Meet Lindsey McAlister

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey McAlister.

Hi Lindsey, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

I studied journalism at Auburn University. While I was there, I worked for Eagle Eye TV, the on-campus news station. It was there that I was able to be behind and in front of a camera. My dream was to be reporting for ESPN on the sidelines for the rest of my life. My first real exposure to the photography side of reporting was on the sidelines of football games. I shot in jpg, on auto mode, and with a stock lens on my Canon T3i. The definition of a rookie.

My most iconic photography moment to date was during the 2015 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Louisville. I was standing at the corner of the end zone as one of our wide receivers ran towards me completely out of my line of vision. He ran into me, nearly knocking me over, and everyone who was sitting on their couches watching the game on CBS Sports got to see what had just happened in all of its glory.

Although I loved getting those exciting action shots on the field, I especially loved capturing the more “beauty” or portrait-like shots of the guys as they were running on and off the field or hyping up the fans in the stands. I had no idea that the intrigue of those types of photos would lead me down a path of portrait and editorial photography. After college, I moved to East Texas for a media internship at a summer camp. My job was to train videographers at each of the individual camps, and somehow I still fell even more in love with photography that summer. It took off from there.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Running your own business is not necessarily easy. I have had some moments of a lot of business and then have pivoted right around to slower periods of time. For me, I always remind myself of the joy I have in shooting—even if it’s for friends and for fun instead of for profit.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

My mantra, or mission statement if you could call it that, is to provide an experience that is easygoing, empowering, and fun. Those three descriptors are taken directly from my client reviews and testimonials, which is special to me. I want whoever is on the other side of my camera to feel comfortable and beautiful while having a fun time.

I offer sessions in all kinds of forms, including commercial, editorial, events, brand identity, couples (proposals, engagements, anniversaries), and group and individual portraits. I pride myself on my curated playlists for my sessions. That is what helps me help you feel at ease and ultimately empowered to dance around and feel beautiful. Alexa, play “Ayy Ladies” by Travis Porter.

Having a photographer follow you around and tell you what to do can be so awkward and weird. I get that and totally understand that feeling. I want my clients to know that they don’t have to worry about being “photogenic” or “good in front of a camera.” It’s my job and privilege to capture their truest, un-posed, and comfortable selves. I am honored with each moment I get to spend with people, whether it’s in the stories or laughs we share together or the dance moves that spontaneously happen.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by a photography saturated industry where it feels like everyone around you is a photographer. I honestly love the drive that stirs up in me in turn. I love that I am forced to meet strangers and strike up a conversation about how I can help them in their dreams or ventures or remember a special moment in their life through the photos I create with them.

I love how each artist creates something that is uniquely them and that no one would be able to recreate. In the next five to 10 years, I hope to still be doing the same thing. I would love nothing more than my job requiring me to travel to editorial shoots in the middle of a desert or the busiest part of a big city with a magazine or a clothing brand.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.lindseymcalister.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseymcalisterphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindseymcalisterphoto