Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaliyah Jackson.
Hi Aaliyah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Aaliyah Jackson, and I graduated in 2018 with my B.F.A. in Digital Photography. I grew up a true artist at heart. Anything that allowed me to express myself was right up my alley. I grew up singing, played the flute, danced, created my own step team in school, and even became student secretary. If there was a way for me to be involved and express myself, I found it. I’ve always needed some type of creative outlet.
My aunt, who is very dear to my heart, was the person who first exposed me to the world of photography. Growing up, she seemed to have everything I dreamed about creatively, and eventually I picked up my first camera—a simple Canon Rebel. What started as curiosity quickly became something much bigger.
Around the same time that I was falling in love with photography, my mother was battling Polycystic Kidney Disease. In 2012, we lost her to the disease, and that loss completely changed the way I looked at photography.
Growing up, my mother was the type of person who hated having her picture taken. After losing her, I realized just how many memories were gone with her because I didn’t have nearly as many photographs to look back on as I wished I did. That realization gave photography an entirely different meaning for me. It was no longer just something I enjoyed doing—it became a way of preserving people, moments, and memories.
I knew then that I wanted to create those memories for other people because I understood firsthand what it felt like not to have enough of them. That became my mission. My passion. My all.
I went on to pursue my degree in Digital Photography, and after graduating in 2018, I officially launched my business, Aaliyah Jay Photography, specializing in editorial, branding, and lifestyle photography. Over the years, I’ve had opportunities to shoot for companies such as Rocket Mortgage, StockX, and Macy’s, while also learning so much about the industry and my craft through working under photographer BreAnn White.
Now, as I’ve entered my 30s, my life is evolving again.
I’ve enrolled back in school to pursue my nursing degree, with the goal of eventually transitioning into aesthetics and blending two worlds that I’ve always been drawn to: beauty and science. At first glance, nursing and photography may seem completely different, but to me, they’re connected by the same thing—artistry, attention to detail, and the ability to make someone feel seen.
That’s the beautiful thing about being an artist. Art isn’t limited to one medium. It’s expression. It evolves with you.
I’ve learned that allowing yourself to commit to the things you love can fulfill you in ways you never expected. Photography has carried me through some of the most important chapters of my life, and although I’m stepping into a new one, I don’t believe I’m leaving photography behind.
Photography will always be embedded in who I am.
As I transition into this next phase of my life, my camera will still be there. Creating will still be there. And photography will always be something I look forward to coming home to.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Would I say the journey has been smooth? No, not necessarily. But I also don’t think I’d have as much passion for my work—or value the relationships I’ve fostered along the way—if it had been.
I’ve shown up in numerous rooms, put myself out there, and made connections with clients I once dreamed of working with, only for those opportunities to never happen. BUT, those same rooms introduced me to other creatives who shared similar interests, opened doors I didn’t even know existed, and pushed me outside of my comfort zone.
Looking back, I’ve realized that not every room I walked into was meant to give me the opportunity I originally came for. Sometimes, it was simply meant to lead me somewhere else. And that’s something I’ll always treasure.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work has always lived somewhere between editorial, beauty, branding, and lifestyle photography. I love creating images that feel polished and intentional, but I never want someone to look at a photograph and feel like the person in it has been lost in the process. I want you to still feel like YOU—just through my eyes.
I think that’s probably what I’m most known for. I pay attention to the little things: the way someone is positioned, the lighting, the styling, the expression, and even the energy in the room. I’ve always had an eye for beauty, but more importantly, I love bringing out something in people that they may not always see in themselves.
Throughout my career, I’ve been able to work across editorial, brand, and lifestyle projects and have had opportunities to shoot for companies like Rocket Mortgage, StockX, and Macy’s. I’ve also had the opportunity to learn under BreAnn White, which challenged me creatively and allowed me to experience photography beyond what was comfortable or familiar to me.
What I’m most proud of, though, isn’t necessarily one client, photograph, or accomplishment. I’m proud that I kept creating.
There have been so many rooms I’ve walked into hoping they would lead to a specific opportunity, and they didn’t. I’ve introduced myself to people I dreamed of working with and never got the call. But somehow, those experiences always led me to another person, another connection, or another opportunity that pushed me outside of my comfort zone. Some of the relationships I’ve fostered through photography mean just as much to me as the work itself.
I think what sets me apart is that photography has never just been about taking a “pretty picture.” There’s a deeper meaning behind it for me. After losing my mother and realizing how few photographs I had of her, I understood how valuable an image becomes with time. A photograph can start as something you post on Instagram today and become one of your most valuable possessions years from now.
That stays in the back of my mind when I photograph people.
As I enter this new chapter of my life and pursue nursing with the goal of eventually working in aesthetics, I’m also realizing that my eye for beauty and detail isn’t going anywhere—it’s simply evolving. Whether I’m behind a camera or eventually working within aesthetics, I think a part of what makes me who I am will always be my ability to look at someone, notice the details, and find beauty worth highlighting.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If there’s anything I’d want someone reading this to take away from my story, it’s that you’re allowed to evolve. You’re allowed to love something deeply, dedicate years of your life to it, and still discover another version of yourself along the way.
For a long time, photography was the plan. It was what I went to school for, what I built a business around, and something I poured so much of myself into. Now, in my 30s, I’m back in school pursuing nursing and eventually aesthetics—and I don’t look at that as starting over. I look at it as adding another layer to who I already am.
I think we put so much pressure on ourselves to have everything figured out by a certain age, when sometimes the most fulfilling parts of life happen when you give yourself permission to change direction.
So, take the pictures. Walk into the rooms even when you’re nervous. Introduce yourself even if nothing comes from it. Go back to school. Chase the new dream. Be okay with outgrowing an old version of yourself without disrespecting everything that version of you accomplished.
I’m still figuring out exactly what this next chapter looks like, but I’m excited to meet the version of myself that comes from it. And no matter where life takes me, I’ll always be an artist first.
Life has a funny way of making you question whether you’re still headed in the right direction, especially when things aren’t happening as quickly—or exactly—as you imagined. I’ve learned that every “no,” every missed opportunity, every uncomfortable room, and even every change in direction can still be part of the plan.
You don’t always have to understand where the road is taking you while you’re on it. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself enough to keep going.
Show up. Stay consistent. Give yourself grace when you need it, but don’t give up on yourself. The plan may change along the way, and so may you, but that doesn’t mean you’re off course.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liyahlay/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaliyah-jackson-3b9a06126
