Rising Stars: Meet Stacy Soriano of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Soriano.

Hi Stacy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I pretty much started taking photos in elementary school, fourth grade is as far back as I can recall. I remember finding an old camera in my mom’s closet once and it just intrigued me. I started with the Kodak one-stop film cameras. Took them everywhere; from school to our annual trips to Guadalajara Jalisco.

Due to having a huge family, 50 first cousin’s, I always had a subject to photograph near and far.

It wasn’t until my early twenties around 2010/2011 when I took my first intro to film photography class at RCC that I realized this is what I want to do forever. Thanks to the random guy in the darkroom who asked whose photo was developing. A black and white image of the front grill of a classic Chevrolet Impala at Fairmount Park in Riverside Calif.

I answered, “it’s mine!” and he quickly said, “You can sell that!”

Never thought it would be a “career” as I just wanted to document life around me. But his question and response changed my life!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth?

Not at all.

It’s been a challenge overall, especially it being a male dominated field. People still judge books by their covers; so some think I am a joke until they see the results.

I’ve had younger and older men try to compete with me or tell me “there’s no money in photojournalism!’

But nothing stops me.

I recently quit corporate, I was in the dental and orthodontics field for almost 20 years.

Risked it all and now I am a full time photographer, starting from the bottom but feeling on top of the world.
When you do what you love with little to no money you feel free.

You see, I made an okay income in corporate but not enough to sustain myself or have the freedom to roam.

Now that I have little to no income at times I feel less stress and I have more time to see the world. And document life
which in return amplifies my own life. I believe we aren’t here to make money but to serve and have a purpose most of all leave your mark or in my case negatives into positives.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work is very simple but holds meaning. I specialize in photojournalistic style, candid’s are my favorite. I love portraits of people from all walks of life, I tend to go for the journalistic approach, the more raw and real the better.

I’m not into the posing factor overall but more into seeing the subject for what or who they are and I prefer to capture them as natural as possible.

You can tell when someone is uncomfortable so I lean to the “pretend I’m not here” approach.

I also do street, nature, sports, wedding & branding photography.

The street and nature tend to be for artsy stuff that I sometimes submit to art shows. Which I use 35mm film for.

I think what sets me apart from others is that due to my journalism background I can capture any subject matter and make my subjects comfortable with me and most of all themselves. I love people so my shoots are fun and more of an adventure that transmutes into my images.

What makes you happy?
God and my camera. They both continue giving me experiences I never thought I’d have.

For example right now I’m in Guadalajara Jalisco, at an art residency that I applied to once I quit corporate last October. And if it wasn’t for YHWH, camera and skills I wouldn’t be here. The city that I practically grew up in and love deeply.

It’s triple the happiness. I have my family, camera and God.

I couldn’t ask for more.

It’s like I’m complete but still evolving.

God literally has gotten me far by granting me all of it. I’m truly grateful and blessed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stacyscamerastudio.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacyscamera?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Other: https://stacysoriano.blogspot.com/