Interview: Allie Lehman

Starting today, one blog post per month will be an interview of someone local who is doing amazing stuff (likely photography-related). And I can't imagine starting with anyone but the lovely, badass, talented Allie Lehman.

Allie is the co-founder of The Wonder Jam, 
where most of her work revolves around branding, design, and photography. (They also have a podcast! I love podcasts, especially theirs.) She also loves to paint and write.

This summer, she and I (along with Megan Leigh Barnard, another local photographer) showed a gallery of our portrait work. We also held a related event where we each took a photo of all attendees. Since it sold out, we're holding another on October 21. Come say hi. :)

Onto the interview!
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Allie, how long have you been a photographer? What kind of work do you do?
This question is always difficult for me to answer. I took my first photography class when I was nine. I shot film until college. Then went digital. Then went back to film. Then started charging money for my photography in 2012. Right now I shoot strictly commercial. I photograph a lot of food, some alcohol and lots of products!

What is your favorite thing to photograph? Why?
Anything that's not tied to money. Money changes everything for me.

When was the last time you felt frustrated about your work as a photographer? How did you get past it?
When I was photographing people and a lot of personal shoots like weddings and family sessions. To get past it, I had to stop taking on work like that. I remember announcing my last wedding of the year and feeling such a wonderful sense of relief. Now, when I truly want to, I will photograph an engagement session because I love the people involved and it feels like a gift.

Do you have a muse? (This can be a person, a city, an Instagram account, anything!)
Jamie Beck of Ann Street Studio. Her art, her writing and her travels captivate me!

What's something you haven't yet learned how to do yet (in photography), but want to learn soon?
I can't name it but there are thousands of things I have yet to learn. I am not super technical and I don't even usually know the right terms for what I'm trying to learn but I'll know I'm stuck when I hit a roadblock tomorrow and the next day and the next.

I'm inspired by so many photographers in this city. In related news, I'll probably write soon about why I don't believe in competition. :)

Happy Friday!
​Autumn