I strive to make my photography have a purpose. I want to use my camera to make a difference in the world. While I photograph a wide variety of subjects, my main focus is portraiture. People are truly fascinating and I love the challenge of not only capturing their image, but telling a story and/or portraying an emotion. A photographer that really influences me, is Sebastião Salgado. I admire how his photos visibly reflect a personal connection to his subjects. Most importantly, his photos are not only beautiful to look at, but have brought around social change by bringing awareness to issues around the world and motivating people to take action. I aim to do the same with my work.

Elia Lara