Meet Halahna Sewer of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Halahna Sewer.

Hi Halahna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I didn’t grow up with a fixed idea of what I wanted to be when I was older. No childhood dream job to pursue until I finally made it, or “I always knew I wanted to become a photographer” story. I got to college still figuring that part out, which brought some challenges but also gave me an opportunity to explore. I started SCAD in Advertising, thinking it was a perfect field to suit my creative mind but during sophomore year, I took my first photography class and something clicked. It wasn’t just the love for creating eye catching visuals, but the different aspects that go into creating beautiful images that really captured me.

I found a love for understanding how cameras, lights, and subjects interact to create a final image. It’s a passion of mine that I don’t ever find myself losing interest in, as there is always more to learn and explore. Once I decided to switch majors, I never looked back. While in school I developed my bold, character driven style of portraiture built on a foundation of technical skill and eventually graduated with a BFA in photography from SCAD in 2025.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The hardest part of a photography career is the business of it. Pricing yourself and cold pitching people who may never respond are all things we have to deal with. Coming up in a fine arts program did allow me to gain a lot of hands on experience when it came to developing my work, but the operational aspect is something I’ve had to teach myself in real time.

There is also a layer of being a Black woman photographer that doesn’t get talked about much that comes with its own challenges. There are times where I’ve walked onto sets where I’m directing things but still get treated as if I need to prove myself before being taken seriously. I constantly get surprised looks when I show people my work and they see clearly that I know what I am doing, as if it was unexpected.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love describing my work as bold, creative portraiture, characterized by color and light. I love photographing people in a way that allows my subjects to express themselves in a way in which they are deciding to be seen. The images I aim to create honor the people in front of the camera and in a way makes my work more about collaborating with the subject instead of imposing my own idea of how they should be seen.

Right now, I am focused on assignment work; pitching myself to photo editors and publications, and running collaborative shoots that allow me to showcase my skills both as a creative director and photographer.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Focus on creating with what you have, not what you think you may need. When I first started out, I shot using Amazon continuous lights in my living room. It wasn’t the best gear, but it forced me to truly develop my eye for composition, lighting, and color before I ever touched expensive equipment or software. If I’d jumped straight to that gear, I don’t think I would’ve known what kind of images I actually wanted to make with it since I hadn’t put in the practice yet. I think if I hadn’t started out so simply, my eye would be a lot weaker and less distinct today.

Pricing:

• Creative Portrait Session – Starts @ $310

Contact Info:

• Website: https://halahna.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/halahna.studio
• Other: https://halahna.as.me