Sophie Weil (senior) is using her passions in photography to build connections and make a name for herself. A Media Arts and Culture (MAC) major from Santa Rosa, CA, Weil has photographed 70 concerts across LA and has no intentions of slowing down any time soon.
“When I’m shooting concerts, I want my photos to stand out in a big net of other concert photographers in LA,” Weil said. “I want them to look as non-realistic as possible. I love when I hear that my concert photos have a certain recognizable style that’s unique because that’s what makes musicians want to hire me for my visual style over someone else’s.”
August Liefeld (senior) is a musician who has known Weil since their first year. Liefeld said Weil has taken photos of his shows in the past, and has done various album art and promotion work for him.
“She has really unique vision,” Liefeld said. “I feel like I could see a Sophie [Weil] concert photo and instantly know that she took it.”
Liefeld said he believes Weil has an especially good eye for color. According to Weil, she also focuses on taking photographs from new perspectives.
“I am often thinking about how to find an interesting angle or perspective that’s different from photographing my subject straight on or from a normal height,” Weil said.
Isabella Harding (senior) is Weil’s current roommate. Harding has attended concerts with Weil to write reviews of the artists that she photographs and has seen Weil in action.
“She’s very direct […] she’ll talk to any security, she’ll talk to anyone and be like ‘This is what I’m here to do and this is what I’m doing,'” Harding said, “She is the most ambitious person I know. If she wants something, she will be getting it.”
Weil said photography experience has made her more sure of herself.
“I’ve definitely become a lot more confident that my work is good, [even] outside a student perspective,” Weil said.
Beyond watching and photographing shows, Harding and Weil have done joint photoshoot-interviews with artists like Laura Elliot and The Wrecks. Harding said Weil is kind to everyone they meet and is dedicated to turning out photos quickly, editing all night after concerts if necessary.
“I’ve recommended her to a few of my musician friends, and they’re all super happy with everything she’s done and how it turns out,” Harding said. “Everyone I know loves her.”
Weil said she began photography in her hometown of Santa Rosa, CA, crediting her dad for giving her first camera. According to Weil, she began her photography career doing portraits of her friends and the people in her town, and started photographing concerts during her gap year before Occidental.
“I started taking photos of local shows just in my suburbs,” Weil said. “It wasn’t really that interesting […] I knew when I was coming to Oxy in LA that I could get into bigger shows and network with the musicians down here.”
After Occidental, Weil said she hopes to continue her work become even more involved in the music industry — whether that’s concert photography, videography or artist or event management.
“I would love to tour with artists and do content creation and photography and videography, or do marketing and content creation at a label,” Weil said. “Concert photography, like pursuing that profession, is definitely my little pipe dream.”
Weil said that while she barely gets paid, especially for concert photography, she has still gained valuable experiences from photography.
“[Photography] keeps me grounded […] It gives me a life outside of the [Occidental] bubble,” Weil said. “I’ve definitely made a lot of friends in LA through my photography, that I’m very proud of.”
While participating in an InternLA internship at the Grammy Museum, Weil contributed a photograph to the museum’s Roxy: 50 and Still Rockin exhibit honoring The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood. Weil said that when she heard her boss needed a photo of the marquee, she took it upon herself to get the shot.
According to Liefeld, not only does Weil put effort into the photos she takes, she is very caring toward the people around her.
“She just always goes and puts in the extra mile for all of her friends,” Liefeld said. “She does have so much stuff going on in her own life, but she still makes time to make sure that she’s helping her friends and stuff like that.”
Harding said she admires Weil’s dedication and the care she puts into things.
“She’s just so determined and passionate and driven,” Harding said. “You can really tell that this is like, what she wants to do and what she cares about, and she puts everything into it. I think it reflects on her work, and I think people are noticing it.”
Contact Ava Anderson at aanderson5@oxy.edu