I've been a fan of Sophie's for a long time ever since running into her in NYC and taking her photo for Street Style. We got each others instagrams and I have loved watching Sophie's photography grow and change in the short 12 months since I began following her. Sophie is one of my favourite photographers - she manages to capture an emotion or mood and the colours that come from her film add another layer of this something. There's an edge of grungy rock n' role / backstage with the band but also a hint of New York It girl's photo album . I'm super inspired and definitely want to start experimenting with film myself. She's also Australian which is always a bonus. Here are a few questions that I sent through, enjoy!
Hey, how are you? What have you been up to lately? I am good! Tired, but good. I have had friends from Australia stay with me and my roommates in my loft so in between work, we have been hanging out and I have also been shooting and planning shoots.
Was moving to NYC a big decision for you? How has it helped you grow as a person and as a creative? In what ways was it difficult? It was and it wasn't. I knew it was something that I had to do. I'm just lucky that I was privileged enough to be able to. It's helped me grow in ways that I know I wouldn't have been able to if I stayed in Australia. Creatively speaking, I have grown immensely - I'm doing things that I never would have thought I would do. Something that is difficult about NYC is that it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the success of others and get down about not being as "successful", but you just have to remember that everything happens for people at different times.
What is the process you take for your photographs? Type of camera, styling, editing etc... I only shoot film. I like Canon. I have plenty of creative friends who are stylists/makeup artists etc, who make it so much easier for me to create new work and practice because we collaborate together. I don't really edit my photos, but I do chuck them into Lightroom.
Is it pricey to be a photographer who only uses film instead of digital? Are there any cheaper options for people that are interested in pursuing film photography? Yeah it is very pricey. Sometimes I'm like damn maybe I should invest in a digital camera!! I recently invested in my own scanner (~150 for cheapest) which was a very good decision so now I only buy the negatives and scan myself, which is time consuming but really fun.
What makes you most inspired ? How do you get out of creative ruts? The people that surround me - my beautiful friends. I just take a moment to write and not get flustered. Sometimes I just watch a film to take my mind off feeling stuck and I end up getting inspiration from the film.
How would you describe your style? (photography and clothing (aesthetic in general)) My style is evolving pretty rapidly at this point in my life. I used to use a lot more color like pinks, blues and yellows and now I am interested by neutral color paletts and softer tones, but I think my style is starting to become very simple with an odd twist to it. I dress like a boy most days. I like tee shirts and baggy pants. I wear ankle cut doc martins every day. In general, my aesthetic is heavily influenced by where I live and the people around me.
Any tips for aspiring photographers? I need some tips too haha. I really want a mentor! But, for now as a very amateur photographer, a tip would be to build a collection of good friends who are emerging in their creative field and keep working together!
How do you get your work noticed? I'm still trying to figure this out... Anyone have the answer?
Sophie by DAIJA JONES
Black and white or colour? Colour in photography, black and white in clothing and drawing/tattoos. Denim or corduroy? Denim toMATo or toMAAAAEETO ? I'm Aussie mate! It's tomarto.
Dream person to photograph? Petra Collins or any super interesting person!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Living and working and surviving comfortably in NYC, taking photos and maybe making films for a living hopefully. I'd love to have my own studio space too.
Your top five (people, music, artists etc)
The Strokes, Petra Collins, Just Kids by Patti Smith, Bushwick & Avocado & Tomatoe on crackers
Hope you all enjoyed (it's been my favourite Artist Colony so far) - you can find Sophie on Instagram :)
-Camille