Today we’d like to introduce you to Zia Sinclair.
Zia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I can’t recall the exact moment how I started or what got me into photography. Growing up, my parents use to get me disposable film cameras to take with me on field trips, and I remember how excited I’d be to see the printed photos, but I never thought to myself “I’m going to be a photographer when I grow up.” Years went by, and as I got older I started taking more and more photos, the images started changing and the way I saw the world did too.
I’m desert born and raised, grew up in the Imperial Valley. It’s a collection of small agricultural towns in the middle of the desert. There wasn’t much to do there while I was growing up, it’s the kind of place that I’m grateful for but that I would never go back to. I became a San Diego resident in late 2011.
I started shooting with only digital cameras (DSLR’s) up until 2012 when I was given a box with three film cameras. Amongst them was a beautiful Konica FC 1 SLR. I didn’t know the first thing about film cameras. I would spend my time between classes in college reading about film and how to use film cameras correctly.
To this day, I feel I’m still learning. I’ve gone through different styles of photography, but the one that always seems to stay with me is minimalism. I now shoot with mostly film, point and shoot cameras and Slr’s. I’ve been fortunate to be part of exhibits and to have had the opportunity to show my work with galleries like La Bodega, Thumbprint and BasileIE /CM Curatorial in San Diego.
Has it been a smooth road?
An artist road is never a smooth one. I picked one of the toughest professions to make a living out of photography. Film isn’t very affordable, developing, scanning and printing all come with expenses. It has its little sacrifices here and there, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in life. It makes me appreciate my work all the more.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I like to take visual breaks from the daily saturation we face every day, the constant input and distractions. I tend to focus on minimal compositions. Simplicity really plays a major role in my photography. As much as I enjoy simple sights, I love taking photographs of different subjects, I love blending film and digital shots together. I find the combination very beautiful.
With photography, I’ve learned to see and appreciate life in a different way where simple gestures, simple sights really do matter. I never take a photograph with the intention of showing something else, I like to think my photography is very straightforward. I may not shoot under the same style all the time, but that makes me proud, I don’t think you grow as much as an artist of any sort if you don’t try something else, something that’s new to you. That’s something I’m proud of, I have an extensive catalog of photographs that aren’t all just the same.
Lately, I’ve been very much into lines, whether they’re in shadows or objects. I find that lines in photography convey more than just a concept; they show a connection and separation, as well as depth and proximity. It may seem mundane to some to shoot the shadows of a rail on a staircase, but I find so much beauty in that sort of simplicity. I really melt when I develop my film and see the right shadows, the right light.
Photography has a universal language that speaks and moves, to me, it’s important to share those views, those moments in which all these elements such as light, angles, shadows, and single subjects create such views. In a way, I want to add to the context of history, document my surroundings and leave a small piece of what life is viewed through someone as myself. You can really find heaven on earth; you just have to look for it.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
San Diego has so much potential for growth in the arts. What I love most about this city is how hard some of the people in the art community work to put together events, to help other artists that are up and coming. It’s hard to be an up and coming artist, but with the right community, you can grow.
I really find San Diego to be a beautiful city, and there isn’t anything I can say I dislike fully. One thing I can say is that photography still needs more recognition as an art, it’s hard to get exhibits and to share your work as a photographer. Many galleries tend to only show painters, illustrators and such, but photography is left in the dark most of the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zia-sinclair.com
- Email: ziasinclair@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ziasinclair
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