Sophie was photographed by Stevie Nelson

When did you first pick up a camera?

My first real introduction to photography was a summer course I took in college. It was at a little place called Pittsburgh Filmmakers. They taught us 35mm and Super 8, and one afternoon the teacher showed us how to develop film. It was life changing. I was in the hallway the entire summer hanging up Super 8 film to dry.

When did you realize you wanted to take your passion for photography and turn it into a career?

When the pursuit of the next idea was all I could think about.

Your work captures a certain unique aesthetic that is nostalgic, retro but modern. In your own words, how would you describe your style?

I feel closer to defining my style in every shoot. I have a strong sense of what I am attracted to visually. Surrealist art, mid-century design and film, and a wide variety of illustrators all contribute – all give me that flutter when brainstorming.

How has your aesthetic/style evolved since you first began shooting?

So much has been about learning as I go. About exploring and filtering my personal experiences back through my work. I have always loved mid-century lighting, and that has been an aesthetic pursuit from the beginning. But it has definitely been a lot of, “Oh that’s bad. Oh that’s really bad. Oh wait, wait, that could work. Oh my God the seamless is about to fall!”

When you need to get inspired for a project, what do you usually do?

For a portrait shoot, I like to look up the subject and get a sense of the colors and the environment I might imagine them in if there were no budget constraints. From there, I go back and forth between collections of reference images and doodling until the setups click.

When did you become confident in your craft and work?

I think that it is a lifelong pursuit, but I try to listen as much as possible to that inner guide when making creative decisions. I love Sarah Lewis’s thoughts on the difference between mastery and success. She says, “Mastery is not the same as excellence. It’s not the same as success, which I see as an event, a moment in time, a label that the world confers upon you. Mastery is not a commitment to a goal but to a constant pursuit.”

The shoot with Victoria for the ROSE & IVY November cover is incredible, can you share your inspiration behind the concept?

Thank you so much! It was such a dream team of talented people, and I feel really lucky to have worked with everyone on this. The concept came as I was reading through an interview Victoria had given. I felt she was experiencing a tug-of-war between the public's fascination with her as a rising star and her desire to maintain privacy. I wanted to capture that glowing inner essence that makes her so alluring to people, and have it also feel like a wall of protection. The bell jar setup is one I have incorporated with other performers in the past and is something I want to continue indefinitely. There is an isolation that happens when someone becomes famous, and this setup preserves this moment in their career as they are on public display.

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received when it comes to your creative pursuits?

“Just be prolific Sophie!” - Jimmy Marble

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Portrait courtesy of Sophie Hart

Behind the Cover | Meet Photographer Sophie Hart