By Morgan Hume, Contributing Writer
Photo/submitted
Northborough – Her name is Allison Goldman, but you may know her simply as Alli G the photographer.
The local photographer took a handful of art classes in school, which help build her background in arts and crafts. But her real love for photography sparked in 2009 when she started using her boyfriend’s point and shoot camera. After a few clicks, she was hooked. Later, she got her own camera and hasn’t stopped shooting since. She enjoys taking photos on her lunch break or whenever she’s out for a walk.
“You’ll never see me without my camera. I can forget everything else, but my camera is my life,” said Goldman.
Her photos gravitate towards food, real estate and nature. Some people have said her photos of blooming flowers remind them of modernist paintings by Georgia O’Keefe.
Goldman enjoys photographing nature not only because it is beautiful, but because it is interesting to observe. Like this past year, when she discovered a robin living outside her bedroom window with a nest of hatchlings. By simply observing the birds, the photographer learned robins actually change diapers when caring for their young. Goldman said living in New England means robin sightings are a typical sign of spring, and she was surprised that she didn’t know this fun fact before.
“It’s very fascinating that if you take a moment to smell the flowers and take a look at nature, you can learn something by it that you’re not taught in school or by your family or loved ones.” said Goldman.
Besides observing what’s currently around her, Goldman also enjoys photography because she’s able to permanently record a moment in history. That’s the same reason she enjoys looking back at old photos. Similar to the effect of a time machine, she wonders what was happening in the scene and what people in the shot were thinking at the time.
In her own photography, in addition to documenting a moment in time, Goldman enjoys putting a positive spin on her work to make others smile.
“People love seeing positive things rather than negative,” said Goldman. “I do think that photos of flowers and birds makes us forget about what’s really kind of going on.”
Goldman’s photography is a source of positivity for both her viewers and herself. After going through an experience with bullying in the workforce several years back, she turned to photography and the flute as an outlet to release the heavy emotions she was feeling. She said taking the time to dive into hobbies she was passionate about helped her feel better.
Goldman’s photos have been displayed in different communities. Last year, she showcased over 30 photos at the Northborough Public library during a month-long exhibition. She’s also had some of her photos hung up at the Natick Senior Center and featured in different community newsletters.
“It’s not a matter of making money off of it, it’s more of a hobby. And as long as I get photo credit, I’m very happy,” said Goldman.
To anyone out there who wants to be like Goldman, her advice to beginners is to just keep practicing and shooting. She said there’s a lot to learn from simple equipment, and you don’t need the newest technology or editing software to create something great. She also advises people to develop their photos, even if they are ones from a cell phone, because there’s something special about seeing it printed out.
