We were lucky to catch up with Allison Latimer recently and have shared our conversation below.

Allison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?

Over the years I have spent countless hours researching all genres of Photgraphy and I greatly enjoy keeping up with Vogue covers. I think there are thousands of incredibly creative photographers who publish breathtaking work and they maintain the natural beauty of their subjects. As each year passes, I notice that Corporate America changes the beauty standards of all genders, races, and ethnicities. Social media grows exponentially every single day and Corporate America is utilizing it to push different beauty standards for each community. It has become a huge problem and it will continue to get worse as time goes on. They photoshop or edit photos to the point where it doesn’t look like the original model/subject. As these types of photos get published in magazines and on social media, they look dazzling to say the least, but in reality they are completely unnatural. In nature, nothing is perfect or symmetrical and I believe it is damaging to the viewers to consistently see “perfection” or what they are “supposed” to look like, on a daily basis. I would encourage Corporate America to start utilizing the uniqueness of each individual and promote natural beauty rather than make everyone look like Ken and Barbie. Posting heavily edited photos leads to more social media companies creating filters at alter facial features because it appeals to the viewers. I beg for us to question why would these filters appeal to us so much? Why do we want to change our appearance to fit this Corporate America society? Why do we have to look a certain way in order to be accepted or considered “beautiful”?

Allison, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a freelance photographer and I shoot a variety of genres and enjoy what I do very much. I have always loved being in front of and behind the camera, so when I’m not capturing special moments for my clients, I’m bringing my own ideas to life. I love to create shoots that people haven’t seen before, so it can spark ideas or creativity in someone else. I am very dedicated to my work and my biggest priority is getting final shots back to my clients same-day or within a few days. As soon as I’m done shooting, I’m headed straight home to get those photos done! I think that sets me apart from other businesses because I am always ready to complete one project then move on to something else in a short amount of time. I enjoy capturing memories and beautiful moments for my clients, but there are always going to be little bumps in the road as I am always learning. There can be unavoidable situations like a surprise rain shower, editing software that doesn’t want to cooperate, bad lighting, wardrobe malfunctions, and the list goes on! I do think that at the end of the day it’s about having fun and capturing the memories for others to show their true beauty. I will always create photoshoots that will help my clients feel empowered and confident.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Honestly, I have grown my clientele just by posting my own photoshoots. I have clients reach out to me all because of the photos I take on my own social media pages as well as the photoshoots I do for friends and family. I never thought my social media presence would make that much of an impact, because from my point of view I was just having fun and creating content. I have never created a marketing strategy or had a check list of posts specifically to drive more business. I enjoy booking photoshoots as they come, and I will continue to keep it calm and steady. I work the best when I am not overwhelmed or too busy. I believe it is incredibly important to have a solid work-life balance.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the entire process is rewarding! I enjoy every aspect of traveling to new locations, meeting new clients, taking the photos, editing the final projects, and hearing the amazing feedback. I am thankful that everything about it sparks joy for me. It never has or never will be about the money. I do what I do because I love it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alli_latimer/
• Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCnNn3-iog-4wC9gzpfzMihg