Reader. Thinker. Photographer. Feminist. Activist.

Born in New Orleans, raised in Southern California, and scouted on the streets of LA at the age of fourteen, it may come as a surprise to hear Sophie Koella break into fluent French, but her language skills are hardly the only unexpected thing about her. She’s also a big reader, a trained ballerina, and an accomplished photographer—whether she’s shooting as a photojournalist, a fashion photographer, or a fine artist.

On the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall riots, Sophie was assigned to cover World Pride Day for Models.com, masterfully capturing the exuberance and diversity of the celebration, the layered emotions intrinsic to so many coming out stories, and the increased urgency throughout the crowd to rally in protection of immigrant rights, widening the embrace of the 2019 celebration in the streets.

As adept at capturing her contemporaries at fashion shoots as she is at photojournalism, Sophie’s body of work also includes a series focused on her sister. Aesthetically beautiful and haunted by both caution and love, these images not only conjure the complexity of a sibling relationship, they also manage to engage questions of gender roles and expectations in a manner that seems effortlessly charged with a feminist savvy.

Inspired. Inspiring. Visionary.

@sophiekoella
Sophie Koella Photography

 

Bio by Merrill Feitell

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photos by Sophie Koella

Photos by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photos by Sophie Koella

Photos by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photo by Sophie Koella

Photos by Sophie Koella

Photos by Sophie Koella