This Chicago Latinx Photographer is Going Places
Image courtesy of Allie.
Allie is going places. The 25-year old Orange County native has already begun to make a name for herself in Chicago and beyond. A photographer since her early teen years, her work has been featured in Vogue. She’s done collaborations with brands like Nike and Adidas, and worked as the studio photographer for Chicago’s beloved Hebru Brantley.
Allie is a Latinx woman. It’s important and it isn’t. For the purposes of our story, it matters because she works in a male-dominated field. And most male-dominated fields can be brutal to young women, both behind and in front of the camera.
“I love making people feel good about themselves and feeling comfortable, especially in an industry that’s super male-dominated.”
Over the years Allie has gotten better at dealing with the unwanted attention of the male gaze in the industry. In more than one instance when she is looking for nothing more than a network connection, men are looking for more.
Image courtesy of Allie.
Connections in this industry are important. Allie says that every shoot she’s ever gotten was because she put herself out there. She is constantly working at meeting people and reaching out to folks who she wants to work with.
“When I moved to Chicago, I didn’t know anybody. I put myself out there and it worked.”
Allie dove into photography when she in 8th grade, when her mom bought her a camera after noticing she really enjoyed taking photos. She began by taking photos of her friends and eventually became really drawn to people in general. She’d strike up conversations with mostly strangers, who then sometimes became friends.
Image courtesy of Allie.
“I always find myself gravitating towards people that I want to shine light on. And even when I’m shooting clothes, I always am shooting the person.”
Perhaps that’s part of the reason why Chicago designer Sheila Rashid asked Allie to photograph her for her Vogue piece.
“I’ve been following Sheila on Instagram for years before moving to Chicago. When Vogue wanted to do a piece on her she called me.”
In addition to begin a talented photographer, it’s pretty clear right off the bat that Allie has a big, kind heart and maybe even a soft spot for children. Throughout our interview, this became obvious in two instances. Firstly and most obviously, Allie spent two years teaching photography at a Chicago elementary school, and she hopes to one day do that again. But secondly, when asked what the best piece of advice she’s ever received was, she thought of something her little sister told her. “Al, sometimes you just have to let go and not be afraid to just do it.” Most people pass on quotes from a mentor or a parent, with decades of experience behind them.
Image courtesy of Allie.
As for Allie’s advice to aspiring photographers? Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and make sure you get a specific and consistent mood board. And if there’s anything else that she can teach us, it’s to not be afraid to look, really look.
“I find inspiration everywhere, but it always falls back to people.”
And those people have stories, and stories can be told through photos. Ultimately that’s what Allie aims to do. Photography to her, is more than just self-expression. It’s also giving expression to others.
Check out Allie’s work here.