Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hannah Colen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hannah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I have always been a visually expressive person, ever since I was a child. Arts and drawing were my first love, and quickly gained photography, once I received my first camera at the age of 12 for a school field trip. It was a small, cheaper shoot-and-point, but it completely changed my life from there. I’m self-taught, and everything I know today about photography and producing is cultivated through my own self-interest and love for the art form.

Knowing what I know now, I would’ve been less afraid to take bigger risks and invest further into myself and my practice. I held off for a few years on buying a camera body I had wanted, or expanding my practice because I was worried it wouldn’t take off. Life is meant for risks, and the regret of not trying is often bigger than if you had tried and failed.

The skills I think were the most essential were learning how to work well with others — not just being professional, but being able to put them at ease and allow them to truly enjoy themselves. It’s definitely not easy, and took me a few years to fully perfect. I also think that organizing is a huge part of being a successful creative, and especailly when it comes to photography. Nailing down dates, times, file naming systems, gallery sharing systems, etc., can catch up to you quickly!

Hannah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Hannah Colen. I’m a queer, Korean-American photographer, video producer, and multidisciplinary artist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I’ve been a photographer for nearly a decade, and fell in love with photography first as an art form, and quickly transformed it into my now full-time career, along with media and video production and marketing services. I currently work with a variety of clients -from national museums, to local artists, to small non-profits.

One thing that sets me apart from other photographers is that I work through a trauma-informed lens, which focuses on preventing any sort of retraumatiztion, especially for shoots in a more intimate setting, such as boudoir. Learning this knowledge has allowed me to grow further as a creative, and add additional safety implements into the language and process I work with to make others more comfortable.

I’m most proud of being self-taught, and slowly working my way towards having a solo exhibition. I’d especially love to connect with anyone who may have struggled with body or self-positivity, from marginalized communities, or enjoy creating and storytelling through their work!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Honestly, I believe it was just showing up and doing the work, over and over. I cared a lot about how my clients felt working with me, not just what the photos looked like, and that stuck with people in the long-term. Most of what I’ve built came from word of mouth and long-term relationships, not marketing or advertising. I wasn’t trying to be everywhere or chase trends, but rather, I focused on making work that felt real and treating people well and with respect. Over time, that consistency turned into trust, and the trust turned into a reputation.

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

For myself, it’s creating work that feels true and grounded in my real lived experience as someone who was treated differently based off of my identity and appearance growing up. I care a lot about holding people with care, especially in moments that are tender or complicated or not usually centered. When someone says they felt safe or really seen in the process, that matters more to me than the outcome. The work is a way for me to tell the truth, process my own experiences, and create something that can connect quietly with other people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hannahcolen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/softpinkmoonlight/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hannah-colen-pittsburgh?uid=5ZiU7-Qq2IdwVHuFt7h8BQ&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)