Senior Kayleigh Pace and a collaboration of some of her most successful compositions.
Caroline Knightly, Reporter
@knightlycourant
Senior Kayleigh Pace positions her Nikon D500 as she adjusts the infinity scarf along the V-neck blouse of a recruited student model. After positioning the light and background in the photo studio, she is finally ready to start taking pictures, which she will later edit in preparation for an upcoming NCHS art gallery.
Kayleigh first discovered her interest in photography in the eighth grade. “When I got my first camera, I went out in the snow for a few hours and just started taking pictures,” Kayleigh said.
But before Kayleigh discovered her specific passion within the craft, she experimented with a variety of photography styles.“I thought I was going to be a landscape photographer for the longest time because nature is super cool and I travel,” Kayleigh said. “It is easy to want to become a travel photographer.”
After completing a documentary photo class at NCHS, Kayleigh found a realm of photography in which she could incorporate her personal style. “My documentary photo midterm project concentrated on hair,” Kayleigh said. “I worked with people and styled their hair differently, which I really liked because I am a people person. I like fashion and I like talking to people, which shaped my interest in fashion photography.”
Junior Sara Brindisi posing at Waveny Castle.
A typical afternoon for Kayleigh consists of setting up a photoshoot with her models and deciding what clothes they should wear. “I usually pick out the clothes and see what fits best with their body type and their features,” Kayleigh said.
Rather than deciding all of the components of a photoshoot, Kayleigh welcomes advice from her models. “It’s nice if they have ideas or if they already know what their body looks good in and what angles look good on them,” she said.
Kayleigh believes that a distinguishing factor of her photography process is in her finalizing and editing technique. “I don’t do too much editing,” Kayleigh said. “I think if you’re going to be a good photographer then you should be able to take a straight picture and have it look pretty good as it is.”
To enhance her creativity, Kayleigh searches for new ideas and information. “Watching America’s Next Top Model gives me so many ideas, as does going on Pinterest,” she said. “It breaks down the barriers to get an idea.”
With ample opportunities to participate in NCHS art galleries, Kayleigh has had much practice in preparing and presenting her work. “Since sophomore year, I have been in every single art show that has ever been in the gallery,” she said.
In addition to having participated in NCHS exhibitions, Kayleigh has also entered in many art shows outside of NCHS. “I was in the Carriage Barn last year, during a student exhibit.” she said. “I’m actually a member of the Carriage Barn and I like to enter my work into those exhibits.”
One of her greatest accomplishments was winning the online photo competition on FindYourartSchool.com. Her winning pieces are displayed around the halls of NCHS. “If you go upstairs, you can find a boat picture near the second level around the staircase area, that’s mine which is framed and blown up and it will stay there forever,” Kayleigh said. “I think that’s one of my biggest accomplishments of all.”
As a rising professional photographer, Kayleigh hopes to pursue her life-long interest of fashion photography, though she has alternative ‘back-up’ plans. “I could be doing fashion photography around the world with random models, taking pictures and seeing the world and just being able to continue a passion that I love. That’s what the goal is,” says Kayleigh. “But if for some reason I’m not in fashion photography, I could totally see myself doing wedding photography or family photography, just because I want to be around people.”
