Meet Photographer A.L. Isnor

Today we’d like to introduce you to A.L. Isnor.

A.L., please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My father worked at CBC for 4 decades and got me interested in light and camera angles for as long as I can remember. I got my first 35mm camera in 5th grade. It was red. I took it everywhere and spent my paper route money on developing the film. As an adolescent, I started doing quite a bit of work in front of the camera and was always asking questions of the person behind it. I interned with one of Canada’s premier fashion photographers when I was 20 and gained great insight on how to run a shoot and how to direct my subject. Now, my favorite subject matter is people. I want to take that memorable picture; that picture that you have framed on your wall, and pass on for generations.

Has it been a smooth road?
Digital has opened up a world of opportunity. Film is expensive to buy and develop. There was a long stretch where I stopped shooting simply because I couldn’t afford it. Now, I can shoot as much as I like – for free. The quality of the DSLRs today is fantastic. It has changed everything for me.

What’s the hardest part of your job?
I prefer shooting outdoors with natural light, so the most challenging area of my work is getting nature to cooperate. Living in SoCal helps because the weather tends to be predictable, but the wind blowing my reflectors, the light shifting, and so forth will always be a challenge. But the results of natural light are worth it in my opinion.

How do you define success?
The best feeling in the world is when someone first views a photo I’ve taken of them and sees their own beauty. I see this a lot with my non-profit “Project Xena”. The participants have not had an easy road and are often broken, with little self-esteem. When I show them a photograph of themselves where they look professional, confident and attractive, you can see a shift in their attitudes towards themselves. I can’t imagine anything better. There’s a famous quote by David Alan Harvey, “Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like.” In moments like those, I feel I’m doing something right.

What are your plans for the future?
My dad had thousands of volumes of National Geographic growing up. It has always been a dream of mine to take photographs like those unforgettable images. I lived in Paris many years ago and had a little cheepy camera at the time. There were so many pictures I couldn’t take that I’ve thought about over the years. I’m going back to Europe for a month this fall on a photographic adventure and hope to capture some of those “unforgettables”.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alisnorphotography.com
• Phone: 916-893-2875
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/alisnorphotography/