Meet Sophia Ortega of Picsxsophie in Boyle Heights

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Ortega.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
How I first fell in love with photography was by taking pictures of my sister’s toys. From that moment, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I then began to shoot landscapes and portraits. I now shoot portrait and still life photography.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was hard at first to pursue photography. Many of my peers, along with my parents, kept putting me down. They would tell me to become a doctor or a lawyer. They’re now more accepting of my dreams, but that didn’t come easy. My father was the first to support me. He worked with a client, who was a homeless musician for ten years, but he saw how happy he was pursuing his dreams. My father then took me on a drive and apologized for not being more supportive. It was harder for my mother, but thankfully, I now have very supportive parents and environment.

Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about your work?
I am an independent business and college student. I mainly specialize in lifestyle, portraits, and urban fashion photography. I love my images to be as natural as possible. I wish to redefine the world of beauty and show that you don’t need the stereotypical “perfect” body to be beautiful. I am most proud that I am able to adapt to multiple people’s style and create a welcoming environment.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I would love to give credit to a few of my teachers who have gotten me to where I am: Linda Lewis, Kevin Stapleton, Amanda Rowan, and Andre Keichian for pushing me to dig deep within myself and give my work my all. A few classmates I am glad for: Anthony Placido, Joseph Ford, Eric LaRokk, Hunny Flores, Abbey Friedman, Xiaoyu, and Paola Balandra. They have helped me accomplish many of my tedious pieces and couldn’t have been where I am today.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/picsxsophie

Image Credit:
The image with the yellow and blue lighting was an homage to an image taken by the photographer, Storm Santos, and his image of the late Cameron Boyce. I want to thank Michael Tianyu, Hunny Flores, Noah Colton, Sam Kiper, and Julia for being amazing models and helping my projects come to life.

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