Tell us about yourself, how did you become an artist?
I was really into creative stuff like drawing and scrapbooking as a kid, but I never focused on one medium. In college, I started taking photographs of my friends and things in my everyday life for fun until I realized it made me happier than anything else I was doing. I got confident enough to start taking Photography classes in college, and those helped me reconsider photography as a tangible fine-art form and as a career.
What is your background? and how did it inform the focus of your creative exploration or the medium you're currently working with?
I didn’t realize how much I love making photos until I started shooting film with a point and shoot a few years ago. I was intrigued by the suspense and anticipation that came with developing and processing film, and taking photos became very exciting. Since then, I’ve learned a lot of technical skills and have developed my style. My style of photography now is contemporary and quiet. I tend to make photos out of sometimes plain and overlooked scenes from everyday life.
What ideas interested you in the beginning of your practice, which ideas have you continued to explore, and where have they led you?
I have always been interested in the notion that you can turn something ordinary into art just by photographing it. It allows me to feel as if I can make extraordinary photographs out of my everyday life (taking walks, hanging out with friends) in addition to the more exciting stuff (partying, traveling). I think this idea creates a lot of possibilities for photos, so I try to keep a camera on me at all times.
Who were and are the biggest sources of your inspiration?
I'm inspired by my friends, the color green, Vietnamese street photography, and my neighborhood.
Where do you find inspiration?
If I need inspiration, I browse photobooks or my saved photos on Instagram. There’s a lot of amazing content out there made by younger and lesser known artists who haven’t been published yet. But the internet can also get overwhelming which is when I turn to my whatever’s on my bookshelf.
Is there are a single work, project, or series that is pivotal in your current trajectory?
Not yet, still looking for one.
About the Artist
Based in Atlanta, Georgia
Hannah Elijah is photographer based in Atlanta, GA. She received a BA in Journalism with a minor in Art from Georgia State University in 2020. Currently, she is a Contributing Editor at fine-art photobook publisher Fall Line Press while working on various freelance projects and commissions.
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