This week, we have Khalilah of Khalilah Hall Photography inviting you to share how you "face the day". Enjoy her photos and thoughts on photography!
1. Tell us about yourself...
Hi, Khalilah here! I was born and raised in NJ and currently residing in Hawai'i. I'm a military spouse and we have two crazy and energetic boys. I love to travel. Living in England and Germany for 7 years allowed us to do that. Some people call me passionate, my husband, calls me emotional. LOL Which is why I love b&w images so much. They have so much emotion to them.
I sing ALL. THE. TIME. I love to laugh and act a fool with my girlfriends. I'm on FB way to often. I blame it on living so far from my friends and family. Hehe
2. What ignited your passion for photography, and what fuels it now?
My father was a hobbyist when I was younger and he used me as a model, a lot. The first images I remember falling in love with was a black and white butt naked picture of me at seven months old and a picture of me on a swing with a grin from ear to ear. I love those pictures so much. They opened my eyes and made me fall in love, especially with black and white images. Since, I've always loved pictures that told a story. Pictures that move me. That experience led me to a couple of attempts to learn photography that failed miserably. The third time, last year, I took a beginners class and joined a local photographers group. I went on my first shootout and was instantly hooked.
What fuels it now is capturing what I'm feeling. I love images that move people. It can be anger, happiness, whatever. I just want the viewer to be moved. Today and for many years to come.
Shooting my children motivates me. It comes so easy for me. I seriously feel so much love when they're in front of my lens. They haven't always been what fueled me. At some point I decided to stop using them as models and start seeing them through my lens.
Another thing that fuels me, is seeing my growth over the past year. It's been an emotional year for me. Lots of "I suck at this and I quit!!!" moments. LOTS. With a lot of support and hard work, I'm finally seeing some growth. I have so much more to learn and I'm looking forward to what year two will look like.
3. What’s in your camera bag right now, what do use the most? the least?
My camera bag holds a Canon 6d (Lola), a Sigma Art 35mm 1.4 (Rae) and a Canon 50 1.4 (no name). I mainly shoot with Lola Rae. The 50 gets no play. Haha I also have the cleaning essentials and a pouch that holds my SD cards.
4. What’s your dream project or shoot?
A ballerina dance recital or practice. The light. The flow. I can just see it in B&W. The grain in the hardwood floors. It gets my heart beating just thinking of it. My dream would be to have my images hanging on the wall in a studio.
5. What is the biggest challenge you face as a photographer?
My biggest challenge as a photographer is fear of being mediocre and doubt that I can actually be good some day. Those two things are very powerful and lead to a lot of resistance on my part. I often read the book "The War of Art" recommended by a photographer friend, that helps to pull me out of my deep funk.
6. If you had $500 to spend on photography...
How should you spend it?
How do you wish you could spend it?
How would you really spend it?
How should you spend it?
How do you wish you could spend it?
How would you really spend it?
Hahaha! If I had $500 I probably should spend it on branding.
I wish I could spend it on mentoring with Kirsten Lewis or Marie Masse.
I probably would spend it on a documentary workshop.
7. Is there any one thing you wish someone had told you at the very beginning of your photography journey?
I can honestly say that I have been surrounded by amazing women photographers that have told me everything I needed to know. They led me to the water and I had to drink. There is nothing I wish I was told, yet. I wish I would have listened and calmed down and not beat myself up over my newbie mistakes.
Khalilah
Khalilah Hall Photography, LLC.
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