Meet Sabrina Stern | Photographer and Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sabrina Stern and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sabrina, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
As a kid I I’m sure you were asked many times what you wanted to be when you grew up. Nobodies answer was ever something for the end result being money. Sure, some people wanted to be doctors, but if you ask them why, I’m positive the answer would not be “to pay the bills.” I never knew what I wanted to do at that age, but as I got older, I’m sure my younger self would be happy I chose what I wanted to do as opposed to something that just paid the bills. Choosing a career is choosing what you want to do every single day. If you spend everyday doing a job you don’t like that just pays the bills, you won’t have much time to enjoy your life. In the end it’s not worth it if you are spending the majority of your lifetime doing that. I would much prefer a job I’m passionate about doing every day, that I would do for free if I could, because that’s what I want to do with my day. And if that means I’m struggling for a while, i’ll do it, because it beats a job I don’t want to do. And after a while you’ll realize that this job can most definitely pay the bills and can be very lucrative, it just takes time. After all, what’s the point of living if you can’t enjoy your life?

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
From the age of fifteen, my biggest hobby was having these elaborate photoshoots with my friends. Sometimes it would be hard to get them to model for me, but the end results were always so fun, and they’re photos I’m still proud of to this day. I always knew I had this eye for color and composition that I couldn’t let go to waste, and I always knew from then on I wouldn’t ever stop doing this.

In terms of my style, my philosophy was always the weirder the better. I want to grab people’s attention and create something that’s never been created. Even if it comes out looking really strange, strange is always better than boring. That’s what’s gotten people’s attention the most. I often shoot with fake blood where it doesn’t need to be, and pose people in really unnatural and unsettling ways. Im not afraid of being “cringe” and I’m not afraid of shock value because it gets people to stop scrolling. The hard truth is, a person just against a plain backdrop is not going to make someone stop scrolling, regardless of if you get the lighting and angles perfect.

Of course there are challenges though. My biggest challenge I’ve faced has never been about my art, it’s been about the industry. I’ve found it difficult to start, even offering to work for free for more popular photographers. There are so many of us that it’s competitive in LA, and sometimes photographers don’t like to help each other. As much as I’ve wanted to learn from other photographers by helping out, they often don’t reply. But the best way to get experience is to offer free photoshoots for people. Models, influencers, and musicians all love a free shoot, and you can create whatever you want for your portfolio. If you make something eye catching enough, it will get the attention of others, and it can lead to clientele.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If someone was visiting, I would probably bring them to all of the popular spots that are worth going to. Tourists want to go to the hyped up places everyone always talks about, so I would take them to In and Out, the farmers market at the Grove, Melrose for some unique clothing pieces, then I would take them to Venice beach and the Venice canals, the Getty Villa, and at night I would go to the Whisky a Gogo or Rainbow Bar and Grill for some live music. These places are all hyped up for a good reason and are definitely worth it whether you’re a tourist or local.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shoutout to Chapman University for encouraging this generation of students by showing artists that we can be successful with hard work, dedication, and making connections.

Website: sabrinastern.my.canva.site/sabrinashotme

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrinaastorm/

Other: Photography instagram
https://www.instagram.com/sabrinashotme/