Aliya began her career as a photographer, shooting portraits of her friends downtown in NYC, while working for David LaChapelle in the East Village. Her photo essays have been published by The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker. Aliya’s photographic portraits of musicians and celebrities inspired global advertising campaigns that she shot for major brands such as Converse and Levi’s.

For the past decade, Aliya has been creating short films and commercials that dive into the heart of her subjects. 

Aliya has directed work for The New York Times, Vogue, Vice, National Geographic, and Google. She creates campaigns and commercials from a human perspective. Her work has led her to consult for the Obama Administration and the U.N. to help influence change.