Today we’d like to introduce you to Amayah Harrison
Hi Amayah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I began my photography journey at Oakland School for the Arts in the high school Digital Media department. My teacher there exposed us to so many forms of digital media, like filmmaking, animation, stop motion, video game creation, a bit of programming, and of course photography. From there, I knew that I needed to continue to put all my time and effort into developing this path forward. I went on to study this in college where I was first exposed to the process of film photography and development which enriched my perspective on photography as a whole. Photography is so versatile and can fulfill so many needs in the world and within yourself as an artist – from visual storytelling, documentation, making a social statement to simply creating beautiful imagery and creating from the heart.
I am currently in New York working to collaborate with other creatives and build a fashion portfolio that aims to do a bit of all of the above.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road! I think the biggest struggle is the balance between earning a comfortable wage and having the freedom to create your own schedule. I worked as an in-house photographer for a skin care company for 5 years, it was an amazing job right out of college but I began to notice I didn’t have *any* outside time to develop my craft in the ways that I wanted. I felt like I was falling behind my peers who had stuck to the path of truly pursing their dreams vs. the 9-5 comfort zone. Fast forward to moving to New York, I switched to fully contracting in order to get the most out of my experience here and had 2 contracts that sustained me very well for a full year – until the slow season hit. The freedom during this year was amazing, I was able to work on many projects, make many connections, shoot and be out in the city during the day at the drop of a hat, all things I wasn’t able to do while working a 9-5. But my work became sporadic and pay was not as reliable as your 1st & 15th payment at a 9-5, which leaves a feeling of uncertainty and urgency to always be searching for your next gig or contract. I know that there is a comfortable middle here, but I am still in the pursuit of finding it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a portait/fashion photographer and in my work, I gravitate towards exploring Black beauty and the beauty of people of color, softness, and dreamy imagery and dream-like states of being within the Black consciousness. Black imagery in the media often negates the multifaceted-ness of our experience and I aim to explore and showcase the soft, beautiful, and vulnerable side as one of those many facets.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I think having a strong vision, knowing how to execute a vision (yours or someone else’s), and being friendly and a good communicator are really important to be a successful working photographer.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amayahmedia.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/amayahmedia
