Growing with grace
Adjusting the focus of her camera, junior Ally Swearingen takes a picture of the light shining through the tree leaves. As well as nature, her favorite things to photograph were portraits and macro shots.
She described her mother, a photographer and a ballerina, as a woman with grace. Grace, defined as simple elegance, to which she received her middle name. Like her mother, junior Ally Swearingen strived to become like her mother through dancing. However, it was their affinity for photography that she grew to love.
“She could see an image in her head and capture a moment in time forever. It’s something I’ve found insanely beautiful and cool as a child and what inspired me to do what it is I do today,” Swearingen said.
At the age of 10, her mother bought her a camera. Since then, she underwent her own journey as a photographer, eventually becoming head photographer at Carmel High School.
Of the many things she’s photographed, her favorite things to capture were pieces of nature. Her love of nature was influenced by the many trips she went camping and backpacking with her family.
“I think being in it (nature) all the time growing up and learning all the different trees and plants and weird oddball facts my parents sprouted out of nowhere has definitely changed how I perceived the world and why I want to capture moments in time forever,” Swearingen said.
During her trip to Hawaii at the beginning of the year, she witnessed the enchanting beauty of the rainforest that drew her in and left her unable to put down her lens.
“The rainforests there were unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It looked like something out of Jurassic Park. It was just insane. Everything was insane and beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Swearingen said.
As much as she enjoyed the process of taking pictures, her favorite thing about photography was what came after.
“It’s one of my favorite parts. To go back and live that moment again. The editing and everything about it is just, it’s magical to me,” Swearingen said. “Having that photo and knowing that I was there and I can remember the moment and live through that forever, it’s just something irreplaceable.”
Although she fell short of taking after her mother’s grace in dancing, Swearingen, unexpectedly discovered both a talent and passion of hers in the world of photography that influenced the person she became and changed the way she saw the world around her.
“I think that it (photography) is definitely a big part of who I am. It’s something that I’m proud of when I’m talking to people…It’s definitely shaped the person who I am today,” Swearingen said.