We were lucky to catch up with Taleah Granville recently and have shared our conversation below.

Taleah, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I first knew I wanted to model at a very young age, I had to be maybe Five or Six years old. I would always watch America’s Next Top Model, reruns and all; practicing my angles in the mirror, my walk and you can even say I knew how to professionally walk in heels by the time I was Seven! My family has always been big on getting professional photoshoots done and by the end of every shoot I always had the most pictures because the photographer would always say “The camera loves you!” I’ve been saying I wanted to model every since! Though it wasn’t until I was 20 that I actually decided to pursue modeling.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was a sophomore in college when I decided that I wanted to pursue modeling, I left school and went home I worked until one day I felt the need to move I contemplated long and hard and I knew I just had to take a risk. I moved to Atlanta by myself in August of 2020. I used social media to network, and I came across a photographer who wanted to test out his new photography equipment, still to this day he is my go-to photographer. He was very supportive then and helped me build my portfolio, eventually we became business partners. I wanted to master my craft I felt the way to do that wouldn’t just to be in front of the camera but to also see how things worked from behind the camera. A lot of people may not understand the reasoning why I briefly put a pause on modeling to pick up photography but in my mind if you want to perfect something you have to study it from every possible angle. And it has definitely been beneficial; I know how the lighting can affect the way the pictures turn out it helped me see things from a different point of view, it helped me with my angles, and I also picked up photoshop skills, and yes sometimes I do edit my own pictures.

It probably seems like I had everything thought through and planned out, but it has actually been the complete opposite, there has been so many times where I wanted to just give up because things were difficult, I came across so many “photographers” who just did not have the best intentions and that became very disappointing and discouraging to me. Honestly it has been so many times where I just wanted to go home and live a “normal life” but it’s the feeling that modeling gives me inside, a feeling that I have never felt from anything else that, and the support from family and friends has kept me pushing over the years.

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

The most rewarding aspect of modeling for me has been me living in my truth and the fact that I have become an inspiration to others around me; for them to get the confidence and courage to follow their dreams and to never give up no matter what obstacles they are bound to face. That gives me so much joy and keeps my fire a flame.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My overall goal is to be happy, my mission is to be successful. As long as I am staying true to myself, remaining humbled and consistent I know that everything that I am trying to accomplish is more than attainable.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamtaleahrayn/

Image Credits
photographer: @loptiquecreations mua: @letsmakeup.gn