Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzydee Orap.
Hi Suzydee, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Suzydee and I am a Los Angeles based film photograhper. I am 33 years old and have been living in Los Angeles my whole life. I am first generation Mexican American. I currently work in Marketing which is what I got my degree in from CSUN. For the past 5 years I have been trying to find ways to tap into my more creative side and have been doing that with film photographer as well as with a number other crafts!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest struggle has been lack of inspiration at times. I was shooting so much and then eventually stopped and thought to myself, “what am I doing? and what is this all for?”. Eventually I had to remind myself that sometimes you don’t need a good reason to do the things you do. At first my film photography was meant to be a way to inspire and encourage people to go out and explore the outdoors. I also wanted to use it as a way to educate people on how to navigate the outdoors respectfully. My work’s mission is still to continue to do that but also to try to have fun with it at the same time! I was focusing too hard on my mission and goals and was not allowing myself to have some fun with it as well. I think my snail mail club is a great way to mix both!
There are of course other things that get in the way like general life struggles, the state of the world we currently live in, and my mental health. I have found, however, that getting back into the groove of my film photography has done a lot to help distract me from all that chaos and help bring balance back into my life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a film photographer. I mainly shoot landscapes but will sometimes dabble in other subjects. I really enjoy exploring the outdoors and lugging around all my film cameras with me. If I’m able, I will even shoot things on my Super 8 camera to create fun videos of my travels. I’ve been shooting on film since 2019 and it has become a longstanding love and hobby of mine. When I am not out traveling and shooting film, I am living a normal life at my corporate 9-5.
In recent years I have not dabbled in film as much but have recently started picking it up again. I stumbled upon a few other new hobbies during my hiatus: sign painting, junk journaling, and my most recent favorite – snail mail clubs! For those who don’t know what a snail mail club is, it is simply a community or subscription service focused on traditional, physical mail, where members receive curated packages of letters, postcards, stickers, art prints, etc. to encourage personal connection and creativity. You pay a small monthly fee in support of your favorite artist in exchange for one of a kind goodies! It is, in my opinion, such a fun way to support the arts and a great way to slow down and enjoy something tangible and made with love and attention to detail. It is also a really nice way to connect with others and build community, something I have felt I have been lacking.
So, with this new found love for snail mail clubs, I have decided to start a snail mail club of my own called the 35mm mail club. I have been using this mail club as a way to motivate me to get back into the groove of things with my film photography. In this mail club I will be sharing with members exclusive zines, prints, postcards, stickers, and much more all centered around my film photography and travels. I am really excited to start this new venture and to get back into shooting film!
I am most proud of myself for getting out in to the great outdoors and exploring places that women and POC don’t always get the opportunity to do.
What sets me apart from others is my want to explore so that I can inspire others. Yes, I love visiting new places and taking beautiful photos, but I also enjoy inspiring others to do the same.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is having a nice community surrounding you. It is being happy with what you have. It is being content and being able to get through the hardest of times.
Pricing:
- Join the 35mm mail club – $7/month
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funandgrains/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChcDFUuYUJEYXM5F3D6vE4g
- Other: https://www.patreon.com/cw/funandgrains
