Talk

MPS Digital Photography presents a talk with fashion photographer Diane Allford. Born in Philadelphia, Allford grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She initially took photography classes to help with her work as a broadcast and print journalist. Soon after, she fell in love with photography and transferred from Brooklyn College to the School of Visual Arts in 1978. 

Allford’s style centers narrative. Her fashion photography is part of her journey starting out as an urban street-style photographer. Today, she is a professional fashion and advertising photographer. Allford shoots editorial and commercial imagery for marketing, eCommerce, and advertising. Through collaboration with fashion designers, wardrobe stylists, and hair and makeup artist professionals, she creates fashion images based on the aesthetics of the clothes, the locations, and the magic that happens when everyone comes together on set. There is a different approach in post-production where she creates surreal fashion-forward fine art digital collages that incorporate the fashion photos with additional visual elements that sometimes include social commentary.

Allford is a founding member of The Luupe and is represented by Cake-factory Studios in New York City.

Starting in 2011 and after over 250 lectures, the i3: Images, Ideas, Inspiration Lecture series continues to feature leading photographers, artists, editors, gallerists, and industry experts. The spring 2025 i3 Lecture season is curated and hosted by MPS Digital Photography faculty member Julie Grahame. Most past lectures are available on YouTube and Vimeo.