What is photography for me...
Photography is still new to me. When people ask if it’s my passion, I shy away from saying yes. Not to them—to myself. It’s so new, like we just met when I turned 25.
I’ve known my relationship with dancing since before I could walk. I’ve discovered my passion for meditation and spirituality multiple times, so I’m aware of that. But photography and I? We only met in late 2023.
What started as an excuse to learn the other side of modeling—so I could become a better model—slowly turned into Oh wow, I wanna make those cool images. It became a fun, creative thing. As a model, I was already following incredible fashion photographers, always wanting each shoot to look different, always leveling up. The inspiration was there. But now, I was curious—how do I create them?
At the studio I interned at, I’d sit at the computer, pull up Pinterest fashion images, and discuss them with my fellow interns—very talented photographers.
"What lighting did they use?"
"Which angle?"
"Oh, why? What makes you think that?"
I had endless questions, and they patiently answered them all. Because they were just as passionate.
My first-ever shoot with a professional camera? A full studio shoot. I had picked reference images without realizing they were advanced. I just saw them as inspiration. I’m glad for that innocence—it made me just go for it.
The shoot itself? Well… dot dot. (More on my first test shoot later.)
Is Photography Your Passion, Sanya?
I get why I get asked this a lot. Photography is a hustle—constantly finding clients, creating your paycheck. A lot of people commit to it because their soul needs to create—whether it’s capturing memories, a butterfly mid-flap, a rare bird in motion, a breathtaking landscape, or framing something no one else saw.
For me, it’s about the moments. The quiet exchange between two people at a party that no one noticed—but now, it’s framed forever. The stillness between me, my camera, and my subject—when they feel something, and I get to capture that. That’s what makes my soul happy.
I take my time refining how a photo should feel. I’m a feel girly. Back in 2015, I took the Myers-Briggs test—90% Feeling, 10% Thinking. I can gladly say the Thinking percentage is up now—around 40. 60-40 feels like a good balance. But still, a feel girly.
So… Is Photography My Passion?
The first time I shot a client who wasn’t a model, I got so giddy. Oh my god, they look so beautiful! I can’t wait for them to see! That adrenaline rush after delivering photos? It never gets old.
Now, after shooting over 20 clients in a year, I still feel the same excitement.
If it’s an event, I make sure every guest gets a heroic photo—something that makes them fall in love with themselves a little more when they see it. Something that shows them how I see them through my lens.
So when you ask me if photography is my passion, I never know what to say. It’s still new for me. But I do know that I do it passionately. Every photo my clients receive is crafted with love—for them to see how beautiful they truly are.
So maybe photography is my passion. Or maybe, it’s just how I see the world. Either way, I can’t wait to capture you next.
With love,
Sanya Captures You
(SCU—"I see you")
