The Beginner Photography Podcast

Visual Storytelling to Craft More Emotional Images with Alanna O'Neil

• Raymond Hatfield

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#482 In this episode of the Beginner Photography Podcast, I chat with Alanna O'Neil, a food and lifestyle photographer who harmonizes her diverse interests to evoke deep emotions in her images. Through our conversation, Alanna reveals how integrating personal touch, exploring different styles, and fine-tuning your visual storytelling can elevate your photography. You'll discover practical exercises and insightful advice to harness your intuition and convey more profound narratives in your photos. 

THE BIG IDEAS

  • Personal Integration in Photography: Incorporate personal interests into your photography to create unique and emotion-filled images.
  • Embrace Multi-Genre Exploration: Experiment with various styles while maintaining a core vision to nurture growth and evolution as a photographer.
  • Follow Your Intuition: Trust your instincts to capture moments and refine your style, making your photography authentically yours.
  • Create Visual Stories: Develop your storytelling skills by including context and humanizing elements, making your images more relatable and captivating.

PHOTOGRAPHY ACTION PLAN

  • Explore Different Styles: Set aside time each week to experiment with a new genre of photography. Analyze and compare the different styles you create to find your unique touch.
  • Infuse Personal Touch: Identify elements from your personal interests and incorporate them into your photos. Create a project centered around these elements to practice and improve consistency.
  • Develop a Consistent Visual Story: Pick a theme or subject and shoot a series that tells a cohesive story. Use a storyboard to plan each shot, ensuring continuity and depth in your series.
  • Master Light and Composition: Use natural light and simple props to understand how they impact your image’s mood. Focus on compositional techniques like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and balance to enhance your photos.
  • Create Intrigue and Emotion: Add human elements or context to non-human subjects to relay a multi-dimensional story. Experiment with angles and lighting to evoke emotions and curiosity in viewers.

Resources:
Check out Alanna's Website - https://alannaoneil.com/
Follow Alanna on Instgram - https://www.instagram.com/alannaoneilphoto/

Sign up for your free CloudSpot Account today at www.DeliverPhotos.com

Connect with Raymond!


Thanks for listening & keep shooting!

Alanna O'Neil:

Even now, I suggest new photographers if they don't feel entirely comfortable using manual mode, I say, just flip it into aperture priority and let the camera help you and you can learn that way for instance, next week I'm leaving for Europe and I don't want to be holding up the group you know, you just want to like point and shoot and then like move along. What's most important is having the ability to see and the ability to understand light and understand emotion and how to translate a moment in time Hey, welcome to the beginner photography podcast. I'm your host Raman Hanfield. And today we are chatting with food and lifestyle photographer. Allana O'Neill about becoming a better visual storyteller. But first, the beginning of photography podcast is brought to you by cloud spot. So your photos through prince products and of course, digitals. You can set up a storefront in minutes and start earning more with every gallery you send. So grab your free forever cloud spot account over@deliverphotos.com and only upgrade when you are ready. Now photography is storytelling, right? That is why I'll always be more interested in talking about. how to tell a story in an image, then I will gear. Even though gear is fun. and we know this, that the visual storytelling is more important because. A photo from like a 10-year old iPhone can move us while you can still capture just absolute junk with a brand new top of the line, mirrorless camera, the differentiator. Between a good photo and a bad photo really is. The ability to see and tell a story with an image. So in today's interview with photographer, Ilana, O'Neill. You're going to learn how to incorporate more personal interests into your images, to create photos that are unique and full of emotion. You can learn why. experimenting with various styles and genres of photography will help you to better hone in your unique vision and how to better trust your instincts to capture more authentic moments and redefine your style to create images that are both more captivating and relatable. A lot in this one. So with that, let's go ahead and get on into today's interview with Ilana. O'Neill.

Raymond Hatfield:

So Alana, my first question for you is when did you know that photography was first going to play an important role in your life?

Alanna O'Neil:

I think it started from an early age. My mother was a hobbyist, a photographer. I'm from Vermont and we grew up on a horse farm and in the tack room, which is where we keep all the horses, saddles and bridles and such, she turned it into a dark room. So it was like half dark room, half like photography equipment or like horse equipment. So I was there just always watching her develop film. seeing her like put it in the solution and then the red lights are on and then I'm just seeing the whole process from beginning to finish. And it's so I've always kind of had it in the back of my mind. Like, it's just always there. And she is an artist as well. And she's always teaching us to. Look at things like, look at the color of this cloud. Look at the green of this field. look how the purple matches the gold. So it was just something that was just kind of ingrained in my growing up. And then as I continue to grow and experiment, on my own, I really was drawn to nature photography and just capturing my surroundings and, my food and like we grew our own food in the garden. So I was like capturing food, that we grew. So it was just kind of always just my way of expressing myself. And then it only came to a forefront when I, was in my, twenties.

