Get to Know the Photographer: Sophia Carino
Hello! I am Sophia, I am a 1st year premed student. I have been baking at least one cake or banana bread loaf every week since quarantine started.
Why (and when) did you become interested in photography?
I started off in eighth grade by taking action shots, candid photos, and group photos for my high school’s yearbook. Then I really got into portrait photography my junior year when I learned how to take senior portraits. I love portrait photography because I like to explore a composition that sustains a balance between the model and their surroundings. So much can be expressed through the human body and face.
Where do you find inspiration?
At first, I found inspiration through professional photographers on Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube when I was first learning because I wanted to know how to do certain effects with the camera. But now that it has been a few years, I like to listen to music and look at album covers as inspiration for the type of feeling I want to convey in my photos.
What cameras/equipment do you like using?
My main camera is a Nikon D750 and my favorite lens is my Nikon 50mm f/1.8. This lens is best for portrait photography because it can capture a lot of depth and do that cool bokeh light effect. Also, I recently got a Minolta X-700 film camera and started learning how to shoot and develop film.
What do you like to photograph?
I love photographing people mostly, but sometimes I also shoot street, urban, landscape and travel photography (although because of the pandemic I will not be doing the last one any time soon). Honestly, I want to try all types of photography when the opportunity presents itself. I still have a lot to learn!
What advice do you have for other photographers?
You do not need crazy camera equipment to begin shooting. Shooting photography is more about exploring the composition of a photo. Like in painting, where you decide what can be seen within the frame of your canvas, you decide what can be seen within the frame of your lens. Some of my favorite photos were from when I first started out and I did not have the equipment I have now. When you do decide to buy a camera for your photography, there are so many free online resources that can help you learn how to use it.
