Tell us a little about yourself? My name is Carly Zinga, and I am 17 years old and I grew up on Australia’s Northern Beaches. To me, photography is my way of showing the world brief moments of beauty and unconstrained youth. The unpredictable nature of life has stirred something inside of me, willing me to travel the world and explore new places and meet new people. In the past year, my photography has allowed me to share my thoughts and imaginings across the world, opening opportunities and creating memories I will never forget. What gear do you generally work with? I generally shoot with a digital DSLR camera, either on land or underwater, yet I would love to experiment with the medium of Polaroid. I have always found the colours along with the mood stunning. I also work with fashion in a lot of my shoots. Even though there is usually a stylist on hand, I like to have a lot of input into what the model wears. So, I still love going out with a close friend and a bag full of clothes from my wardrobe, and styling the shoot myself. What do you love the most about photography? I take photos as a way to remember my life, as I treasure those small moments that others tend to pay less attention too. I guess this grew into photographing people I find interesting and unique, people that I befriend, and together creating something beautiful. Is there any message or ideas you’d like to convey through your work? If so, what? I never set out to convey a message through my images, as I believe each person I capture through my lens has their own story their own emotions. However, personally I look for beauty. Although this is something different for everyone, for me, it is simplicity, it tells the truth. Are there any particular things or people that have had an influence on your art practice? I do look to those big names in photography for inspiration, but also photographers and stylists who are upcoming and maybe not as well known.. yet. I can see myself in them, as we are both going through the same experiences in
the industry. If I had to name my biggest inspirations, it would be Julia Trotti and Lucia Pang. I have watched both of these girls photography grow and seen them travel the world. I can only hope to be somewhere where they are one day. Tell us a little about your thought/ creative process when it comes to organising a shoot. I am constantly on the look for inspiration. When my mind does not have to think about school, it is constantly looking at the world around me, wondering weather I can use it in a photoshoot. An idea usually comes to me in a dream. I can visualise the location, the model and the styling, but never predetermine the final composition. That is one thing, I leave up to instincts and the conditions on the day. I always utilize the sun in different ways. It has a way of altering the atmosphere of a photograph, depending on where you place your subject. Also, in the final editing process, I like to keep things natural, simple. I highlight certain colours that I wish to emphasize in an image, but never like to over-edit. Best advice you’ve ever been given? The best piece of advice I have ever been given is “No.” Just these two letters have driven me to be better than I am, to continuously progress and never give up. When I first entered the industry, my photographs were knocked back again and again. At first it’s hard to hear, but I have found that you begin to forget the “no’s”, and instead concentrate on those positive replies. Now, I am hearing back from many of those magazines that said “no” a couple of years ago. Although small, and ‐lettered usually considered insignificant, this two- word changed the way I viewed the world. What are you working on at the moment? Right now, I am concentrating on finishing high school, and working on some underwater fashion photography for my visual arts major work. In between these and school assessments, I’m outside photographing for magazines, which is where my passion lies. You can see more of Carly’s work at www.carlyzinga.4ormat.com