Raymond Hatfield:

Did you go to school for it or how did that progress?

Alanna O'Neil:

so I went to fashion design school in New York and I worked for Calvin Klein and it was really there where my photography interests grew because it's very similar. I mean, art, there's so much correlation between different fields and so when we are putting together collections, I would draw, look to, you know, go to the library or go on Pinterest or wherever I found inspiration and put together mood boards. And so. I really had to learn how to curate my photographic eye. And that's where, my love of photography really blossomed. Like, wow, I was really, I'm really good at this. Like, I'm really good at seeing things and translating concepts or emotions or feelings into an image that would eventually influence a collection. So I'm entirely self taught. I don't have any formal training, but it's just been always in my, background.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

So, I'm interested in that because going to school for something is kind of like a big, decision, right? You have to declare a major. You got to go to school. You got to learn these things for years. at what point did, photography really take the reins as far as like your life goes and moving forward in that direction?

Alanna O'Neil:

Yeah, and it's I also have a degree in global studies in French. So I was like, how can I combine all of these things, because the fashion design thing was an afterthought. It's like, another second degree on top of my undergrad. So it was really when I was living in New York City that, um, I realized this lifestyle wasn't meant for me, and the hustle, and just the fast paced life where you can't, think or breathe, even. I grew up on a farm where you see, rolling green hills, and then you come to this concrete jungle where you don't even see the sky, maybe 10 minutes of the day. Or feel a sunshine. So, that's where I was like, I need to leave. I need to physically leave, this lifestyle because it's unhealthy for me. And that's where I was leaning on towards photography because I was like, wow, photography gives me that freedom. That I can explore and, pursue my own path and create the lifestyle that I want. whereas if I was stuck, you know, working in a corporate position for a company, whose values that I don't even personally believe in, it just felt really soul sucking and photography was kind of that outlet where. I sought my out. So eventually I moved back home to Vermont and then kind of regrouped. And then I found, a position here in Hawaii. So this is another step is like, you can't sometimes make these immediate jumps right away. You have to like slowly go into these decisions. So I was like, I have all this stuff. Student debt, I need to somehow make use of my degrees without just, completely, pivoting. So I found an active work company in Maui, and I was offered the position to do designing there and I just kind of reached the limit because I felt like Hawaii was, more. the healthier lifestyle that I embodied and it was more rooted in nature and, an outdoor healthy lifestyle, which I really resonated with. So I was like, Hmm, these, these two go hand in hand. I've got design. I've got the lifestyle that I enjoy. Now I'm going to make it work. And then slowly I kept building my photography business on the side while I was working for that company. And then it reached a point where I hit the ceiling of that position. And I moved on and move forward and started my own, business.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

Wow. There's a lot there to dive into my gosh, so busy. Let me ask, because, I think when a lot of people listening, when they decide, you know, maybe I don't like this job that I have, maybe it doesn't align with, who it is that I am or, the lifestyle that I want to live, and then they consider photography, oftentimes photography is, I think for a lot of listeners, at least, it's thought of as like, that's not a real job, you know, coming from that corporate world. Did you ever have any feelings of that? And if so, how did you overcome those?

Alanna O'Neil:

I definitely did. I was like, how can I make money selling photos? Because especially now in this world of AI, where you can create photos and it's so easy to generate images and you don't really need to have the. Skill set really to, create an image for whatever purpose, but, I still have those questions and I still kind of have those? questions because the world is changing now, but I just feel like. What the best encouragement I could give to someone who's in that position of not knowing whether they can make photography their lives are their their work or their career is that if it truly does bring you joy and fulfillment, you have to keep following and just be Keep building that momentum and traction, because I feel like the more you keep following your intuition and just building and just keeps growing incrementally. and there were so many times that I received no's or rejections or no, we're respectful. Responded or I pitched to magazines or I pitched to, agencies and other brands, and I have like inboxes full of rejections and nose, but it's having that resiliency and that clear vision in your mind of knowing that this is what you want, because if there's a will, there's a way, and it may not be the way that you expect, and it may be this like roundabout zigzag way, But if you're very clear on, like, what your vision is for your business or the lifestyle that you want to create and the photography you want to shoot, it's undoubtedly possible. So it's just kind of having this unwavering confidence and, in your belief or in your belief in your vision and your, your abilities and the vision for your North Star or whatever, where you're going.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

