Meet Halie Saferstein | Freelance Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Halie Saferstein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Halie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I decided to start my own business because my interests are so diverse. Instead of working for a company where I do the same thing every day, I get to work different types of jobs every week. I could be photographing a corporate event one week, and off in another country photographing wildlife the next. I enjoy all kinds of photography, and starting my own business ensures that I’ll get to experience them all.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My journey through school is what sets me apart from others. After spending three years at SAIC, I decided to transfer to Ringling College of Art and Design to study animation. I took a year off to prepare my portfolio and started at Ringling as a freshman the next year. Almost two grueling years later, I realized that working in animation was not what I had imagined it to be. I was devastated. I had spent so much time and money trying to achieve a dream that would never really work for me. Animation is hard work, and I just couldn’t see myself spending the rest of my life sitting behind a computer. I decided to finish my time at school turning my lifelong hobby of photography into a career. I was scared for so many reasons. I knew that in order to make my last year and a half of school worth it, I was going to have to put in a lot of work. I had planned to do my senior thesis on documentary photography when the COVID-19 outbreak started. Despite the devastating effect the pandemic had, it gave me an opportunity that I had always been looking for. The transition to online learning meant that I could attend classes from anywhere in the world. After two weeks of intense research and planning, I packed up my car and headed west for a ten-week road trip. Never having tried wildlife photography before, I was worried I would end the trip without a thesis project. Ten weeks later, I knew that I had made the right choice to study photography. The journey to get here has taken so much, and I will always appreciate everything I had to go through to find my love for photography.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I recently moved to Stamford, CT and it’s been a big change from the small town Connecticut where I grew up. With so many new places to eat, I would bring my friend along with me to try them all out. Most of that time would probably be spent at coffee shops. I am a regular at the local climbing gym, but when I’m not there I’m outside paddle boarding or playing kickball, and I’m always trying to rope more friends into coming with me.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve wanted to pursue a career in the arts since before I could remember. My mom went to art school, and I wanted to be just like her. Even though my interests within the arts were constantly changing, she was always supportive. I tried out film, glass blowing, illustration, and animation. She was always there to critique my work and help me improve, whether I liked it or not. I wouldn’t have made it this far without her.

Website: https://smalltownhalie.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltownhalie/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/halie-saferstein-8b207920a?trk=public_profile_browsemap

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smalltownhalie/