Allison McDonald

photographer

Rochester, NY

5 favorite musical artists of all time?

This is tough.. If I absolutely had to choose I’d say:

1. Drake

2. Childish Gambino

3. Chris Brown

4. PARTYNEXTDOOR

5. Beyoncé

How do you keep your creative drip going? 

By communicating with other creatives and taking mental breaks.

If you could talk to your favorite creative for an hour, who would it be and why? 

A photographer named Endia Beal. I met her at SUNY Brockport when I went to school there. She displayed her work and talked with us about experience. Her work focuses a lot on perception of black people in corporate settings. Something I’m dealing with currently.
 

What is the last thing you learned?

To have fun with photography. Don’t over think the message behind every single shoot. I also learned it’s okay to take a hiatus from your craft if need be.

What advice would you give to your younger self? 

Invest your time/energy in things that benefit you. Also, don’t live in fear due to possible rejection/criticism. Never be afraid to take a chance!

What advice would you give to creatives of color looking to pursue their passion full-time?

It’s okay to use that full time job to fund your craft. I’m doing that now. You’ll know when the time is right to pursue your craft full time.

What are you working on right now?

I’m just working on more fun shoots. Shoots that aren’t overthought.

What inspires you?

Still life. I love incorporating different types of still life in my work if possible. My go to are flowers.

Describe your dream job. 

My dream job would be working as a photographer full time, or being an art therapist.

What skill(s) would you develop of you had more time?

Painting and Drawing. When I attended SUNY Brockport, I had the pleasure of taking a Drawing 101 course. It was a requirement for my major, and upon signing up for the course I looked at it as just that; a course requirement. Despite my initial thoughts I ended up really enjoying the course. My professor was very engaged in our growth in that class, which made me engage more. Because my concentration was in photography, I didn’t take any other drawing courses, so I’d like to learn more.  Although I never took a painting class, I had a project that required painting in my Drawing 101 course that I really enjoyed. Also, as a child I used to paint a lot.

My father used to draw and paint, so I’d like to learn more about both.

 What industry blogs/websites/podcasts do you enjoy?

 None as of lately. I’m open to any recommendations!

What do you think the future holds for people of color in creative industries? 

There is so much opportunity for us. We have to work hard. Our talent will see us through. We make work that represents our people and lets people into our lives through our work.