Today we’d like to introduce you to Shah Ali.
Shah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
To lose your best friend in front of you causes you to blur the lines of life and death. Especially when you only have one or two photos. I didn’t want anyone to have to go through the pain that I did, and not have photos of their loved ones that they loss. Then I learned to use that pain to capture beautiful things in the world, from the elegant walk of the runway model to the frozen time of my watch photography, and the absolute serenity of the landscape shot that makes you want to just immerse yourself in the full array of colors which is only an artist can capture.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Not by any means has this journey been an easy one. You enter this industry, thinking it’s going to be a walk in the park, and you realize soon it’s more like climbing Mt Everest. I have overexposed and underexposed photos, I have botched up to 1500 hundred photos for an event that I attended. These type of actions cause you to doubt yourself as a photographer. I had to weather rough storms and learn from many errors. But once you feel the way the model looks at you when you have enhanced her beauty, once you see your work in the publications, or when your art hangs on the wall as home decor, at that very moment, you will know that photography is life. And you cannot…… will not be without it
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Photography Stage – what should we know?
The Photography Stage is the name of my company. My aim is to provide every client with a unique experience. I want them to have fun while working in a professional environment. Fashion, editorial and product photography are my areas of expertise. I consider myself a photography purists in the same vein of the masters before me. When my models convey that they had an experience like no other, and the photographs reflect that, these are the moments I am most proud of.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
First and foremost, I have to thank God for giving me my gift of capturing moments in time. My brother and confidant Dominic Stewart for giving me motivation, inspiration and just tough love. My friend and business partner the head of MyWatchLifestyle Ty Brown for being a mentor in the aspect of watch and product photography. My best friend and brother Jae Easley for having a critical eye when it came to my work, showing me angles and the different dimensions of photography and art. The main driving force in my journey my loving wife, Akia Thompkins for just believing in the dream. That I will become one of the great photographers, and telling me to get my ass up when I wanted to quit. My two muses Lola Manolo and Zhane Nycole for giving me incredible photos to showcase for the world to view and enjoy. Ms. Eshia Davis for giving me my first opportunity and many opportunities to place my footprint in the Atlanta Photography scene.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 2679081296
- Email: shahali5801@gmail.com
- Instagram: thephotographystage
- Facebook: Shah Ali
- Twitter: thestagestudio2
Image Credit:
Done by The Photography Stage
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