with each other in that moment really came through in the photos. Thanks guys for letting me share in your big day!