Thank you for sharing that. I want to go back a little bit to, kind of your earlier days, right? Because you said that photography has kind of always been in your life. but, I know I know that like, when I was a child, obviously there weren't really any digital cameras, like digital was brand new as I started to get into high school, so I had to learn on film and at the time, you know, it's like everything on film was like, so, so manual and, there was, uh, quite a steep learning curve. did you experience anything through that or did you have a different path?

Alanna O'Neil:

Yeah. definitely. I think my mom, she gave me these, like, you know, those old point and shoot cameras. So it had all the little dials of manual aperture and shutter priority. was definitely a steep learning curve on learning from manual to, From, You know, using just auto, like, which any root beginner does, or like, if you're 12 years old or something, I didn't start and film other than just using my mom's camera when she would let me or, You know, playing in the dark room. But even now, I think the part that I found that was the most when I look back at it was the most challenging was just learning the technical aspects of photography. I'm not a technical person at all. I'm not like a gear person. It's for me. It's like, if you have, a really amazing lens and just like a semi okay body, I think you can come away with some really fantastic images. And I think. What's most important is having the ability to see and the ability to understand light and understand emotion and how to translate a moment in time, or tell a story in your frame. And so, Right. Right. Even now, I suggest new photographers if they don't feel entirely comfortable using manual mode, if they're still kind of like, not that they're fast enough to get the shot or, they're struggling with the balance of the ISO and shutter speed and all that, I say, just flip it into aperture priority and let the camera help you and you can learn that way because sometimes Aperture priority or shutter priority may be the better option than using manual mode. for instance, like when I'm traveling, next week I'm leaving for Europe and I don't want to be holding up the group by like figuring out like manual mode and like, you know, you just want to like point and shoot and then like move along. You don't want to have to stop one way for the light to change and then. Fill with your settings, just like flick it into aperture like maybe 4. 5 or something or 5. 6 and then let the camera help you and then you can learn, through that way by seeing how you maybe switch from that to manual and then play more on your own time. But I don't think there needs to be this pressure like, oh, you're not a professional photographer or you're not a decent photographer, you don't shoot in manual mode.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

Yeah, I'm the exact same way. Like know the importance of manual and I know like why it's so great because I've seen it in my own work, but also like when I. You know, I'm just out with the kids. Like I'm going to shoot that in an aperture priority because I want to spend time with them. Like I'm not trying to, uh, you know, make a, I don't know, competition where the images, like I'm just trying to take some family photos. And, uh, that definitely makes photography more fun when you do it that way. So, I appreciate you sharing that. so how, when it comes to, moving on in photography, right? Like, when we understand the technicals, like we get it, the technicals. Oftentimes. I think new photographers think like, that's what learning photography is. But then once you know them, you know them. It's like the learning of photography doesn't start until after you understand how to use the camera. so for you, like, I know that a big part of, what it is that you preach is visual storytelling. And this is an area where a lot of photographers get. lost and I think it's maybe it's because they're trying to do it too soon while they're still trying to figure out their camera. but tell me kind of your viewpoint on, visual storytelling because, it's really fascinating. And I think once you get a great understanding of it, it's easier to start progressing towards.

Alanna O'Neil:

Sure. I think visual storytelling is really at the heart of what makes a photo compelling or interesting, because. If you think about it, you could take a photo of an apple on the table and that's just an apple on the table. But what if you cut the apple and put, bread and then you tore up crumbles of bread. And you just like you expand upon this concept and visual storytelling is a way to draw in the viewer to really invest in the image that you're sharing. It's more than just sharing information on a screen. On the screen or on your camera mode. So you're actually translating an idea or a story across, to the viewer. And it's really innate in who we are as human beings, because we've been doing this for hundreds of thousands of years, that storytelling is really in our bones. And I think that the more we can lean on, how can we make this scene or moment more interesting or compelling or really tug at our humanness. it just draws you into the, scene. It makes you want to invest and see more and be more curious about, what's happening.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

So I think that that's, easy to say, right? And I'm not trying to push it here or anything, but like, it's easy to say

Alanna O'Neil:

Yeah. No, I can.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

create a story out of these images. But what did that look like for you? Like, how do we break that down for somebody listening who, again, they're still trying to figure out their camera settings. What does it actually look like to start building, a visual style in that visual storytelling ability?

