by Emilie Norris

Staff Writer

As every artist does, sophomore Josh Maley went through stages of trying to find his interests, he said. Maley likes taking photos that demonstrate aesthetic beauty in all shapes.

“More recently, I’m focused a lot more on people and fashion photography rather than still life,” Maley said. “The early works of Francesco Scavullo, Annie Leibovitz, Richard Avedon and the color processing techniques employed by Madame Yevonde have inspired my photography with live models.”

It’s important for a young artist to have the support of friends and family.

“Anyone who has supported me or given me any opportunity whatsoever has helped me along the way and will definitely continue to help me grow,” Maley said. “My family is incredibly supportive and without my mom, in particular, to really encourage me, I’m not sure where I’d be.”

When he was presented with the opportunity to take headshots of the LBSS actors in Macbeth, Maley was eager to oblige.

“Being able to do the headshots for the Lake Braddock Theatre’s production of The Tragedy of Macbeth was definitely a spectacular experience,” Maley said. “I’m incredibly appreciative of theater director R.L Mirabal’s patience and the opportunity presented to me. All the cast members were incredibly helpful throughout the process, and I was completely satisfied with the end result and hope to continue to help in any way I can.”

Despite the success of the headshots for Macbeth, and the positive feedback from friends and family on other photographs that Maley has taken, he insists that his true calling lies elsewhere.

”For now, I think [photography] still stands as a hobby and outlet to express what I find interesting or provocative in people or everyday situations,” Maley said. “I don’t see it going to a career-stage at this point, but I am willing to see where it takes me, especially if it means earning a few dollars here and there. For as far as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be an actor/performer. I guess photography, for me, also ties in with the creativity and vision required to perform.”

Though he prefers performing to professional photography, Maley still enjoys his hobby, he said. But models are hard to come by, especially for little-known photographers.

As with any profession (or even hobby) that involves making a name for oneself, Maley needed to make sure the general public could access his photos.

“Word of mouth, most importantly, has helped get the word out,” Maley said. “Equally effective, the Internet has definitely been a great medium for people to take notice of something they may have otherwise been unaware of me doing.”

Maley has a Facebook page labeled “Josh Maley Photography,” which features some of his photographs, ranging from photos he has taken of his friends (turned models) to photos of pets.

It also includes information on how to reach him in case someone looking at the page wants to inquire about Maley’s services.

Although Maley views photography only as a hobby, he still takes his work seriously. He treats each of his photographs as a treasured object and views his camera as almost an extension of his arm.

Though there may be times when inspiration is sparse or resources are dwindling, it is an artist’s prerogative to power through.