Today we’d like to introduce you to Wayne Hall.
Hi Wayne, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Beauty exists within every one of us; it also exists everywhere around us – in nature, in our homes, and in virtually every aspect of our lives. I am inspired by natural beauty, and as a Certified Professional Photographer, creating inspiring images that accentuate beauty is truly my passion.
I’ve always had a love of photography, even before joining the Army in 1985. During my first Army enlistment as an Airborne Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division, I began to explore photography further. That helped me decide that I wanted to become and Army Photojournalist, which I did in 1989.
My Army photojournalism career provided me many great opportunities, covering a wide range of training exercises in the 82nd Airborne Division, as well as real-world disaster response efforts following Hurricane Andrew in Florida. I was later assigned to the European Edition of Stars and Stripes where I worked as a photojournalist and had many more great opportunities.
After I transitioned out of the Army, I was hired to work as an Army civilian employee in Public Affairs and still having the opportunity to perform many photojournalism functions as part of my duties.
Before deploying to Iraq as an Army civilian in 2010 I made the decision that I wanted to run a photography business after my return in a part-time capacity and later full-time when I retired from public service.
In 2014 I joined the Professional Photographers of America to expand my photography skills. In 2022 I earned PPA’s Certified Professional Photographer credential and in 2023 I earned PPA’s Master of Photography Degree. In 2024 Pennsylvania PPA members elected me to represent them as a state PPA Council Member.
As you can see, I have an extensive background built upon a nearly 40-year career as a photojournalist, which includes my service in the U.S. Army. Throughout my career I’ve had several great assignments, including working as a staff photographer for the European edition of the Stars and Stripes newspaper. I see photography as art and love the world through my lenses.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s not always been a smooth road, trying to balance a part-time photography business around a demanding full-time job where I am always on call has been very difficult. It hasn’t allowed me time to really commit to taking on a lot of client work. However I did take as many opportunities as possible to continue to master my craft as a photographer.
Now as I am nearing retirement from my full-time job I am looking forward to diving headfirst into the business of running WALL Photography & Design full-time and serving clientele by capturing phenomenal imagery that will preserve their memories for generations.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Throughout my career I have photographed nearly every kind of imagery imaginable. I really enjoy landscape and scenic photography, capturing the solitude of a moment is very pleasing to me; it allows me time for personal reflection and it is very cathartic.
I also enjoy portrait photography, a very well-done portrait says a lot about the subject without uttering a single word. I’ve found that many people are uncomfortable with their appearance, so being able to provide them with a stunning image of themselves can often be a real boost of confidence.
I have earned several accolades for my photography, several awards for photojournalism and many of my Professional Photographers of America merit images are photojournalism and landscape works. But what I think I am most proud of is sharing my knowledge with others. I am actively involved in the Professional Photographers Association of Pennsylvania, Professional Photographers of America and other organizations which serve to advance the art, craft, and business of photography across Pennsylvania and the United States.
Throughout my career I have been mentored by some exceptional photographers, and I have also been mentoring other photographers to help them improve their skills. One of the photographers I’ve mentored recently earned her Certified Professional Photographer credential and is getting close to earning her Master of Photography degree.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Sometimes taking risks can be rewarding. Most of my time in the military from 1985 to 2000 involved a lot of risk. I was an Army paratrooper and that involves a high degree of risk. After leaving the Army I continued to serve as civilian employee of the U.S. Army, and volunteered to deploy to Iraq as a civilian Army photojournalist from 2010 to 2011, that too came with a great deal of risk. I have found that if you lean into what you do when taking risks, you can often learn a great deal from it. My time working as a photojournalist in Iraq has taught me a lot of lessons that have greatly improved my approach to my work today; it helped me become a much better editor of digital imagery and helped me hone my sills on turning out high-quality products quickly.
Pricing:
- I generally work with my clients to determine pricing based upon their needs and desires.
- My products are all sourced from professional labs and are of the highest quality.
- My clients generally understand that because I am a Certified Professional Photographer, they can trust the quality of my work and understand that my prices may be higher than my competition.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wallphotografx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wallphotografx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WALLP.D
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-hall-50a79918/
- Twitter: https://x.com/WALLPhotoGrafx
