Sophie Altemus Wins 2025 Photo Awards, Reveals Personal Influences and Creative Process

Sophie Altemus has been named a winner of the 2025 Photo Awards. Her creative journey is shaped by formative experiences including cross-country drives between California and Ohio, family history with photography through her great-grandparents' Los Angeles camera store, and a vivid childhood memory of food poisoning on her twelfth birthday. Altemus describes her aesthetic as candid and snapshot-like, focusing on honest moments with people close to her, often using a point-and-shoot camera. Her winning image was captured in Los Angeles during a golden-hour moment with friend Bowie, where she found visual interest in the interplay of light and shadow. Currently in her final year of college, Altemus plans to complete a book project while continuing daily creative practices. She cites music, curiosity, bookstores, and supportive relationships as current inspirations. A photo professor's advice to 'think less and make more' guides her approach. Altemus aims to foster creative spaces throughout her lifetime and explore instrument playing and furniture making.