A picture is worth a thousand words, but capturing the right image is often easier said than done. Michael Albany has been a photographer for over 15 years and is trained to capture the perfect moment to communicate the desired message. NGLCC asked Michael a few questions about his business, his Certified LGBTBE® Michael Albany Photography, and his artistic process.
Michael Albany Photography in the Spotlight:
- Name of business: Michael Albany Photography
- Name of founders: Michael Albany
- Date founded: December 2001
- Date certified: September 2014
- Location of business: located in Philadelphia PA, but work worldwide
- Number of employees: One permanent but contracts stylist, makeup artists, assistants and second photographers on an as needed basis.
1. Please give a short description of your business.
Michael Albany Photography is an architectural, commercial and portrait photography company located in Philadelphia. Our goal is to not just capture an image but to capture the mood, the feeling, and the meaning of the images that will help promote you, your cause, your business and your vision.
2. What is unique about your business?
What makes Michael Albany Photography unique is my ability to see beyond what is presented to show a mood or feeling. Anyone can shoot a building or a person, but Michael’s images make you want to meet the person or go into the structure.
3. How has being bisexual impacted your business, if at all?
Being a bisexual person, especially before starting my own business, I had to be a chameleon of sorts. I had to morph myself to a group of people. This taught me how to read people, how to better understand how others see the world, and how they see others. Though that education, I learned to interpret all that I see into images that inspire people to want to know more. As a bisexual person, I learned to translate and to navigate the world in a way that is different than how many do. My goal with my photography is to have the viewer navigate the world as I see it, and as how I want them to see it.
4. How has being a Certified LGBTBE® through NGLCC impacted your business?
Certification has allowed me to bid, and get, jobs that I never would have even considered before. It has also empowered me to be free and open as to who I am. I gained certification to support the LGBT community, but it has done more for me than I have for us.
5. What advice would you give to a bisexual person starting a business?
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Don’t feel you will be judged just based on your sexuality. The fact is that you will succeed be based on your abilities. As a bi person you have had to hone your skills in a unique fashion. That alone gives you an advantage in business and in the world. Be yourself and be a stronger person for it.
This blog post is the second in a series celebrating Bi Visibility Day 2017 (September 23, 2017) by spotlighting bi-owned Certified LGBTBE® suppliers. Interested in having your Certified LGBTBE® in the spotlight? Email blog@nglcc.org.
