She/her | #photography #womeninphotography
Hey Sophia, first of all how are you?
I'm really good thank you, I can't complain at all. Thanks so much for chatting to me!
For those that do not know who is Sophia Carey?
I'm a freelance photographer from London, now living in Manchester, and I also run a YouTube where I talk about all things photography, especially film photography and running a creative business!
So what interests you about Visual Arts?
I can't properly describe what interests me about it, just that it does interest me and always has. I can't imagine not being drawn to visual arts, as it's always been such an instrumental part of my life.
Since I was a kid, I always loved to draw and always thought I'd end up being an illustrator. I was a teenager when I properly discovered photography, despite always having a keen adoration for film and still imagery, and I studied graphic design throughout my education, even at degree level, and so my love of and involvement in visual arts has always been a constant for me.
I think, when it comes to photography more specifically, my interest in it started as a consumer of photographs and the escapism that it can bring. Even long before I properly picked up a camera myself, I've found myself having a connection to certain images because of the way they feel more than the technical aspects of a photo, and that formed a lot of my practice and the techniques I use now (such as film photography).
Time for a tough question... Graphic Design or Photography?
It's got to be photography. I love graphic design and it's been such an instrumental part of my practice and who I am, but photography is what I spend my days doing because I eventually found that I enjoyed it more than I did graphic design.
On the same lines... why a Graphic Design Degree?
I initially started photography when I was about 16 and mostly just used it as a medium alongside my graphic design work, to complement it and use it in unison with other tools, and it wasn't until I had left college and was set to start studying graphic design at uni that I really got to grips with the fact that I enjoyed photography more than I did graphic design. By that time, I still had no idea if I could make photography work full time, especially as I had no formal education in the field, and felt as though it was probably the safer bet to continue with graphic design and get a degree that could get me into the creative industry. As it turns out, by the time I was halfway through my degree, my photography career had started to pick up and I found that I probably wouldn't need my degree to break into the industry anyway, but I decided to stick it out.
In regards to why I initially chose graphic design, I started working within the realms of graphic design and digital art whilst I was at school, as an exploration further to the traditional mediums I was used to, and quickly fell in love with it. When I was choosing what to study at college and uni, it was really a no-brainer for me. I still love graphic design and all that it entails but I prefer to create design work for my own personal projects and ideas than I do for clients, and that suits me a lot better now.
You’ve worked for some BIG clients. Fave project?
It's tough to single out my favourite project but I think that my work with World Soccer Shop for their Euro 2020 campaign will always stand out as one of my favourites because it was such a great opportunity to work with a group of models I had already worked with and gotten to know, as well as having such a great amount of creative freedom. There was also such a buzz about the Euros, especially after it was postponed for a year, that the energy and reception for the project was something that I really enjoyed.
Talk to me about ManchestHER.
ManchestHER is a project that I developed alongside Lucy Harvey, a radio presenter and just generally amazing creative, after frustrations over the representation and championship of womxn in the Manchester creative scene (specifically, at the time of conception, the hip hop scene). We created the project as a way to shine the spotlight on the womxn in the scene would make it tick: from stylists to singers, photographers to MCs. We've got a lot of really exciting things planned for the development of the project over 2022 and so it'll be great to see what comes of it.
Can anyone get involved in the project?
Yep! We're developing the project into more of a platform now so it's all about connecting with the community, scouting who's out there and getting people involved in whichever capacity we can as it develops. You can follow us on Instagram to keep up to date.
Any other projects like this that you would love to do?
There's a lot of projects that I have either on the go or that I'm planning. I'm continuing my ongoing project HOM[E]AGE which is a project that shines a light on the amazing people that make up the borough of Croydon, the place that I attribute a lot of my growing up to. I've also got two new personal projects underway too, so definitely a mix of personal projects on the cards over the next few months/years!
Lets talk YouTube. 11,000 subs. Wow!
Honestly, it baffles me! I started my channel as a sideline to my Instagram, answering the questions I'd often get DMed about, and it's grown into such a great creative outlet for me, a place to explore different mediums and learn different techniques and connect with a like-minded community. I feel so blessed by the growth over the last year and I'm so appreciative of all of the support I've received.
Is there anyone in the creative industry that you would like to shout out?
I'm blessed to know and work with so many amazing creatives. There's too many to name them all, but a few notable ones that are really killing it in their respective scenes are Hannah Kirkland, Josh Drakes, Alex Heron and Iz Ahmed.
For my final question, what's next for Sophia Carey?
I'm intending to spend 2022 working on personal projects, pushing forward with my client work (hopefully working on more music campaigns, since that's where my true passion lies) and building up my YouTube content. And, a lot of learning too, hopefully. There's a lot I want to learn and develop on in 2022 so fingers crossed!
