Allie Pilcher is a Los Angeles-based photographer, creative director, and designer known for her distinctive approach to fashion and editorial imagery. With a background in digital marketing and a strong presence on Instagram (@alliepilcher), where she has built a following of over 50K, Allie stands out for her surreal, feminine, and often dream-like visuals, as well as her educational video series comparing raw captures to polished editorial results.
We reached out to Allie because her work deeply resonates with Sguardo Art’s mission: to showcase contemporary, independent photography that challenges trends, celebrates process, and highlights individuality. Her Instagram breakdowns of “why one image feels more editorial than another” offer rare insight into the subtle choices that elevate photography, exactly the kind of knowledge we love sharing with our community of photographers and creatives.
In this conversation, Allie opens up about her creative process, the influence of surrealism, advice for emerging artists, and the future of editorial aesthetics.
What initially inspired your Instagram series contrasting identical photos, polished editorials versus their raw versions?
For me, it really comes down to sharing my process. A big part of being an artist is communicating your vision and your experience of life to an audience. Creative directing involves thinking deeply and learning how to dig to a deeper level within an image. I’m passionate about finding that deeper meaning and the subtle differences in taste, vision, and execution that many people might overlook or feel intuitively but can’t quite put their finger on.
I’m also a big believer in democratizing fashion, editorial, and art. It can be very gatekept. So it’s important for me to share my knowledge in real time and hopefully help somebody else create more art.
Was there a specific moment or project that sparked this idea?
I see a lot of very similar imagery on social media, and many artists and photographers find their inspiration there. It’s fascinating to look at differences in taste, execution, and creative vision and to articulate them. There isn’t really an “aha” moment, but I notice recurring themes and concepts that can translate in completely different ways depending on the artist and the choices they make.
In your view, what are the key elements such as lighting, posing, post-production, creative direction that transform a raw capture into something that feels like high-end editorial fashion?
Editorial is very subjective, as with all art. It depends on the image. I don’t think there’s one technical element, like lighting alone, that makes an image editorial. An artist can break conventional rules and the image can be far better off because the choice was made with intention.
It always comes down to the choices you make and why you make them. If you’re thinking about lighting, you won’t necessarily get a stronger image just by using strobe versus continuous light. But you will get a stronger image if the choice serves the concept, the emotional tone, and the depth you want to convey. It’s about making intentional decisions that align with your style rather than chasing perfectionism.
How has your background in design and creative direction influenced your photography?
My background is actually in digital marketing, which has helped me think about meaning, why I’m creating an image, and what it’s saying. In marketing or brand psychology, you’re conveying a message. As an artist, you are your own brand.
But my specific taste and style have developed over time through iteration, continuing to pursue the image in my head even when I didn’t have the resources or skill level yet. As artists, our taste always exceeds our technical ability, so it’s about constantly pursuing the vision and not settling. That’s how I’ve developed my own style, following my instinct and what I believe in.
Your work often incorporates surrealist gestures, dream-like, and otherworldly elements.
How does surrealism specifically influence your personal photography?
I’m always looking for inspiration in all facets of life. I never look down. I find it in places I go, people I meet, dreams, design styles, and other photographers’ work. Over time, continuously searching for that spark has led me to a personal style that revolves around femininity and idealism, how I view femininity as inherently contradictory.
These themes appear from many sources: old 50s Vogue ads, interior design, videos on the internet. It’s about constantly being on the lookout.
For younger photographers and creators following you, what advice would you give on building a distinctive aesthetic, especially when platforms like Instagram are full of trends that tempt people to copy?
First, look beyond social media for inspiration. There’s inspiration in everything, and you might be surprised where you find it.
Give yourself permission to create the work and to fail. Don’t wait for someone else to give you the title you want. If you’re putting in the work, you already embody what you want to be. That’s how you develop taste and style: trust your instinct, follow it down different ideas, concepts, and even genres. Art is all connected.
Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or personal experiments you’re particularly excited about right now?
Yes, absolutely. I have some great stuff in the works, including working with music artists. That’s a fun new step. I’m always working on personal projects. I’ve never slowed down on them, and that’s helped me grow fast. Right now I’m pursuing a vision of a woman beneath an abandoned 99-cent store sign in an old parking lot. I also have a feathered showgirl headpiece on the way for another shoot. Lots of crafting, DIY, and developing ideas slowly. Once I have a vision, I can’t let it go until I make it.
How do you see editorial aesthetics evolving in the next few years?
People are drawn to authenticity and rule-breaking, especially with AI and tools making technical polish easier. I can see a shift toward more authentic, intentionally imperfect images, breaking rules purposefully.
But trends are cyclical. We might move to raw, less filtered work and then swing back. Nostalgia is huge right now, vintage-inspired imagery, because with technology and social media moving so fast, we miss something simpler. Nostalgia gives us connection and the smaller things we overlook in all the stimulation.
