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

Hi Tiahna, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
The end goal for my career is to be featured EVERYWHERE. I want people to be able to tell that I took a photo before even seeing my name in the credits. Whether it’s magazines, brand billboards, or museums, I want my work to be featured and appreciated all over the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
TakenByTi all began because as a darker toned woman I know how it feels to get professional photos back and be disappointed, so I made it my mission to specialize in making melanated people look as natural as possible and capturing our people in their best light. I’m still growing and learning every day, but getting where I am currently took a lot of research, shadowing professionals, and experimenting with different softwares. During my journey I have learned that there is no easy way to the top and that success requires dedication and time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of my favorite places in Huntsville is a coffee shop that is a few minutes away from my college campus called The Foundation. It’s a cozy shop that you can come to to study or discover artists during their frequent open mic nights. As far as food, one food place that I absolutely love in Huntsville is Cajun Steamer. That is the first food spot that I recommend to anyone visiting the city, and I promise you’ll thank me later if you visit.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate this interview to my grandparents. My grandma was subscribed to every black culture magazine (Jet, Essence, Ebony, etc.) and that’s where I first began seeing the creativity and versatility of different photographers as well as the importance of capturing black beauty in a positive light.

Instagram: @takenbyti

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