Check Out Danielle Hardy’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Hardy.

Hi Danielle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstories.
I grew up as a little black girl during the golden age of the internet. The newly constructed social media quickly stepped up to the throne, and I was caught in the crosshairs of media converging and conspiring to tell me I was not the standard, nor would I see the skin I inhabited shown in a positive, individualistic light. The media could shape my self-image and sense of worth from a young age based on how they portrayed the black image. Now I wield that power. I have the artistic power and means to add a new black facet to the visual zeitgeist. I want audiences to see the beauty in the black body and interact with the black body in an artistic space in ways they may not have encountered before.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to photography has been an interesting one! I started my creative journey as a dancer at age two and danced for 16 years. Dance was my entire life. But one day, I realized I wanted to apply my creative energy to a new outlet—I wanted to see if I could stretch my creativity into multiple mediums. Once I decided to dedicate my focus to photography, I quickly realized I would be even more of an outlier in this field as a black woman. It was tough realizing that my perspective as a black woman comes with skepticism. But, on the same coin, it also opens up a world of opportunity to bring my unique voice to art photography.

Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My artistic practice is strongly tied to my African American identity. I use photographic mediums to explore the nuances and variability of black Americans by conceptually linking black historical themes into a modern context. I am intrigued by how our current discussions can intersect with well-documented themes that aren’t readily addressed in the black community. Photography, in its nature, is a surreal medium; its parallel to reality is uncanny. Similarly, I grapple with the learned uncanny feeling of the Black body as the photographic subject, as this act directly contradicts the original technical construction of the film medium. Above all, exalting the black body is the focus of my practice.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Interesting question! The photography industry, specifically art photography, will become even more nuanced, funky, and avant-garde. Since photography is even more readily accessible and oversaturated than ever, photographers must push more boundaries to move the needle.

Pricing:

• Pricing for creative shoots and headshots is based on the project and can be either hourly or a flat fee.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.daniellehardy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dani.lanae/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-hardy-a801941a5