We recently connected with Alonda West-johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Alonda, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Everytime I pick up my camera it is a meaningful project…particularly boudoir captures. When I first began in photography I would study and marvel at other seasoned photographers’ portfolios. However, there was a constant occurrence. I never saw big brides, nor did I see brown brides. If this was apparent to me as a colleague, I always wondered what clients saw as they searched for their bridal photographer. How awful it must feel to see beautiful captures, but yet none are a representation of who you are.

I made it a mission to be extremely diverse within my portfolio, capturing all body types and skin tones. This mission carried through to my boudoir captures. Within my brand I champion less on the sexuality of a boudoir experience and more on self-love. I rally around women whose goal is to embark on a new journey of discovery, to love themselves as they are now, to see the beauty of their body and skin no matter the societal opinions on beauty. I love my marginalized bodies, those that society says are ugly, unworthy, disgusting or fat. Therefore, everytime I pick up the camera to capture a beautiful woman it is so meaningful because the purpose and reaction of each client is different. The reality is ALL bodies are model bodies and are deserving to be captured and loved!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

There is something amazing about freezing a moment in time…a moment that words alone just could never ever explain. I love to tell the diverse stories of love, strength, success and triumph.

I have always LOVED being in front of the camera, always! However, motherhood became of me and time often got away in the attempt to primp and prep for a glamorous capture. My children grew so fast and the only way to savor their little smiles and special moments was by snapping as much as I could. The goal of forcing father time to slow down developed my aspiration to capture the special moments of others.

With no professional training or traditional educational background in photography, I picked up my first camera alittle over 10 years ago while pregnant with my second child. This was near the end of my Air Force career, so captures were just for fun. After separating from the military, I sought part-time employment with a wedding coordinator, of whom encouraged me immensely to pursue my love and talent within photography.

Although I am versed in many genres of photography (portrait, weddings, events, etc.) and offer all photography services, my heart is within boudoir, bridal and branding photography. Boudoir is the one genre where I can say I actually solve a problem for my clients. For some, there is a struggle with self-identity, self-love, confidence and self-acceptance. Boudoir captures for these clients awakens an awareness, a new found love and appreciation for self. Those sessions are oh so rewarding to me.

I am most proud of my journey thus far, all that I have learned, the people I have met and the moments I have captured. It is difficult at times when your mind wonders and you begin to compare yourself to other professionals and colleagues. However, I firmly believe there are differing paths and journeys to success. There is no blueprint or roadmap…no one size fits all. I love my clients and pride myself on being able to bring to life a collaboration of their vision with my perspective, creating a moment that is truly beautiful.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

YOU decide! Period. You are the creator of your brand, the one with the vision and unique perspective. It does not matter if its unconventional or does not follow the “norm” of how your colleagues or similar professionals are doing it. It is so rewarding to dream; to fuel that vision and watch it bloom. Sure there may be bumps in the road, a few pivots that may need to occur but that makes the journey so amazing. Bending the rules, going against the grain to find what works for you is key. Carve your own path, make your own mark because you and what you create is a one of a kind piece of art.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Times have changed tremendously since I began a decade ago. Today there is so much free guidance and information literally at your fingertips. The world wide web is an amazing resource to hone your skills and business knowledge. I hear all too often of photographers who attended a four year institution and yet, learned more from the web than they ever had in the classroom. From podcasts and YouTube, to social media reels and stories, the access to information is endless. I certainly wish this resource was more prominent when I first began.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lalovelyphotography.com/
• Instagram: @lalovelyphotography | @lalovelyboudoir | @lalovely.studio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lalovelyphotography