Self Portraits

I've always hated self portrait assignments; I've always hated attempting to photograph myself. I never understood the point of it. I figured that other people could probably do a better job than my camera resting uneasily on a pile of books while I try not to blink and awkwardly trying to make my smile look genuine. But I didn't fully understand.

While I was sitting across from the camera, trying to photograph this perfect version of myself, I was ignoring the opportunity to photograph my experience.

A raw attempt to create visuals of an internal experience

I am trying to navigate the chaos of many versions of self, of which none are perfect, of which none are whole when alone

Spontaneous Shoot - Emmiley

My sweet and stunning roommate Emmiley let me photograph her, and not only does she make a mean pizza quesadilla, but she is also an amazing model! Without a doubt and limited instruction, she knew how to work a camera. I'm so grateful to have people in my life that continue to support me and my photography -- Thank you, Emmiley!!

Why is Photography Important??

Now THAT is a good question! If something is really, really important, generally, people want to preserve that moment. But why?? I'm sure each person will come up for their own reasons, but for me, I preserve moments because I have the worst memory. Yes, of course, having pretty representations of great memories is important. But looking at a picture can transport you to that moment. Maybe you were laughing with your friend before a dance or saying "I do" to your husband. Surely, you won't forget the moment you said, "I do" but nothing brings back the emotions quite like a photograph.

Photography is by no means a dying art. In fact, more and more people are photographers! Fewer are professional photographers (as in, photography is their main income source), but with iPhones, inexpensive DSLRs, and inexpensive online marketing, people are documenting more moments.

And how beautiful is that?? 100 years ago, the average person maybe got one picture taken of them in their lifetime. Now, thousands of moments of a person's life is documented through photography each year. Think of all the pictures sitting on your phone right now. There was a reason you pulled out your phone and took that picture. You wanted to preserve the moment.

The moment. Each picture, whether of a building or of your son talking his first steps, is a moment in time the world will never get back. But you have it documented. I heard on an ad one time that there are millions of photojournalists using their phones to document the human experience. YES! Document your life!!

You know, of course, that important moments are the ones that you want to be documented really well. Luckily, professional photographers have the equipment, the knowledge, and the experience to make sure your moments are documented beautifully.

Photography is important. Whether the photography you take with your iPhone or the ones your professional photographer took at your wedding, photography is preserving unique moments. So if anyone asks you if you're a photographer, say, "Why yes! Who isn't? I'm documenting my human experience!"

Oh and if you ever want a moment preserved in a truly beautiful way, feel free to contact me (or any other professional photographer!) :)

Hello world!

Hi! My name is Hannah Harley, and welcome! You could consider me new here, seeing as I just recently transferred my website/blog from http://www.hanharley.blog.com to its new location here! This new website has given me hopes for more personalization, room, and ad-free! Yay!! As I get ready to update this page on some of what I've been up to lately and even long ago, I figure I'll give an introduction to me, what I love, and what I do. I feel as if you can tell a lot about a person based on what they do and what they love. Ideally, they'd be the same things! Luckily, that's what I have right now!

Introduction to me - I am currently ending my Freshman year at Point Park University majoring in Photography. I am minoring in entrepreneurial studies with the hope of employing myself when I graduate. I particularly enjoy portraits of people, and that is where I am concentrating my works. I play softball for PPU's softball team, am a hired CF for next year (modern day RA for those that went to 'traditional' campuses), and am an Honors Society member. I'm not a bad student, but math and science have never been a particular strong suit of mine. Luckily, I enjoy most of my classes and have found the information to be incredibly valuable thus far.

What I love - This could be a very long list, but I'll keep it short. I love my family, my boyfriend, my friends, my teammates, my pets, photography, softball, and candy. I also love sushi, TicTacs, and Pittsburgh Pirates'  baseball (and it's only natural to pair the last one with Dippin' Dots!). My favorite season is winter because SNOW. That's the only real reason I need for my love of winter! I also love Apple, Pittsburgh, and Paris. I think the Polish language is ridiculously complicated, and I've yet to find ear buds that actually fit my ears!!

What I do - As much as I can! I love to be involved! My boyfriend one time gave me a sign that said, "If it weren't for stress, I'd have no energy at all", and that is how I roll! I like to be busy and find things to do. The feeling after a long day of productivity is exhaustion (naturally) but there's also a huge sense of pride that you made it through the day and got everything done that needed to be done!

Now, if you're here, I'm sure you're wondering about my photography style. I LOVE taking pictures of people. I often find that when the people I'm photographing are smiling, so am I! I am cheesing behind the camera; it is a BLAST for me! I am still 'discovering' and honing my photography style as I experiment with many different types and styles. I know portraiture is what I've been dreaming of doing for a variety of reasons, which will be coming to you later this week! By scrolling through my portfolio and looking at the galleries there, you'll be able to see what I've done. That'll give you a sense of what I love to do and my style.

I hope you have a fun time exploring the site! I've enjoyed making it for you, and I hope we'll interact on the inter web!

Have a wonderful, wonderful day!!