Sophia La Brava

My story begins with a fascination of this great big world. When I was a girl, my mother ignited my love for stories through books and films. Raised in the suburbs of Southern California, I grew up biking the neighborhood and dreaming up my own world with markers and colored pencils.

It wasn’t until high school that I discovered photography. I took a film photography class, where we learned to process our own film in a dark room. It was like magic, watching images slowly appear, moments I had captured. One day, I came upon my mother’s old photography books. I spent afternoons pouring over them, marking each page with a favorite photograph.

In university, I studied for a year in Italy. We studied the greats like Raphael and Michelangelo, Picasso and Van Gogh. I traveled Europe by train, documenting my travels with a camera and pen. I visited the greats in museums, drank lots of wine, and curated my growing curiosity.

Years later, I found myself living in Guatemala working for a small non-profit. My days were spent chasing sunsets and children. Weekends were spent at the local market, streets lined with baskets of fresh papayas and bananas. Our house sat in a green valley, surrounded by blue mountains. Home was dirt roads, motorbikes, and aluminum-roofed houses of every color.

After living and working in Guatemala for a few years, I developed a passion for storytelling with purpose. Life in Guatemala was raw and vulnerable. And that’s how I would describe my creative goal.

I want my photos and films to reflect people and places as honestly as I see them. Imperfect, colorful and wildly beautiful. I think my visual style lies somewhere in between it all. I like art like my food, colorful and full of flavor.

I love a story that tells the truth. I love a story that inspires. But most of all, I love stories because of their power to connect us. To break down walls and build bridges. To realize we are more alike than our differences.

I am happiest when traveling and creating something meaningful. I love eating food, finding cool tunes, and exploring new places. You can often find me in the middle of a conversation or busting an awkward move.

Thank you for reading! Let’s create together!