Ardent fans claim she’s one of the top photographers in the country, and with good reason. Allyson Magda’s images are simple yet complex, striking, intriguing, and perfectly composed. Clients and colleagues agree: they are art.
There is nothing cliché about this talented professional’s vision. Originality and the ability to thoroughly enchant are the hallmarks of her work. A topnotch professional with a B.A. in Fine Art with an emphasis in Photography and a minor in Art History, she has been shooting since high school. “Allyson is young, hip, and she ‘gets it,’” says a colleague who feels her photography is totally unique. “Her work has a real fresh look,” observes another industry professional. “Allyson’s work appeals to clients who are contemporary, who want something newer and fresher and not the old traditional stuff.”
Her version of photojournalism is dazzling. Her pictures have the seemingly effortless perfection of the best high-end commercial and editorial work. “I like to capture people in a natural way,” she says lightly. “People really inspire me. I want to create a sense of intimacy.” To do this she often breaks up the shoot time and mixes up backgrounds, which enables her to get different moods and keep her subjects very relaxed. She even manages to give those standard group portraits a lively and original twist, playing with arrangement, spacing, composition and movement to produce spirited rather than static effects. A well-thought-out timeline helps her manage the action, but she knows how to improvise and she’s miraculously adept at finding the good times and at capturing excitement, merriment, and unexpected—almost mystical—moments. “She’s a fun person, very up-tempo, but laid back,” says an associate. “Her work evokes emotion and humor,” claims yet another who has worked with her on numerous occasions. “From a gathering of 80 on a farm to a 500-person wedding, she brings great energy and enthusiasm to every event.”
“Weddings are so happy. There is so much going on,” observes Allyson. She likes to focus exclusively on photographing bridal events and children. She’s also super fond of travel, so she loves the destination wedding concept. “Mine is a relationship-built business,” she adds, stressing that she always includes a complimentary engagement session at some dramatic or unusual location so that clients can familiarize themselves with the “center stage” experience. It’s proved to be a great idea. “I’m not a picture person,” confesses a bride. “I thought having a photographer around all day would be excruciatingly painful. From the very first email Allyson made it easy. She was one of the reasons the day flowed as beautifully as it did.”
After the event, Allyson’s design and art background come into play in her beautiful wedding albums, which are produced promptly. With Allyson, bridal portraits also go from snapshot to slideshow on the very day of the event. “It’s really wonderful,” she insists. “Guests love to watch the show. It’s another entertainment activity for the gathering.”
“Allyson is a sweetheart,” exclaims a wedding coordinator who adores her. She’s a great team player and it’s fun working with her.” “She’s outstanding,” agrees a groom. “I’d recommend her in a heartbeat.”
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