Today we’d like to introduce you to Pierre Hartley.
Hi Pierre, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name’s Pierre Hartley and I’ve been devoted to photography for nearly a decade. There’s nothing particularly romantic about me starting Photography, it was simply a choice I made when I was 17. Junior year of high school I asked my mom if I could have a camera for my birthday, and she bought me a red Nikon D3400 with the kit lenses, I took that camera everywhere. For the first 7 years of my journey I exclusively used that camera and didn’t upgrade until I felt ready, I wanted to really hone the fundamentals and push the limits of what that camera could do.
Those first 2 years I went to a lot of anime conventions in Dallas, those spaces introduced me to the world of cosplay photography and I immediately fell in love with it. With a camera, you have the ability to create your own worlds, so I became obsessed with pushing the boundaries of what cosplay photography could be. My intention then, as it still is now, are for my images to feel like frames of a movie.
When I wasn’t pestering my friends to take photos, I took self portraits at night with my tripod and LED light, mainly to test out different compositions and shot ideas. Those self portraits are really where I developed my visual language and the kinds of compositions I like. Around 2023 is when I switched to the Fujifilm X-T4 and I’ve been using it ever since. We’re all born with limitations and conditions that are outside of our control, but within those limitations we are still free to make choices to better our life, and I chose photography.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s never been a smooth ride, especially when walking through harsh weather just for a photo or getting stopped by the police because I “look suspicious”, despite all that I keep going anyway. Photography, like many art forms, forces you to be alone with yourself and your thoughts, if you remain disciplined despite the obstacles, then your skill will eventually improve and match your tastes.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a photographer, I guess I’m mostly known for my portrait work inside the cosplay community since that’s where I started, although nowadays I don’t go to as many conventions. My work isn’t for everybody which is fine, so I tend to just collaborate with the same people since we have similar aesthetic tastes. I don’t like to compare my work to my peers but if I had to classify it, I’d say my night photography and strong compositions are what set my work apart, as it’s what I focus on the most. That’s just my interpretation though.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is not letting the world extinguish the part of my soul that sees beauty, when going through the heavy burdens and obstacles of life, that part of my soul has consistently kept me grounded.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shogivisuals.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shogi.visuals/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShogiVisuals
