Alyson Aliano
Alyson Aliano
Photographer
East Los Angeles, CA
www.alysonaliano.com
twitter @alysonaliano74
instagram @alysonaliano
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I photograph real people and shoot photo stories for magazines and brands. ”
When I am not photographing on assignment, i’m photographing personal work. I also light commercial advertising shoots for colleagues and digital tech. I love to stay creative and collaborate with colleagues on their shoots,
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I first remember sitting at this little wood table that my mom had set up, the kind you have in school, with art supplies, pens, markers, crayons, paper and we would draw and draw and draw. She could keep an eye on us while she cooked. Little did she know, my five year old self was making life plans….
Since then, I have always loved art. My mom, an educator, took us to every museum in New York City. I loved every single painting and realism right away. I first saw Mary Ellen Mark and Annie Leibovitz’s photos at ICP with my high school photo class. I thought: “This is it!” and realized the power of images have to tell peoples' stories.
I went to the School of Visual Arts for college and have been taking pictures ever since. I loved learning lighting from some world renowned photographers and have been fortunate to have travelled many awesome places throughout the world working in commercial photography.
After college, I started by assisting other photographers. I would light, produce, and digital tech their commercial jobs. I really like collaborating with other creatives, seeing the project to fruition, and getting really technical.
Working in commercial photography with other creatives has been all I have ever wanted. I am really fortunate to do this for a living.
How do you stand out in your field?
My photographs are real moments. Nothing is orchestrated or set up. I create a space with my subjects that allows them to be themselves. When you give people a space to be heard and we can be still together, we can reveal a lot about ourselves. Those are the moments I am interested in photographing. My commissioned assignments have been portraits and reportage that tell a tory about someone and their life.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
While pursuing commercial work, I always have a few personal projects going. I approach personal projects thinking about what experiences are important to all humans. What brings us together? For the first time in a long time, I am making self portraits about the shared experience of Stay at Home. I am also working on a portrait project of teenagers in isolation documenting their experiences in photos and interviews.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
I make portraits that are formal, intimate, and honest. http://www.alysonaliano.com/portraits http://www.alysonaliano.com/familiar-places
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
I want to photograph every single day of my life.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
This is a strange time, I have anxiety about work at the end of the Stay at Home orders, but I am actually getting to do everything on my to do list like building a new website. I do need to read articles about photography, I have a whole pile.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
My social media and apply for grants.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
I try to remember that I approached every situation with the tools and know how I had at the time. Maybe, pause. Breathe. Not everything is going to or needs to happen today. Similarly, I think I would tell myself not to doubt myself and go forward with confidence.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I like to hear how other photographers approach their assignments, how they market themselves, how photographers fund and work on personal projects. I want to hear how photographers overcome hurdles, such as lack of response to personal projects, getting a project of the ground, funded, or published.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Commercial collaborations with prospective clients.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
I have worked on a commercial assignment that feels like a creative collaboration between myself and the editor and / or subject. I enjoy when the completed piece is well received.
My intention is to do the best job possible. I love when this is collaborative with my editor, client, and subject. I enjoy when a completed piece is well-received.
WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE, RETAINER, OR SALARY RANGE?
I estimate each project separately depending on the scope of the assignment and deliverables needed.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
Please e-mail me! and tell me everything i need to know, what you want, who you are, your inspiration!
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Great people in my life
This member profile was originally published in June 2020.