Pride: A Conversation With Sophia Emmerich | Blog
Sophia Emmerich (she/her) Art is a means to question social norms as well as their effect on our perceptions of beauty.
The obvious is evident after you have seen her photographs, which are each a reflection of her profound affection for expression, and the different ways it can be expressed of shape, forms and designs.
Sophia Photographer Sophia is living in Berlin, and her path to creativity is her individual hero's story. After a decade of studying, and later working as a lawyer, Sophia opted to shed the cloak of conformity and pursue the path of creativity and all its boundary breaking and chaos.
Sophia: Sophia: "Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I have always felt an innate sense of belonging to the struggle to ensure equality for all. My art reveals beauty regardless of gender, identity or sexuality. My work provides visibility and support that has been long-overdue."
As Sophia, many of us are inspired by dreams that we've tried to keep for be conformist, but not anymore. The Dream Greaterguided audio exercise will assist you to awaken your creativity potential. Listen to it, follow my discussion with Sophia to inspire you to dream more expansively.
HTML0 What part has the role of creativity been in the creation of your personal persona?
My own personal experiences with creativity and identity have always been deeply linked to each other. My goal isn't to see myself as someone who creates things. I'm an artist. My way of expressing myself is so in line with my artistic and creative style that it's difficult to determine where one's journey begins and where the other comes to an end. Photography offers me the opportunity to display not only my own aspirations and visions, but also showcase different individual identities. In the process, I've learned so much about other people, my own personality and what I'd like to become - and also my creativity has lead me to who I am today.
"I do not consider myself to be a person that just performs things creatively"I'm an imaginative individual."
What challenges have you had that you had to overcome to fully unleash your creative potential? What beliefs and myths you needed to let go of?
Since I first started taking photographs and filming videos as teenagers My understanding of what it meant to be creative was limited at best. I thought of it as a pastime reserved for hobbies or as just a hobby. I didn't realize that I could become an artist. I told myself for a long time that I hadto pursue a subject that could "get me a good job and provide security for my entire life." I believed that voice and set out to pursue the field that I had always believed I wouldn't enjoy. At the point I realized all I needed to do was grab an camera to take photos of people I met, to share their story and showcase the beautiful aspects of their lives. I recently finished law school. The process involved a lot of to overcome expectations, not only from the outside community, but also from myself. For the simple reason that leaving my "good job with a promising future" behind wasn't easy. This isn't easy. Self-doubt always comes in. Do I have to worry if I'm really skilled in photography? What if I should just do it on the side while working from 9 to 5? It's not a lot of people who prefer to admit that and yet I felt that the core of what the "right option" was, which made me unable to be honest with myself about my thoughts as well as what I would like. Combining that along with a fear of being rejected and not being able to succeed, can seem intimidating. At the end of the day, all those rational ideas and thoughts that I thought of didn't matter anymore, because the more I snatched up my camera for taking pictures and videos, the more content I became. It was an arduous but often difficult process realizing the things that make you happy is one of the most rewarding experiences in living. Through the insights I acquired about myself from the experience and the lessons I learned, I may not have had the ability to perform the work I do now. Therefore, I am thankful for the path I've taken through its many twists and turns, and I am eager to find out where life will take me next.
HTML1 What has queer community shaped your perspective?
Conversations about gay and lesbian communities fills me with happiness and affection that I need to remind myself to stay away from being too cheesy. When I think about this group of people who are queer, it is filled with real, honest, beautiful (inside as well as out) people who are living their lives to the fullest of who they are. As a member of this wonderful community, it inspires me to be my most authentic and authentic persona. The experience has changed my perception in a profound way. I am now more accepting of all the people who come into my world and am eager to hear about their experiences. With this community I've learned every day something new.
What time do you feel the most connected with yourself?
