Luna Sweetheart: Allison Barr

☆ By Dylan Vanessa ☆

 

Photos provided by Allison Barr

 
 

WITH VIBRANCY AND VIGOR — Portland-based 23-year-old creative Allison Barr captures photographs showcasing people and their stories, making use of both digital and film photography. With a major in photojournalism and a certificate in film studies from the University of Oregon, Barr now works as a studio manager at a local video production studio alongside her photography-related gigs. 

Barr’s portraiture showcases her ability to make people feel comfortable in front of the camera, and the intimacy of these photographs is furthered on the delicate format of film. The care and consideration in each still image through composition, expression, and color exhibits real craft. 

As not only a photographer but an activist, Barr makes a point of highlighting the stories of marginalized folks in her work. Recently, she started a new photo project offering mini creative photoshoots to clients where all proceeds will go to a different organization or crowdfunding campaign each month. Supporting the community is a core value of Barr’s, and using her artform to give back to others will undoubtedly inspire more people to do the same.

Read on below to learn more about Barr’s creative process, inspirations, and her relationship with photography throughout the years.

LUNA: How did your journey with film photography begin?

BARR: When I was in high school about six years ago, I took a photography class where I was first introduced to shooting film and developing in a dark room. I then got very into taking film cameras everywhere I went with my friends and documenting our adventures together. As time went on, I started investing more time and money into doing film photography for my creative shoots as well.

LUNA: What do you like about digital versus film? How do you approach the mediums differently?

BARR: I like digital because of the fast turnaround time, and it's overall less anxiety-inducing. I prefer film so much more because of the look, how intentional you have to be, how it slows me down, and how the end result is a surprise. You can take more time perfecting a handful of really great images, as opposed to when I would shoot hundreds of digital ones and have them all come out mediocre. I approach digital for photojournalistic assignments and film when I get to be more artistic.

LUNA: From coming up with the original concept to sorting through selects, what part of the creative process excites you the most?

BARR: The part I love the most about the whole creative process is actually working with people. I've met so many amazing folks and some of my closest friends through my journey as a photographer. To be more specific, I just love documenting people and highlighting their stories through art.

LUNA: What do you like most about concert photography in particular?

BARR: Well, I love music so it's a natural fit! But I love playing with the colorful lights on stage, long exposures, and testing different kinds of film when photographing shows.

LUNA: How has the way you approach making images changed overtime?

BARR: It has changed so much. When I first started doing more creative photography, I was very into editorial-style work. My goal was to work for a fashion magazine. Also, embarrassingly enough, I spent a lot of time trying to photograph so many people in attempts to grow my Instagram, which I hoped would lead to jobs. I was very focused on getting my name out there and turning over content all the time. As I got older, I decided to slow down and make every shoot more thought out and meaningful. I now shoot film 75% of the time (as opposed to 25%) and try to take on projects that tell stories.

LUNA: Your portfolio really showcases your range when it comes to portraits — each photo is so different from another while having your style to bring it all together. What advice do you have for photographers trying to hone in on their own style?

BARR: Thank you so much! That is honestly a reflection of me also trying to figure my style out as well. For so long, I tried hard to photograph things in whatever trend was current at the time in attempts to get more work. Honestly, I didn't even get that much then. I take inspiration from a lot of different sources now, but I also don't try to replicate anything in particular. I just try to shoot what I see in my head. The one thing I know that's been constant this whole time is that I love color and I love people. I don't need my photos to look a certain mainstream way. I just want them to look like me. And funny enough, I got a lot more work when I started doing so.

LUNA: What’s been your favorite shoot of 2022 so far?

BARR: Ooh, how do I choose? I got to photograph my best friend in the art gallery she works at, I got my first photojournalism gig in a new city, and I took some really fun graduation photos due to the model's amazing art direction. I also met up with a musician I had met three years ago, and it was fun to shoot again and see how we've both grown!

LUNA: Where do you see your creative interests taking you in the upcoming year?

BARR: I'm getting more involved in photojournalism, which I'm very excited about. I also may or may not have some plans to go on tour with a band! I hope to travel and document more than I did in the past.

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