YOUR LIFE,
YOUR STORY
Hira Azher is a portrait and brand photographer based in Richmond, Virginia. She loves capturing creative, unique, and intentional photos. Hira wants to ensure your photography experience is meaningful and personalized to your vision. In her free time, Hira loves reading, eating desserts, and cuddling (or annoying) her cat, Jiya.
WHY I LOVE WHAT I DO
Since I began photography, at the young age of 16, I have always loved the storytelling ability of photographs. A good photo doesn't just capture what you see; rather, it shifts your perspective entirely. Photographs can reclaim the mundane and make you connect with people, places, objects, and communities in an entirely different way. The best photos are meant not to be simply seen, but actually felt.
In college, I expanded on my interests in photography and began doing sports photography for the University of Virginia's Intramural and Recreational Sports Department. I also published my first creative project, called Small Acts of Resistance. As I have continued a career in marketing and communications, I have also added brand photography to my repertoire. By combining all of these different experiences, I hope to work with you to capture the most beautiful parts of life!
MY VALUES
My goal as a photographer is not to be a stranger that you meet once, who takes a couple photos of you and never speaks with you again. I think that the best photos are created when you feel comfortable and safe. In order for that to occur, we need to get to know each other! So, in order to be transparent and honest, these are my values. These values are developed with years of experience and learning, and cannot be explained in all nuance and detail here, but I would love to chat about them more with you!
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I believe in body positivity and fat acceptance. I will not edit photos to meet the unrealistic and harmful standards of thinness.
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There is a long history of racism and anti-Blackness present in mainstream photography education, techniques, and methods. I commit to learning and practicing techniques that complement Black and brown folks.
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My photography is accessible. If you have a disability, I will ensure that we find an accessible shoot location and create a plan that maximizes your comfort and convenience.
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One of the greatest (and often overlooked) powers of photography is the ability to be seen. This is privilege that many marginalized communities have not had. I love using my photography to reclaim this power for us!
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Life happens. Some times we oversleep our alarms or we simply forget. I commit to being honest with you, and hope you will also do the same.