Alison Hillman
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You could say I have always been a little backwards. There is a picture of 2 year old me holding a camera. I am looking into the viewfinder, with the lens on my chin. The first time I intentionally held a camera was the same day I fell in love with St. Louis, both in the back of my grandparents' car. I grabbed this cheap manual wind point and shoot. It became my first love interest. And I used it to capture the magic of the city I would later call home.
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Photography and writing are what kept me grounded in high school. My journalism teacher Mrs. Hamm, who we just called Ma, identified my eye. "I think we have found your niche," she told me after using me as a last resort to cover a ball game. A year later, Ma sent me to get the story on our new assistant principal. I brought back a typical "shaking hands" photo I had seen so much in our local paper. Ma was incredibly frustrated so she sent someone in my stead to try again. It was in this moment I learned how important it was to use my eye and tell the story, not just who was there.
Then my world cracked. Liver complications finally caught up with my Dad (one of my favorite people), and took him from us in 2004. I was six months away from turning 18. Before and after the funeral I sorted through photos, and I couldn’t find a single one of us together past the age of 6. It hit me hard- our stories matter. Our moments are important to document in every single chapter.
Photography and storytelling continued to be a place for me to land. College was no different. I attended the University of Southern Indiana after they received a large grant from Scripps Howard. I chose USI for all the right reasons. However, with two years of credits, I realized I was burned out. The overachieving, natural born leader, never say no chick needed a hard reset. After finals, I packed up my things and headed to my birthplace: Nashville, TN. |
Nashville taught me about bad roommates, even worse apartments, friends who are family, and finding pure happiness in a 450 square foot downtown studio apartment. I was so young; living it up, raking in money at a popular blues club, but something was missing. I learned to lean into uncertainty and open myself up to entirely new opportunities.
Then a crappy club sandwich changed my life.
A dear friend had been courting me hard. I simply wanted to remain friends. I had a type- big, strong southern gentlemen. And that just wasn’t him. He apparently wouldn't give up, so he thought his friend Jason should meet me, and help him figure me out.
One night I was ambushed while working a slow section at the blues club. Here came this guy with my friend. Completely my type, but had no interest in answering the myriad of questions I shot him at an attempt to get to know this gorgeous man. Jason had my attention. And then he tried to order the club sandwich, AKA the WORST thing on our menu. Who was this man?
After getting off work, a quick shower and favorite outfit later, I found them on 2nd Avenue. Eventually Jason seemed to warm up, actually talk, and annoy me less. After spending most of the night telling me how great my red heels were, he told our friend he had no chance.
A dear friend had been courting me hard. I simply wanted to remain friends. I had a type- big, strong southern gentlemen. And that just wasn’t him. He apparently wouldn't give up, so he thought his friend Jason should meet me, and help him figure me out.
One night I was ambushed while working a slow section at the blues club. Here came this guy with my friend. Completely my type, but had no interest in answering the myriad of questions I shot him at an attempt to get to know this gorgeous man. Jason had my attention. And then he tried to order the club sandwich, AKA the WORST thing on our menu. Who was this man?
After getting off work, a quick shower and favorite outfit later, I found them on 2nd Avenue. Eventually Jason seemed to warm up, actually talk, and annoy me less. After spending most of the night telling me how great my red heels were, he told our friend he had no chance.
I didn't know that would become the night I met my best friend. Through many Nashville visits, watching me date a few that were less than gentlemen, the BIG breakup he was waiting for finally happened. Jason came to town to check up on me. At lunch he called me out on my poor choices in men, and asked, “What about me” when given the task to find a guy that met this better standard. I was speechless and could only mutter “hmmm.” He left town, and the calls and text messages never stopped. Three weeks later amid fireworks only we could see, we had our first kiss on 3rd and Commerce. That was September 2008. We married September 6, 2009. Our wild journey officially began.
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One day I decided we needed something better than a point and shoot to capture our adventures. I longed for the beautiful portraits I captured years before. Much to Jason’s grumbling, I eased into the massive world that is Canon and built my solid set of equipment over the years.
As a couple, there is nothing we halfway do. We are fearless, but responsible- weighing our options and working to reach our goals together (WOOT! WOOT! Team Hillman!) We channeled this inner resilience and it lead us to leave Tennessee, and move to St. Louis, only knowing my cousins here. We put ourselves in the path of abundance, purpose, and grace.
As a couple, there is nothing we halfway do. We are fearless, but responsible- weighing our options and working to reach our goals together (WOOT! WOOT! Team Hillman!) We channeled this inner resilience and it lead us to leave Tennessee, and move to St. Louis, only knowing my cousins here. We put ourselves in the path of abundance, purpose, and grace.
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As St. Louis has been our safe place where we find true joy and totally feel at home, photography is where I get to be my true self and find peace. That’s why in 2018, there was no doubt I needed to leave corporate America, pursue what was a “side hustle,” and tackle BTP by Alison full-time. I still find it hilarious that April Fools Day brought my first day as full-time story teller of St. Louis. My family was a little surprised when the idea first came up. Yet, my biggest cheerleaders (my fabulous Mom and Gram) have wanted nothing but the chance for me to chase my dreams. So here we are. My days are now spent telling your stories.
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Looking back on this journey, I know the tough moments brought me tenacity and bravery. The beautiful ones have softened me. I have the best friends that are family; and an incredible family that are my best of friends. I have committed my life to capturing life’s moments for my clients. It is so deeply important for folks to remember the people they love. To cherish the moments that have helped make them…well, them. I want you to make the time to cultivate, capture, and celebrate your story, no matter what chapter you are on. I want to curate a memoir of your journey through photographs- binding together the chapters into a rich illustration of life.
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