There’s a girl in the crowd standing at just five feet small but her smile beams for light-years. She has the room encircled around her but she’s in her own world. She’s had a few to drink but she dances like she was born to do it. You’d never know that this same radiant party queen is president of the photography aperture agency and club, a dean’s list student, photo intern at City Paper, the top seller of Tyler School of Art’s annual student exhibit, and a scholarship- sponsored world- travelling photographer.
Hillary Petrozziello comes from a place in Pennsylvania called Ono. Oh yes! She rose above the temptation for mediocrity that took over most of her hometown, came to Temple University in 2008 as a photo journalism major and has since made a name for herself through her ability to make photography a unique and captivating art form all her own.
“My greatest accomplishment is my personal sense of satisfaction when I remind myself that I only took my first photo class in January 2010. It’s amazing what one can accomplish in a year and a half of you commit yourself to it fully,” said Hillary, “I know this is what I want to do and what I am meant to do, so I’m going to throw myself at it until I succeed.”
And success came almost literally overnight for Hillary. Without any prior experience, she quickly stood out among her peers for consistently delivering work that not only caught the eyes of her professors and classmates, but also of eager-to-buy passers-by and even the judged of Temple University’s International Photography competition for which she received honorable mention.
Hillary is also in charge of the, “North Broad Street Corridor Project,” commissioned by Temple.
“The project is an ongoing documentary collection focusing on the people and businesses that create the fabric of the often overlooked and misconceived section of North Broad between Susquehanna Ave. and Allegheny, “ Hillary explained, “Having the opportunity to explore North Philadelphia with a lens and conversation has uncovered such gems.”
Her skills have taken her far beyond North Philadelphia, though. She received the Lew Klein Excellence in the Media Scholarship which funded a trip to the Dominican Republic this past summer. Throughout the entire month of August she shot a documentary photo project on Haitian migrants working in the D.R. which she then had on display for a private gallery she hosted in Annenburgh Hall.
Some may not be fully aware of the amount of time and effort that goes into each photograph, but the extent to which is precisely why Hillary is such an inspirational go-getter.
In an era where achieving artistic success, or really any sort of career success for that matter, demands unwavering dedication and passion, many become discouraged or literally sick and tired from the stress and lose site of the importance of living slow and taking time to develop as a person.
Hillary, despite her untamed mind of tumultuous energy, has found this balance; that is why she’s so impressive.
“I make many, many lists. Sometimes multiple lists per day to keep it all straight,” she says, “I draw calendars and write on my hands and send emails to myself as reminders.”
Hillary shared a story about a time when her chaotic organizational skills were noted by a total stranger: “I was picking my prescription up at Rite Aid once and the cashier commented on the day’s to-do list on my hand. He said, “I like your tattoo.” So of course I started laughing and explained what it was. Then the joke was on me because the first two things of about 10 on my hand were food and Rite Aid. I literally had to write it on my to-do list to eat that day or I would have forgotten.”
Including her friends in her work by taking mini photo shoots is another creative way Hillary is able to balance social time with work. It only makes sense; if you have the passion for something it should be able to become a part of your everyday life. Rather than something that takes place separately certain hours and then becomes closed off from the rest of your daily routine, a true passion should be something you can share with everyone.
“You are always learning, always growing, always seeking new ideas, techniques, styles, etc. This passion is what drives us, and you have to be willing to sit with the knowledge that there’s so much more to learn,” Hillary says, “You can either stagnate and become overwhelmed with the realization, or let it fuel you for the sheer beauty that as an artist, you will never be done learning, and therefore are always growing.”
You are most likely find Hillary in the photo lab in the basement of Annenburg Hall in Temple’s school of Communications, her second home. She is currently working with the photojournalism department head, Dr. Edward Trayes, on an independent study course all the while continuing her role as aperture president and hosting photo galleries.
She graduates this spring and hopes to continue to dabble in all different kinds of photography jobs until she finds her exact niche.
Her advice to other young women on how to find the balance: “It’s about listening to yourself and stating your needs. You can’t expect everyone to simply know what’s going on in your head. If you are kind to yourself and say, ok, today I need to take an hour to read something for myself or cook a meal or call so-and-so, it’s all part of the process,” she says, ”We spend infinite amounts of time on our professional development, but none on our selves. It’s counter-intuitive, because to create and progress we must first be good to ourselves and figure out who we are.”