Meet Sonia Vizcaya | Photographer & editor

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

Hi Sonia, what are you inspired by?
My source of inspiration is the art found in the everyday: landscapes, nature, and other photographers. I also find inspiration in my travels and cinema – I find that music is an essential part of my creative process.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets me apart from other artists is my particular point of view for photography, and the details in the colour retouching of the images. What I am most proud of is how much I get involved in my photo shootings and in dealing with my clients. What has allowed me to get to where I am now is perseverance. I have never stopped taking photos or showing my work to make it known. It wasn’t easy but perseverance is key. Making a living from art is very difficult but it’s a beautiful thing. The most important lesson I have learned during this time is that ‘you should never give up’. What I would like everyone to know about me is that my name in Spanish means ‘eat a cactus’, and I would also like everyone to know about my work and the passion I put into it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my friend came to visit the city, I would take them out for tapas in the city centre, to places like the Hero, the Corcho, the Sarmiento or the Bariloche among them.
As it is a small city, I could show them around the Campogrande, the Plaza Mayor, or the Plaza del Viejo Coso, which are some of the most beautiful places to see in the city.
As for places to have a drink there are plenty of places to go but the Pasaje Gutierrez is great for a quiet drink.
The rest of the days I would consider a tour of the rest of the cities of Castilla y León (Burgos, Salamanca, León…), as they are small cities that can be visited in just one day and where you can also enjoy excellent meals and drinks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There is one person in particular without whom I would not have been able to get to where I am: my uncle. On my first trip to Italy, I discovered how much I loved photography (I spent the whole trip taking pictures with an old camera). After that trip, it was my uncle who gave me one of his cameras as a present, as he’s been a photographer for 40 years. Another shoutout that I can’t miss is for Rebeca Saray and Cristina Otero, photographers who inspired me from the very first day, and that motivated me to pursue a career in photography.

Instagram: @cometeuncactus & @sonia.cometeuncactus