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Meet Alycee Byrd

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alycee Byrd.

Alycee, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I never intended to be a photographer. I didn’t grow up inheriting a camera. I had so many other hobbies that I loved. It wasn’t until my teenage years did I start to take an interest in photography. And I did so unknowingly. Being a child of the internet, I wanted to start posting my own content for my Tumblr blog. So I asked to borrow my family’s digital camera, reserved for family vacations, and would sneak away to take pictures for my growing Tumblr following. I had no idea I would go from shooting grainy photos of my mom’s rose garden to shooting published fashion editorials.

My photography journey started with conceptual self-portraits, where I used photography as an outlet to express my internal thoughts and feelings. I have since been able to translate my understanding of complex concepts into creative fashion images. I have always loved fashion and playing dress-up. Mixing clothing, light, and colors all come together to create editorial style stories is what makes my heart sing. I’ve always been a visual learner. So for me, my shoots are all creations I can see in my head. The fun part is finding all the building blocks to make it into reality.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Although the majority of my photography career can be credited to the internet, creating and living on online at a young age was not easy. I used to the online world to escape the bullying in my adolescent life, only to be filled with anonymous messages of ever worse hate. During my most impressionable years, I was alone, depressed, and suicidal. To this day, I can remember some of the words that were sent to me. With nowhere left to turn, I picked up the one thing I knew wouldn’t hurt me: a camera. I started taking self-portraits and learned how to manipulate the images in photoshop. I was creating new worlds to distract me from my own. It worked in two ways. One, I was helping myself heal mentally and emotionally by harnessing my feeling into something positive. And two, I was perfecting my craft. Without even knowing it, I was teaching myself photography, color correction, and advanced photoshop techniques!

As I got older, things got better. I found my footing, graduated from the kids who would make fun of me, got accepted into college, and kept improving my craft. My life was processing in a positive direction. Then fast forward to junior year of college, everything I knew came crashing down. I came back from my semester abroad and got diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Lupus. I lost my hair and 20 pounds. I had bi-weekly blood test, ten pills a day, and uncontrollable paralyzing pain. Photography was the last thing on my mind. I didn’t know how I was ever going to go back to school or live a “normal” life again. But with persistence, strength, and trust, I’m improving more and more with each doctor’s visit!

So in summary, not a smooth road, but I don’t know many people who haven’t faced some roadblocks in their life! For better or for worse, life is all about change.

But as the wheel of fortune continues to turn, life keeps pushing on. Always moving and always changing. My life has always been about overcoming my obstacles.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Alycee Byrd Photography – what should we know?
To many people’s surprise, I have my Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, not photography. I am able to bring a business perspective into my creative work.

I am a fashion, editorial, and portrait photographer. I’m basically a one-woman-show. I conceptualize, style, organize and execute all of my shoots. I’m known for my mood boards and rainbow flare. My biggest source of inspiration is sun and nature, as they allow me to use natural light to create naturalistic and dynamic images. I also have a Youtube channel where I further break-down my photoshoot process by posting behind the scenes content of my shoots. As a self-taught photographer, I understand the importance of having accessible information. I love the opportunity to share my knowledge with others,

Being a Libra, balancer of the scales, I like to think that my work sings a harmonious tone of both femininity and grit. I love capturing images of powerful and unique faces. Individuality is everything to me. I wish someone took the time to connect with me when I was younger. To tell how beautiful and unique I was. I aim to capture each model’s unique essence in each photo.

I like to think what sets me apart are the genuine connections I aim to create with each client I work with. I’m all about making people feel comfortable and empowered. I want my shoots to be a safe and fun place where an individual feels celebrated. A while back, I started taking a couple of polaroids at the end of each shoot. To capture the memory and to give a physical one to the client.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I have learned that my determination is a force to be reckoned with. If I have a shoot concept, I will do everything in my power to make it happen. Again being a visual learner, I’m always trying to recreate the image I see inside my head. Without this fire inside of me, the urge to keep pushing forward, I don’t think I could be where I am today. Not just in my photography but in my life.

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