Alanna O'Neil:

Sure. So if you think about it from say a movie or a book, so there's like a beginning, middle and end, and then there's usually a hero, like your main subject and that hero is going to be, go from point a to point B to point C. So if you think about a story in a book, it begins with something. So you have to set the stage. So you set the stage of, say. We're doing maybe a series of images. So maybe five images. You're going to set the stage of where this story is taking place. So say we're in, in Italy, and we are at a vineyard, a winery. So you're going to set the stage by taking the shot of maybe the hero shot of where this is happening. So you want to set this, the story in a time and place. So where is this story happening? And, what time of day is it? So you have to be really literal. Like if you were vocally telling a story about what's happening, sometimes I have had people actually literally write out the story on a As a piece of paper, as you can even go as far as like once upon a time, you know, blah, blah, blah, like literally write it out and then translate that into images. So once upon a time, there was a man who was picking grapes on this, olive grove and vineyard. And then he was. You know, to took all the grapes and then was starting to smash it and press the olives and then that's the character. And then you just follow the movement of what's happening. And then, of course, in these types of story, whether it's an or film and our movie or book, there's always moments of tension. There's always like a little bit of conflict. So maybe. It's a contrast. So maybe there is like high contrast in the images, or maybe there's questions on an answer in the frame. So maybe I like to think of visitor storytelling as You don't want the info, subject or the frame to be so obvious you want to leave a little room for questioning. You want the viewer to kind of question and you don't want to give them all the information or all the answers. You want to have to, like, find some moments of tension. Like they make them question. What is happening here? Like, maybe there's a reflection. You're maybe you're shooting from the barn. Through a window of a glass and at the man picking the olives, and you don't really know what's happening. And maybe someone's driving up on the road and you're capturing, this rushing of the car and the cars driving away fast. You're like, what's happening? I don't. There's this kind of like question and this can be done in so many other simple ways. Like maybe it's even, You know, you're saying you're at the table and then your hands are all red from crushing the grapes. And then, you step away and it's, the grapes are all pressed on the table and the hands are all, you know, red and, All you capture is just this empty room. And it's, you're wondering like, who was there? what just happened? And all you see is just the equipment that he was using to press the grapes. And now it's just nothing. There's just no one there. And it's just a dark, empty space that makes the viewer think like, what? It's happening. where did he go? what's happening now with these grapes? I mean, this is so simplistic and I just kind of coming up the top of my head here. But if you thinking about it in terms of telling an actual story in a film or a movie, there is a main character and then there are supporting elements as well. So these supporting elements could be Mhm. other subjects. It could be another child that's running down the road or the dog, the farm dog along the vineyard. And the dog is like sniffing the ground and picking up the grapes and eating them. And maybe you capture just the picture of the dog. It's all creating context of this moment. And then, you know, Even in food photography, you know, you can have other supporting elements like supporting actors, maybe the main subject is a loaf of bread and then you have maybe the jam and then the butter and some cheese and then you have, wine and some wine spilt on the table. So it's all about creating context for this story that you're telling.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

Oh, wow. well, that kind of leads me to my next question because when it comes to like photographing things like food, I understand when it comes to people, you know, you can get these emotions out of them. You can, walk them through an action when it comes to like a loaf of bread. How do we, you know, add that, to a frame, but it seems like, you know, with your example there of the, having some spilled wine or whatever. Visually, I can see that in my head and like, it's a beautiful photo. but I can hear listeners asking, like, do we need to introduce tension in every photo? what are your thoughts on that? I'd love to hear.

Alanna O'Neil:

Yeah, I don't think you need to have tension in every photo, but I think you want to leave the viewer. Wanting to be more curious because, and it's also down just to personal preference because there's room for shots that it's just like a beautiful loaf of bread that's untouched in a cutting board. And it's just generally presented and that's, it is what it is. And that's beautiful. And that's just the type of photography and that's saying something and maybe it's more simplistic and pure. and it's really about, the beauty of this creation. but that's kind of it to me. That's just like a one note type of photo, I guess. Whereas if you cut the bread and you had maybe a child's hand reach up, try to like grab a piece of bread and there's butter and it's the table's a little bit messy and the sun's streaming in so you can clearly tell it's morning. the colors that you've chosen in the napkins and the tablecloths are like white. and yellow. So it's like happy and sunny feeling. There are all these ways that we can use elements like color and contrast and lighting to enhance the feeling of this bread. maybe it's just how maybe your grandmother's coming in to cut it in her weathered hands. create that capture of that feeling of nostalgia and warmth and comfort. So there's ways that we can Create, this humanness because I think when we can infuse a human element and just life into our photos, it makes it so much more relatable because to me, sometimes it's like a loaf of bread on a cutting board. That's all it is. It's a minimal, clean, pure shot, but I personally. It's just, that's, it is what it is. It's not, there's nothing else there to delve deeper into. Whereas if you add more to that story, you can relate to it and there's like a humanness, element to it.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

