Meet Aliyah Hardesty | Photographer
We had the good fortune of connecting with Aliyah Hardesty and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Aliyah, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up in a small town in Southern Maryland surrounded by water and filled with mostly people I was related to, so you can imagine the summer nights with family out with the warm breeze and water sounds being very peaceful. I like to romanticize life, and the images in my head of growing up are all positive and hard to explain, but my amazing family, friends, and environment made me who I am today. The heart behind Aliyah’s Timeless Photography (ATP) comes from this environment and sitting down with my great-grandparents, grandparents, and even my parents on the family farm to flip through old photo albums and hear the stories behind each captured memory. Now, I aspire to capture photographs that give people and their loved ones those same cherished memories so they can show their children, grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren one special day!
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Getting to where I am today was not easy. I had to find my style, find clients, make it possible for clients to find me, and figure out how to organize bookings and a website. These were all achieved slowly; I found myself comparing myself to other photographers in the area and their success, so I kept having to remind myself that they all started somewhere, too, and worked through the same struggles I’ve had. Starting from the ground up is beyond difficult, but finding something you are passionate about and dedicated to makes it all worth it, especially when I see the look on people’s faces after receiving their photos!
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, because I’m a college student at Liberty University, I will have to do this in two parts (Home & School).
In Southern Maryland, I highly recommend taking a trip on a boat out into the Chesapeake Bay, stopping at a waterside restaurant, and getting some crabs! Maryland is famous for its blue crabs for a reason! I would also recommend a trip to Downtown Annapolis to visit the shops and restaurants up there! Then, for outdoorsy things, I would recommend lots of hiking along the water!
At school, I always recommend Downtown Lynchburg for Bootleggers, Cinn City, and the RA Bistro in Lynchburg! Then, there are outdoorsy things like Panther Falls for cliff jumping, Blueridge Parkway for sightseeing, and Sharp Top Mountain for hiking!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My great-grandfather “Pop” showed me life’s glow at a very young age. After he passed, I prayed to be able to incorporate the light of his smile and his love for Jesus in each picture by capturing the little aspects of life he adored so profoundly. It is to show people that this world is so much more spectacular than we admit and to allow people to see the beauty in the little things. So many people come to me and claim they aren’t photogenic. Well, my Pop never allowed negative talk about ourselves, so I aspire to show my clients a little piece of beauty they didn’t even know they had.
My Pop was never here to see my success in photography, but my parents, boyfriend, and best friend have been my continuous supporters, always cheering me on and loving the work I produce and put into my business. They show me kindness when I’m hard on myself and support all the opportunities I receive through my work! I wouldn’t want to do it without them and their admiration for me and my business.
Website: https://aliyahstimelessphotography.mypixieset.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliyah-hardesty/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550079689003&mibextid=YMEMSu
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutNorthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
