Last Updated on 03/18/2024 by Chris Gampat
“I feel the work I do definitely is categorized as art,” says photographer Carianne Older to the Phoblographer in an interview. “I am taking timeless photos for people that will live forever. A lot of people out there are just taking iPhone photos or videos for the sake of content.” For sure, a ton of work goes into Carianne’s photographs. She’s been hired by Playboy, Cadillac, Interscope, Sony, Universal and so many more. Oh, and she shoots film!
All images by Carianne Older. Used with permission. Follow her @carianneolder and at her website.
A lot of hard work goes into my photoshoots. From the creative direction to the set builds – it’s a collaboration of a bunch of different art forms that go into making a photograph.
Carianne Older
Carianne started out as a hobby photographer who was passionate about the art form when working at Abrams Artists Agency as an assistant in the talent department. Like so many people, she got bored with corporate America. Unlike so many people, she didn’t sit back and just take it — Carianne needed a creative outlet. “…so I picked up photography as a little hobby to do on the weekends and after work, and then it took over my life in the best way possible!” For so many photographers, those words sound like a dream.
In time, Carianne amassed some big clients. Even more impressive is that she’s using film alongside digital a lot. Mostly, she’s attached to her Canon AE-1 and uses it on pretty much every one of her shoots. Additionlly, she also reaches for a Yashica T4. “My other favorite that’s also in my camera bag is my Yashica T4 point-and-shoot camera,” she tells us. “As a photographer who primarily shoots film, it’s always important to shoot with a few cameras at the same time as they’re old cameras, and you never know if something could happen to one of them at any given moment.” She also uses a Fujifilm Instax Wide camera.
The images in Carianne’s portfolio combine wild posing and a candid feeling that’s so incredibly human and nostalgic. They do this while embracing the modern. Her work intertwines elements from the past ranging from pinup culture to the party scenes of the 90s and later. That leads to something even more wonderful about her work: she adores prints.
“I have a lot of my own art framed around my home,” Carianne tells us. “I recently made an Etsy shop to sell my prints after some random seller stole an image of mine and sold it online. I had to have my lawyer remove it – it was a whole thing.” This made her ensure that her work is copyrighted. Her copyrighted prints, like most of her work is shot vertically. This too is similar to what a lot of vintage media did, especially in the 645 format.
Shooting vertical is the way of the internet. Everyone loves a vertical photo, they perform well and people love that whole screen view. I get thrilled whenever people buy my prints, it means that my work will live on in someone’s home, which is a very special thought.
Carianne Older
Of course, people who shoot film also have deep feelings about AI imagery — and Carianne can’t stand it. In fact, she doesn’t see the point of them. “I just fear it may take away jobs from actual photographers, such as myself,” she says. “Photography is so special, to be able to capture someone’s essence and beauty – I don’t want a computer generated app to take that away.”
AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT
The Phoblographer works with human photographers to verify that they’ve actually created their work through shoots. These are done by providing us assets such as BTS captures, screenshots of post-production, extra photos from the shoot, etc. We do this to help our readers realize that this is authentically human work. Here’s what this photographer provided for us.