I love, that, you know, you're talking about, creating these images, right? I think oftentimes new photographers think of just going through the world and capturing images of what's going on in their life. And you're talking about, like, manufacturing, creating these images, but still, doing it in a way that, tells this story. I think that's a perspective that doesn't really get talked about enough, but is, extremely important. So, To kind of go deeper into that, let's talk about context. you brought that up before. And context is actually something that I kind of struggle with because, growing up, some of my influences were like, documentary photographers, where it's like, their goal is to get everything into one photo, which means you got to have all the context. but for me, I always found that like my images would get too messy, you know, for you, like, what's the balance between including too much context and, don't know, still being able to communicate the story that you're trying to tell.

Alanna O'Neil:

Yeah, definitely. I think this even can go into just like photoshopping. Like when do you photoshop something out if it's like getting too messy or too much? I feel like, what's the story that you want to tell or what's the message that you want to convey and what elements in that shot or in that composition, A that or detract from it. So if you're thinking about documentary photography, there, sometimes you want to have everything and maybe you're shooting at like F 16 or something. So everything's like sharp and everything's in frame, but what elements. Are necessary to convey the message of this moment. Maybe you don't need to include the trash can in the corner of the street or the litter on the ground to actually convey the message that you want to share. Or maybe you do, maybe that. Dirty trash can in the trash on the streets actually helps convey the message and feeling of your story. You know what I mean? It's like really knowing like what do I want to convey in this image or in this message? And is it necessary and if not, is it detracting from you know, my thing is this bright red umbrella? Adding to this calm feeling of serenity by the beach, or is That, actually, should I just move my camera just a little bit to the left? So I crop it out, and just get this beautiful seascape with like white and blue and, you know, sandy colors. And that red umbrella would be completely detracting from my story or the feeling that I want to convey. So I think it goes back to just knowing what the message or the image that you want to create and share and then working backwards.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

That, sounds so simple, but I know from experience, I'm sure, you know, it's, one of those, uh, it's easier said than done. Like that can be a

Alanna O'Neil:

Mm hmm.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

did you work yourself through that?

Alanna O'Neil:

Well, I think it's hard when you're in the moment. Because you're just kind of say you're traveling and you're just out and about. It's, you can't really have time to think about these things. Like, what do I want to feel like in this stage, this story or scene? And I think it's just more of following your gut and your intuition, automatically knowing, like you pick up the camera, like, actually, I don't like that, I'm going to crop that out. It's just like more about following your moment. And I think it, or your intuition and, fine tuning it as you go, because. When you are traveling or you're just in your daily life, you know, in street photography or whatever, you can't just take your time because you're going to miss the moment and you can't have these broad conceptual thoughts of what's the emotion that I want to capture here. It's more of just like following the hit of the intuition of, hey, I like that scene or I like that. The way he was walking down the street. I'm going to shoot it. And I think it's just following your intuition because I think that will help you fine tune your eye and also your style because we don't have the grace of time where we can plan everything out to a tee and, oh, I'm going to style the bread just so, or I'm going to capture it just this way. I think it's, yeah. If it looks interesting and it feels compelling to you, capture it and follow it and then you'll learn next time. But I think the more you just keep following your intuition, that helps.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

Yeah, of course. I mean, photography is such a subjective thing that, uh, there's that quote and I've shared it a million times here on the podcast. I think it's Ansel Adams who said that. There's two people in every photo, the photographer and the viewer, right? And,

Alanna O'Neil:

hmm. Mm

Raymond Hatfield (2):

leaves a lot there for the photographer to input themselves in a photo and it all comes down to the intention, which I love. I love how you shared that there. do you have any exercises, anything that we can do to start to. recognize what is, popping up to us, what is grabbing our attention and how to photograph it in a way that is more than just simply, uh, visual information, but it conveys more, essence to it.

