Hannah Harley, a junior photography major, is a well traveled artist with her sights set on success. Jake Owens from Her Campus had the chance to ask her several questions about her past, present and future with photography and more.
HC: What first got you interested in photography?
HH: I became enamored with photography during a trip to Paris in 2011. I went for a softball tournament with my sister in 2011, and the images that I was taking were better than I had ever been able to do. The picturesque beauty of Paris captured me as I tried to capture it. (It’s impossible, by the way. It’s too beautiful to capture.)
HC: You spent time in Paris, France last semester. What did that time teach you about yourself as an artist?
HH: It taught me to appreciate life and to observe it. The French value leisure, and it shows in everything they do from banking to art museums. They delight in the pleasures of life with great ease, so I slowed down to their pace. It was incredibly transformative as an artist to learn to slow down and simply observe. I did a lot of looking at art; I spent my free time in museums and cafes. It gave me a look into the culture and into art. Besides, what art movement hasn’t started in Paris? (I also did a lot of street photography there in an effort to better understand the people. I haven’t done that in the States because I felt like I understood them. Nothing like street photography to really throw your perceptions of people out the window. It helped.)
HC: What are you involved in/have you been involved in here at Point Park?
HH: I was a CF last year, summer assistant this past summer, am a softball player, involved with PPU’s Photo Collective, Student Athlete Council, Honors Program, The Fix, CEA Alumni Ambassador.
HC: What is your position with the new photography magazine The Fix at Point Park?
HH: I’m currently one of the co-editors and the content coordinator of this photography/fine art magazine.
HC: What about the magazine interested you?
HH: I originally became interested in the idea when Ryan Maine, the editor-in-chief, pitched the idea to me when we got coffee in Indiana, PA over winter break. It seems like an excellent opportunity for Point Park students to be published and will grow to act as our physical representation of a gallery. I am hoping that this magazine will showcase the work of students while acting as a learning tool. So far, I’ve already gained so much knowledge and new photographer connections that I don’t think would’ve been possible before the creation of the magazine. I am continuously impressed by the work Point Park photographers are creating, and I think that there ought to be a record of these incredible artists and their time at this university. Collaboration is also an important part of inspiration, and we’re coming up with great ideas because we’re working together. It is amazing how many people are showing excited and ready to go with this magazine; it only further shows how dedicated these photographers, photojournalists, writers, designers, and artists are to the Point Park community.
We’re also incredibly grateful to the Point Park Photo Collective and USG for the monetary assistance to create the magazine. It is a leap of faith on their part, and we are grateful.
HC: How do you balance your time between all of your activities?
HH: Balancing time? Yikes.
I map out my months, my weeks, my days, and my minutes. Life typically involves running around from activity to activity. It hardly leaves you with any room to think about how you’re actually doing it. We all have ways to unwind after being incredibly busy… My routine changes regularly, but right now, I’ve been playing about 15 minutes of Grand Theft Auto everyday *laughs but still means it*.
You end up prioritizing your activities, and it can make for some pretty tough decisions. I’m lucky enough to have friends who are understanding of this busy schedule; they’re amazing people.
HC: What’s next for you?
HH: Well, I’m currently working with CEA (the program that I studied abroad with) and Point Park University to be liaison to assist students in gathering information about studying abroad, both through Point Park and through other programs. I am planning making study abroad an easier endeavor for Point Park students however I can. It was a transformative and incredible experience, and I want to make as available and simple for PPU students to really take advantage of. I’ll be a senior next year, so I’ll be finishing out my degree. But I’m excited for the many different things that could come about after college. Because of the experiences I’ve had here, on the field, in the classroom, in Paris, in the residence halls, I have a variety of interests and things I’m hoping to do. I’ll never be able to realize all of my dreams (for example, living in a tiny apartment in New York City and having an ostrich farm are two dreams that can’t be realized at the same time at least), but I’ll keep you posted as to which ones I realize first.