Today we’d like to introduce you to Talia Pollard.
Talia, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I began photography in 2015 while I was still active duty in the Navy. I was stationed in Hawaii and began photographing the beautiful landscape. I mean, how could I not? Hawaii is a beautiful place to live; why not capture that beauty. My next tour brought me to Jacksonville, Florida where it’s nothing like Hawaii, but still has its beauty. There, I began shifting my focus towards portraits with families and couples, and I enjoyed capturing the genuine emotion of my clients for them to hold on to for a lifetime. The more I photographed people, the more I realized that no one person/couple/family is the same and each experience is different and special in its own way. I separated from the Navy in 2017 and moved to San Diego with my husband (who is still active duty) and began capturing moments of those here on the west coast. I guess you can say I haven’t stayed in one spot but being able to move from place to place and meet and photograph amazing people is a great experience that allows me to do something I enjoy while making others happy.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am a photographer who loves the capture real and genuine moments between my clients. I believe in not having to force an emotion, but be able to bring it out and enhance it to make not only the actual shoot a memorable experience but also being able to capture that emotion in a single frame that clients can hold on to forever.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
I think that there are a lot of people who consider themselves artists and it can be hard to separate yourself from the crowd. It’s very easy to get lost in what you see on different social media platforms and even what you see out in real life, and you can easily get overwhelmed and lose sight of why you started in the first place. Me personally, I am a perfectionist, and I’m always second guessing if my work is good enough or stands up to others. But at the end of the day, I remind myself why I do photography: because I love it; because it makes me happy and it’s something I enjoy, and I like my work to look how I think best portrays what I captured. Sometimes, you need to take a break; just walk away and come back. It can be quite refreshing.
But on the flip side, workshops and meetups allow for a different look at art and can open your mind to different avenues on how art can be interpreted. A lot can be learned, and San Diego is top notch when it comes to unity in the art community. I’ve met so many creative people since moving here that have been so supportive and have opened my eyes and allowed me to look at different approaches to my photography.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have an Instagram (@taliapollardphoto), a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/taliapollardphototgraphy/) and people can also check out my website (https://taliapollardphotography.com)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://taliapollardphotography.com
- Email: taliapollardphototgraphy@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/taliapollardphoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taliapollardphototgraphy/
Image Credit:
Kasey Ann Stoker
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