Alanna O'Neil:

Yeah. one helpful, practical thing is to give yourself an assignment, say I'm going to go to this location in my town or place, or maybe it's a park or something, and you're going to create or capture anything that feels interesting to you, because I think that when you come back from this, maybe, and you really put your focus and time into it, you'll come back with images and you'll see like, Why did I shoot this? Why was this? Why did I, want to capture this woman walking down the street this way? Because when you start to question why you take pictures, you can start to pull apart your actual eye and like what you find interesting in your style. because I think when you, let yourself be free and be more playful and more candid and casual in the way you shoot, you'll start to chip away at your style, because if something feels interesting or compelling to you, When you're out on this assignment, ask yourself why, like, why am I drawn to this color? Why the orange and blue and the pink, are this way? what is it? And the more you ask yourself these questions and you look at all these images that you take over periods of time, you can see like things that are, you are drawn to and the way you see things, if that makes sense. it's so hard to verbalize, but when you think about What am I interested in shooting and why, it. will help you understand how you can one, find those images and like where to actually look for them, because when you see them, they'll stand out in your mind because you'll start to see like, oh, wow, I always, for some reason, I always shoot from this angle, or I always tend to be. Shooting at this light and there's time of day are always been using this setting. What if I maybe try something different or maybe I experimented and, shot in a different way. So I think the more open we are to experimenting and then also questioning the images that we do take or the ones that we don't like, It's not about our favorite photos. It's also the ones that we don't like. Like, why didn't this photo work or why didn't this scene appeal to me? personally, I don't like wedding photography. That's not my thing, but there's something there that I can learn about when like, there's something I can learn about wedding photography to translate into my own work. So the more you try and fail and like, you know, Just ask questions, like, bigger questions. It helps you chip away at, like, who you are, as a photographer, if that makes sense.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

It does. It does. And in fact, I know that, you know, you shoot food. I've seen your photos of, I don't know if they're sourdough or whatever loaves of bread that, were on your Instagram recently. Beautiful and like it made me want, it made me hungry. Like I wanted to eat them. But at the same time, you also have photos of, these beautiful horses and these images of, like sweeping landscapes, as you were saying earlier. as you go through like the different genres of photography, right? From food, nature, wildlife, I guess you could say for animals. do you think are the common things that string those images together? for you as a artist, from your perspective, how do you tie all those images together?

Alanna O'Neil:

Yeah, that's one I've struggled with because I felt so boxed in. Like I'm only going to do food photography. Like I'm only going to do flat lay free photography and work with this type of brands. And I just felt so stifled in that genre that I was like, this is not me. And I felt like I could just broaden myself, you know, I'm interested in street photography, landscapes. animals, these are all my own personal interests. And so it's like, how can I infuse my own personal interest into my work? And that's when I feel like I'm the strongest and I, enjoy it more. And I think it can be boiled down to, emotions and feelings. Like I hope that. My photography has all the general same feelings and emotions where they're very sensitive and thoughtful and reflective, and they maybe have a hint of nostalgia and they, are very much. They have a calming a calmness to them and, a reverence for beauty. So I'm hoping that all of these feelings are translated across all of the types of genres that I, I do. So, that's why I may not. Show certain types of photos or different types of colors because they don't really resonate with those feelings, even though, you know, in reality, I love vibrant, beautiful colors, but the feelings that I want to evoke throughout my portfolio and just my work in general, I find that I can keep going back to these types of feelings and emotions, across all the genres, whether it's landscape, landscape, landscape. Horses or animals or food, whatever. they're all, still present there.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

I appreciate you sharing that is color the main way that you communicate these feelings of, sensitive, thoughtful, nostalgic, reflective through your images, or do you use any other visual tools?

Alanna O'Neil:

yeah, definitely. Those are, uh, that's really important. Color is so powerful, but also there's also ways of just like light, you know? And I think we can have to let ourselves evolve because at first I started being really light and bright and airy because that felt more like home, like peaceful and calming. But I've also been experimenting with more like moody and darker because That also can be really reflective as well, there's different sides to moodiness. Like moody can be, quiet. It can be subtle. It can be gentle. And that's also just another side of the coin of what I want to convey. So, and it's also, composition because, for instance, I try not to have a My photos be super busy and like crazy just like really energetic and feeling. I try to keep it very, clean and calming to look at visually. So composition is another. so I think lighting is one. And color another and also just composition and, I also balance, like, just trying to keep my images really balanced. So it does evoke that calm, peaceful, beauty, type of feeling in my images.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

I gotta say, your, use of adjectives are on point. I could only hope to, be that good with words, someday. Uh, that's why I got into photography. Yeah, they're great. I wanna know though, like, from your perspective, where do other photographers get this wrong? Because, they do, I've seen photographers and, their images don't feel like I couldn't name three adjectives, to describe another photographer's work. Cause it just kind of all over

Alanna O'Neil:

hmm. Mm

Raymond Hatfield (2):

perspective, where do you see them get it wrong?

