Please welcome our Featured Artist for last month’s Inner Lens theme, Sonia Epple Fotografie!
Hi Sonia, please tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a photographer with all my heart and passion, at the same time wife and mom of 3 beautiful, lovely and amazing children!
I’m a cosmopolitan, born in france, half english, half german and I lived in different countries. Quite complicated, but I love diversity and colorful life stories.
I went through a lot in my life as two of my fathers died while I was growing up, but I learned that there is always good in life and that when you look close enough you can find beauty everywhere.
How do you incorporate emotion into your photography work?
To show different emotions and moods is my main focus, because I believe that emotions and mood will speak to people watching the pictures in the future. Pictures that don’t do storytelling are not timeless and won’t be appreciated so much I believe. It’s the raw emotions that make you stop and look at a picture again and again and that even speak to your soul.
What has photography taught you about your own emotions?
They have taught me that art feeds the soul. When I take pictures it actually helps me deal with my own emotions. I am able to create something out of my soul and sometimes I realize what I am actually longing for by looking at something I have just created.
Has photography ever provided a healing outlet for you during a difficult time?
Absolutely. Photography and Art is my way of dealing with what I am going through in life. The last year hasn’t been easy. We have had quite a difficult time as a family. My mum got diagnosed with cancer early last year and had to undergo treatment. My father died 10 years ago and we still have a little brother that we needed to take care off while my mum was in hospital. At the same time we had difficulties with our middle son who was diagnosed with a brainstem auditory processing disorder and our oldest son dealing with a early childhood traumata. All of this was a heavy load to carry for me and my husband and still is. But I have realized that taking pictures really has helped me to let go of the darkness that I was sometimes feeling. Being able to put all those feelings into my art was helping me let go off them and see life more positively. When I actually look at those pictures that really speak from my soul I can actually make my soul understand that it’s ok to feel that way and then also find a way to those happy moments again. Does that all make sense? It does to me – I hope it encourages the one or the other to also use photography as a way of a healing outlet.
Please share five favorite images with emotional meaning for you.
“my soul needs love”
“the veiled bride – lost, confused and blind”
“Silence is an enemy Against your urgency So rally up the demons of your soul – green day”
“awake my soul – mumford&sons”
“too many decisions to take – smoke is coming from my brain”
Thank you for sharing your time and talent with us this past month, Sonia! To see more of Sonia’s work, please visit her website: www.soniaepplefotografie.com and be sure to follow her on Facebook, Flickr, and Instagram!
