Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddy Halpern.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in a small town in New Mexico. My childhood environment is what prompted my love for the rugged, rural outdoors. As a mountain dweller in a high desert atmosphere, I always hiked and enjoyed seeing new places in nature. My first international venture was to Iceland. I was 14 at the time and to put it simply – it changed my world. Early on I developed a wanderlust that has allowed me to see several continents, cultures, and countries since.
Going to college in Colorado furthered my ability to explore and live in new places. During that time, I started working with a friend who started a music blog. I worked with her as a writer and photographer on the team to capture concerts and interview bands. Shortly after that began I had an internship in Southern California as a lighting engineer. I was studying lighting while exploring new beaches, mountains, and landscapes with my camera. At the end of the summer I had a spontaneously planned trip to Alaska. I vividly remember being in a small airplane over the Knik Glacier and thinking how the glacier that I was able to capture at that moment would never look the same again. It was a visceral realization that I could capture and tell stories in a way that would freeze moments in time.
Working as a full time lighting designer has enabled my experience of reality to become invested in looking for light and shadow. This has tremendously influenced my photography business over the years. Understanding the way light interacts in an environment has furthered my ability to study and capture stories using photography as my medium. My favorite photos are always those that represent light and shadow in their purest form while creating emotion in the audience. My work photographing weddings, elopements, and special events showcase a very raw form of that emotional connection that I capture for people to remember.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I’ve had it easier that some and much harder than others. Being a highly creative person has its own set of challenges that can be either: debilitating or liberating. There is an emotionality that creatives present with their work that opens them up to vulnerability. I am often my own harshest critic and I am the one in my own way during times of creative blocks. It can often takes days, weeks, or more to “unblock” and create new, refreshed work. It is said that many artists create their best work when they are in a place of severe lows. I think it comes from using art as a therapeutic vehicle for working through personal struggles in our lives. I think it’s important to focus on being your own biggest fan and accepting that it takes many iterations to refine your work to create your final vision.
Early on, while the working world of engineering I have been fortunate enough to work on teams that were very respectful and encouraging of women. That was crucial to my success early on. Working on teams with other women was critical for me to see firsthand how female leaders present themselves in a male dominated industry. It is helpful to observe and educate yourself on what is successful and unsuccessful in the character of others.
My lesson for women is to be educated, ask questions, be confident, and present yourself with grace. Find a mentor who has already worked on paving a path for women and study how their actions have carried them forward. You don’t need to be the loudest person in the room to be heard; you just need to have the most impactful voice.
We’d love to hear more about Madeline J Studio.
I am a photographer specializing in adventure wedding, elopement, and lifestyle photography. I hold a degree in engineering with an emphasis in lighting design. With my knowledge in lighting and my wanderlust for new places, I have created my business model around candid lifestyle and adventure photography. I specialize in capturing a photojournalistic style of candid moments with epic backdrops.
I am great at creating a comfortable space for people to be themselves. I tell everyone that I am like their photography Sherpa. I not only carry their jackets and bags during a shoot, but I make them feel like they are just travelling along with a friend (who happens to own a camera). I encourage people to showcase the truest form of themselves in front of my lens. Often times people tell me they have been anxious or their significant other had to bribe them to take photos. Usually by the end of the photoshoot they remark “how much fun” or “how painless” it is to be in front of the camera. My professional background in lighting helps me judge the best times and locations to photograph in, while my easy-going persona helps people feel at ease during a photoshoot.
What are the biggest barriers to female leadership?
Women need to focus and rely heavily on their education, communication, and leadership skills to be acknowledged for their skill sets. For women, it is imperative to speak up and be heard for their perspectives. Women need to come prepared to demonstrate their skill set and acknowledge what they are worth, without settling for less. It comes with a confidence that women will trust their own voice and not waver in their own successes. Finally, women have to be willing to take on risk early in their careers to prove themselves and gain “wins” in order to prove that they are up for the task.
Which women have inspired you in your life? Why?
I’m inspired by all women. Our mothers, our teachers, our sisters, and our leaders. There is something really impactful about the way that women present themselves in the world. Women have a different kind of strength that they channel into amazing things.
I like studying polarizing women like Lady Gaga. She has a laser sharp creative vision of what she wants and doesn’t let other’s influence sway her. In her truest form people either “love it or hate it”. It’s raw, unique, and it shocks people. That is what creativity is all about: finding an emotional note in yourself and your audience to play to.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.madelinejstudios.com
- Phone: 505-440-0688
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/
madelinejstudios
Image Credit:
Madhalps Photography
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