Alanna O'Neil:

this is really hard because I was there too, where I was trying a million different things, experimenting, in certain ways. It's like a kid in a candy store. I want this. I want to do it this way. I'm doing this and I'm going to shoot this way. When you're experimenting with so different, many things or someone that you really admire, you want to shoot in their style or their way. And you, you kind of get lost in that process because you are pulled in all these different directions. And that's totally I think a part of the process is experimenting, broadening your horizons of what's possible and what you can do with your camera. And I think you need to expose yourself to different types of genres and styles to actually kind of find out who you are. So, I think there is that process of you have to go through to kind of get through to the other side. I think at the heart of it, it's really knowing who you are, in this moment. And of course you're going to grow and evolve. Like I'm a completely different photographer than I, when I first started and it's giving herself that grace to keep, growing and evolving, but I think you should have some base to come back to where, who am I? Like, who am I? What do I want? My. Core my photography to be and feel like, and again, maybe it is going down picking up her dictionary or whatever the source and like, writing down adjectives in a notebook and literally writing down or even maybe just picking them. Solid images of your work, or maybe someone else's. And this is the core of what I want to be focusing on right now.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

that sounds like a lot of work. Sounds like it's going to take a lot of time. It sounds like it's going to take more than a weekend, in photography. which of course is ridiculous. what sorts of exercises can we do? You know, we know that we can go down and we can, photograph the things that just kind of, stand out to us. But let's say somebody who's listening, maybe they're at the next step, right? They know what kind of interests they have. how do we go deeper? Like, is it through editing? Is it more through composition? Like, how do we go deeper into, visual storytelling than simply, noticing the things that we, are drawn to?

Alanna O'Neil:

sure. I think it's also coming back to, so in visual storytelling, I always come back to life. using life as a reference. So what in this moment, whatever you're looking at or shooting or feeling, how can you infuse life into it? and there doesn't even need to? have a human being in there. How can you infuse life? this photo with life like that's whoever's seeing it or viewing it can feel like they are there like that. They, they can feel the dew on the grass. They can feel the light streaming through the trees. They can feel, the sunshine on their shoulders if they were sitting on that park bench. Like, what are the ways and that could be me. Maybe it's how you angle your camera and you shoot the light coming down. through the trees, and you can actually maybe have some lens flare. It's like little ways like that. It's like, how can you make a viewer feel like they're in this moment? it's just a very simple way of, basic storytelling. It's like, how can you through color or the way you crop, or you shoot, or the way you angle your, scene, or in the way you compose it, what would help the viewer feel like they're in this moment?

Raymond Hatfield (2):

Wow, I gotta say, maybe it's your use of adjectives, but you seem so sure of yourself in photography, and that is, envious, you know, so, if, I guess one, do you feel that way internally, and two, I know that we've all grown in our journey. So if you could go back and tell nine year old Alana, one thing about the world of photography, to get you here faster, like what would it be? What advice would you give yourself?

Alanna O'Neil:

wrote about this, I think, a few blogs ago, I was like, the one thing I would tell myself back when I was a kid was not to be afraid of trying different things and failing over and over again. Just follow my intuition and just shoot and not worry about what everyone thought about it, like, Oh, if it was a good picture or not, because there's value to be had. And be taken from a terrible photo. and I'm still learning, like, I am not confident and solely competent in the technical aspects of photography. There's so much that I can still learn and grow from even, you know, I don't even I can use natural light only. I've never shot. With, strobes or, artificial lights. So that's a completely out of my wheelhouse. And so I'm, there's always something for me to learn and grow from, but what I would say back to my younger self is not to be shy and not to be afraid to take horrible pictures and just keep trying and experimenting. And not to be afraid to share them because if the thing is, you have to get through what, like 10, 000 photos to actually get to the good stuff or something I've heard, you have to have this, these bad photos because you'll learn, through them. So I would say for anyone who's starting is to just be free and not be precious with your work. Don't feel pressure and don't feel precious about it. Like, most people are on digital cameras and you can easily delete your whole memory card. You can delete photos. It's not like you're wasting money or on film. Just shoot, shoot, shoot and just be casual and like loose about it and don't overthink it because I think when you get too stuck in your mind of like, Oh, I shouldn't be doing it this way or shooting this way. Just practice and practice and practice and keep just shooting. And then you'll, the more you'll feel. comfortable with your camera and it's like a part of you. It's like a second, it's like your second companion. You're like your third eye. It's just always there. And you just, yeah, it's just with you at all times. And, you can just feel natural in your hand and you don't have to think too hard and be precious. Like, well, should I do this setting or should I do it this way? And again, that's where I can think you can lean on the aperture priority primarily, when you're just beginning because It will help you just learn to see, seek moments and understand light, easier and faster.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