I am most at peace with me when I'm with people I am passionate about. Whenever I have the opportunity to be a part of the queer group, I choose to do as I believe this leads to better artistic outcomes and an overall better atmosphere. For the first time, I took part in a set which was solely LGBTQ, with people from the community both on as well as behind the camera and I've never felt more comfortable with me or my own persona. The presence of people who have lots of love and affection is extremely affirming, particularly in my work as an artist.
What was the exact time or date you feel you'd open your cell phone?
As I look back, I'm certain that there were many occasions when I've realized that I would like to be an artist. It's hard to pin an exact time to. One thing I am able to recall vividly that changed the direction my work took was in the year 2018. I began working in the beginning of my show "RedLipstickMen" that displayed huge projections of close-ups I'd shot of men with red lipstick (I recognize... the title isn't exactly a statement, but it's my most creative choice). The concept behind the shoot came from the fact that I saw my friend whom I consider to be attractive, and wearing red lipstick. They encountered in public. I was so shocked and was unsure of how something as simple as lipstick red could trigger an emotional reaction from individuals. My idea was to show how beautiful the lips look when wearing red lipstick, whatever gender. Since I believed at the time (and I do today) that humans are more open to what they've previously seen. Our attention is drawn by those things we believe to be beautiful. With these photos and the exhibition I realized the possibility of influencing people to change their views and utilize my work to serve as a way to draw attention and create a sense of representation that has been for a long duration.
When I think of gay and lesbian communities, I can see honest, genuine and gorgeous (inside and out) individuals living their authentic persona.
What does creative fulfillment look like to you? What are the feelings that you feel.
The greatest satisfaction I can get from being photographer lies in helping people feel accepted by their real and authentic persona. It's extremely satisfying to document their personal beauty , and connect with people through photos. Once I've completed one of my projects and the model that is in front of my camera is recognizable in the images and all the effort (and it can be quite lots of pressure) is worth it. Photos show models that I have seen in person in person, and also the way they appear and could be a validation for us both. It is a joy for me to watching other people be content.
What advice would you give to someone who isn't confident about sharing or sharing your own work?
The idea of being open to scrutiny by the world, I can 100% relate to the fear of sharing your creativity in the eyes of the public. Since you are a part of the work you've created, every critique can be seen as an attack on you and it's not just focused on the content. The anxiety that comes when you take that first step could be nothing when you compare it to the joy that comes from completing it. It is common for me to anticipate the worst and overlook the positive aspects yet letting go of worries and doing your own thing is a great way to feel fulfilled. It's much more easy to talk about than actually doing, but being aware of the way others perceive your character is essential according to my experience. Put yourself out there and amazing events are bound to occur. I guarantee it.
What are the areas where that you're exploring your creativity potential? Which areas in your daily day-to-day life are you worried about but are excited to discover your creative limits?
On the other hand, I am prone to switch between Imposter-Syndrome and something that is best described as an "Yolo"-attitude. Sometimes, I feel as if I'm in control, and feel that anything that I do doesn't merit seeing the light of day but on other days, I want to work on massive projects, and I can't wait to begin. The balance between working and controlling my energy levels is something I still have to work to achieve every single day.
On the other hand, when cooperating with and engaging in the community of queer individuals by bringing the community to its feet and puts pressure on it, there's another. It's an uphill battle to confront the fear of being at fault or not acting in a way that is right in my personal community of individuals.
Discuss your process of recording or writing visually attractive pieces that represent the diversity of the community. What inspires, stimulates the research and inspires the
Being part of the LGBTQ community as well as creating images that show the beauty of queer people is an important part of the process for me. First, I am educating myself about the past of queer people as well as intersectionality and inclusivity (and more!). Second, I am paying attention to the conversations that those whom I am working with talk about. It is a privilege for me to be a part of the LGBTQ community. I would like to pay tribute to the LGBTQ community.
At the time I was a kid, representations of queer people in media about the queer community was either not there or full of stereotypes I was unable to relate. One thing that keeps me motivated is just the idea of an innocent child watching my work and seeing the characters. As a strong, beautiful queer person. I want to create the representation I needed as a young person, so that other young people who are queer can be valued and respected.
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