Meet Paige Hardy | Freelance Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paige Hardy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paige, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
The most important decision that contributed to my success was investing in the right people to surround myself with. “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”- Jim Rohn.

Starting up your own company or brand relies on the help and support of other people. Those willing to give their time for little or nothing in exchange except for the opportunity to watch you hone your skills and grow.
For me, this mainly focused on small start-up companies and many local artists from different industries. My success in Photography would not have been achievable without the continuous support from other creatives, business owners, and friends who were willing to invest in me, share tips & tricks, and spread the word of mouth.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My photography has accents of moody editing and the occasional photo manipulation to increase the storytelling. I am most proud of how far I have come as an artist in understanding composition, color theory, light, and how to capture more than just a face. It was not easy because I am my own worst critic, but that also pushed me outside of my comfort zone to learn these new tricks and ways to compose. I am constantly learning and will stay in that mindset, for comfort is stagnation. There is no real message I am trying to spread to the world with my art other than “embrace thy self.” I allow myself to focus more on how I create art as a reflection of parts of myself and produce images for others to cherish for a lifetime.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many wonderful places to visit in Raleigh! It continues to grow and produce more delicious restaurants, beautiful places to see, and music to hear. What I’m about to list off does not do the city justice of places things to visit. I would take you to visit the NC Museum of Art to explore the indoor art and take a walk along their greenway trails. For lunch, we would head downtown to Morgan Street Food Hall to choose from a wide array of vendors of all cultures. Depending on the time of the year there may be a festival on Fayetteville St. or a great concert in town to watch at the Red Hat Amphitheater. If not, we would make our way over to Boxcar to play some retro video games and you can even bring your dog! For dinner, we would head over to Tambo Ramen or one of the other delicious restaurants around the area. To wrap up the evening, we would make our way to Watts and Ward for a relaxing speakeasy atmosphere and cocktails that never disappoint.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
JClark Images is the first person that comes to mind. When I first moved to Raleigh, NC, Jim was one of the first photographers I had met. Jim and I met through a mutual friend, and we instantly connected. Jim is a retired photographer and studio owner who cannot get enough of the creative space and his community. He gave me my first DSLR camera and many tips to photograph in and outside of a studio setting. We have collaborated on many projects over the years, and I cannot thank him enough for the initial push to help me feel confident to start my own business. I am very grateful for our friendship and his mentorship.

Website: www.paigehardyphotography.com

Instagram: instagram.com/paigehardy_photography

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paige-hardy-120b69130/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paigehardyphotography/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/paige-hardy-photography-raleigh

Image Credits
Elizabeth Waye, Tyler Jones, Arianna Tysinger, Ebonie K, Pyrion & Amora Astorii, Angelkia Graca, Livy Lu, AJ Mcdowell