That was perfect. For those who maybe they're not doing any sort of client work, they're not doing commissioned photos or anything like that, but they're just shooting for themselves to say document their life. One question that I always think about is like, what do you do with your photos? do they just live on Instagram? do they get printed? So just for you personally, like, what do you like to do with your photos?

Alanna O'Neil:

Yeah. I wish I could say I love printing them. I just, I don't, but I, I want to, I have some that I've taken and I have printed because it is really nice to feel something tangible. I took this like this. You can feel it in your hands and you see it on your wall, and it's like a wonderful memory of, the moment. So, personally, um, I, have this like love hate relationship with Instagram because the algorithm and all this stuff, I don't think it's helpful for photographers because we're very much statically based and now it's moving into video and reels. So I would say if you're just beginning, you can of course share like document, it's like a visual documentation or a journal of your life or your moments. And I think that's totally fine. But personally, I think if you're just a hobbyist, there is something really lovely to see your work in print and it doesn't need to be this, you know, giant poster size in your bathroom or your bedroom. It could just be a five by seven, maybe a little collection of, you know, images, that you've shot and just have some personal, meaning to you. I highly encourage that and there are so many fantastic ways of printing your images, out there. So.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

I recently came across a company that does like, it's very small photo books. I think they're only like 20 pages, right? Teeny tiny. And, I got one in fact, it's only like six inches by six inches. It's very small. And I thought to myself at first, like, why? I don't even know what the point of this is, right? But I ordered it because it was dirt cheap. And I got it and the kids opened it up and they looked through it and they just had so much fun looking at these photos from like the past month. Like these are still like very recent memories to them. And it's only such a small selection of photos that I think for them, for them, they're young kids, right? So it's like they're used to. Thousands of photos like being overwhelmed with the amount of content that's available to them and to have something that has a start, there's a front page and then there's the last page and then there's just a few handfuls of photos in between, was really interesting to see them, use and something that I wasn't used to in photography, you know, you don't normally think of these things, but, without print, I wouldn't have got that moment. So I'm right there with you. It's, it's great to be able to hold on to something.

Alanna O'Neil:

yeah, I made one for my dad for his birthday once. he came to Maui once and I made a photo book of his time here. and it wasn't just family pictures, it was like the picture of the flowers out front or the ocean. And, and again, it goes back to this story. It's like this little book. Holds a story of his visit, and it's just so thoughtful and sweet that, you know, you, of course, you could have them on your phone, but they get lost in the scroll. And it's so nice to just, like, open in and like, look at and you remember, and they're really thoughtful ways of capturing in moments and memories and having them in a way you can. You know, it looks beautiful and are really thoughtful. So I totally agree with you.

Raymond Hatfield (2):

Yeah, it's beautiful. It is so much fun. Well, Alana, we are at the end of our time. I know that people are thinking to themselves, I want to learn more about visual storytelling. I want to learn more about what Alana has to share. I want to find her online. Where's the best place to do so?

Alanna O'Neil:

Sure. They can find me online on my website. It's Alana O'Neill. com or Instagram. It's at Alana O'Neill photo. you can find me over there. You know, we can talk about photography all day, but if you don't have the proper mindset, if you want to pursue this as a career, there's so much that, goes into having the right mindset, same as like in your business, like most creatives are terrible business people. Like I'm heavily in that category where we don't know all the ins and outs and all these necessary things. So I like to think of it as the exposure triangle. You have the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. This is like business mindset and photography, and like everyone is related and affected. All these three bases that are very important to, creating a successful photography career, if that's what you want to do. So that comes out this fall. And it encompasses business mindset and photography. So every month, there will be a new module that's released talking about one specific topic in one of those areas.