Emily Sandifer is a Los Angeles-based photographer and director whose emotive and vibrant work has made waves in the visual arts. An award-winning talent, her acclaimed short film “Into the Valley” won “Best NorCal Short Film 2023” at the Sacramento International Film Festival. As Vice-President of the American Society of Media Photographers, LA Chapter, Emily is deeply committed to advocating for the arts. Her striking photography has graced the pages of major publications like Vogue and Vanity Fair, and she has collaborated with prestigious fashion brands including Cartier and Bulgari.

BELLA explores the artistry and inspirations behind Emily's flourishing career…

As a multifaceted talent - acting, directing, and photographing- what excites you the most in your creative career?

Great teams in great locations, no matter if it’s a film or photoshoot. I love traveling, so anything that also requires a few miles is also wonderful.  

You have a variety of portrait work; how do you go about photographing people?

I adjust quickly depending on the personality of anyone I’m photographing. My acting and directing work has helped me have a great gut instinct on how each person wants or needs to work: how much specific direction they need, how to relax, ground, or uplift them as needed, gain trust, and move in a pace that works for each person.

It’s a balance between ideas I already have and then seeing how each person moves and responds and adjusting from there. It’s done with an empathetic lens. I know how vulnerable and uncomfortable it can be in front of that lens, so I do my best to create a rewarding, collaborative, and safe environment, free of judgement or expectation. The best images are made when the person I’m photographing trusts me and wants to create a moment with me.

When a team is involved, it goes in the same fashion: how does each team member want to work, what does the client need, who is more receptive to collaboration than others, and adjusting to whatever each team member comes up with if it doesn’t end up perfectly suiting what I initially had in mind. Does the team trust me? How can I gain their trust? From there, it’s really lovely to see what you can achieve.

In contrast to your portrait work, there is a variety of stunning night photography to bright scenic landscapes. Can you tell us about how you photograph nature?

I used to say I approach my travel and landscape work (and interiors, etc.) in a similar way I did with people, but I wouldn’t say that anymore. Sure, there is the emotional connection to my subjects as well as any environment I’m photographing. There’s the attention to light and angles, the usual details photographing both. Portraits and travel work equally involve a certain amount of story-telling and finding the balance of the idealistic but authentic view of my subject. 

But, travel photography in all its aspects for me is more about experiencing what’s in front of me and documenting it, and finding the best ways to encompass what it feels like being there. It’s much more therapeutic for me, much less about me giving to the subject, and more about the subject giving back to me. What am I feeling by being in this landscape or in this particular property, home, hotel, etc.?

I would say my portrait work, which I love dearly because of the extraordinary people I’ve met who have enhanced my life and even become my good friends, is centered around me nurturing the subject. In travel work, the subject nurtures me. So, again, it’s all about finding balance in my life. The two sides of my work work well together. With all facets of my photography and filmmaking, I do my best to emote something inspiring or aspirational to the viewer. 

What is your background with working in the fashion and beauty portion of the industry?

I’ve photographed e-comm, lookbooks, campaigns, etc. throughout the years, as well as working on my own personal projects as time allows to continue getting the work I want.

Is there a shoot you’ve done in your career that stands out to you?

Ooof, that would be too difficult to narrow down. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a lot of interesting personalities. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have my photography take me to some of the most beautiful properties in my travel work. The personal work I did during Covid really pushed my style in a direction that I was more inspired by. So, many of those shoots remain my favorite, although I’m ready again for another shift in my work.

How was the process of shooting Bella Insider’s very first issue cover with Mary and Romain Bonnet back in April?

Mary and Romain were incredibly fun and easy to work with. On shoots like this, you don’t get much pre-production, fittings, location scouting, or extensive gear and grip rentals. So, you arrive ready to shoot with as much available light as possible, or easy and quick lighting scenarios, and in whatever amount of space you have. I and my photo assistant/partner TJ did move some things around in the pool and bar area, but otherwise, you just work with what’s there. I’m very comfortable shooting on the fly, so it was an enjoyable few hours with them and the team.

I’ve worked with the makeup artist Luis Casco several times, and it was because of him that I got introduced to Vanessa Coppes, the editor in chief of Bella Magazine. It was a lovely team with Luis, hair stylist Sienna Watson, and stylists Mindy and Paula, along with Bella creative assistant Jennifer MacLellan.  

I shot on digital as well as 120 and 35mm film. My partner TJ assisted me and also came to do some BTS for my own website, but we ended up creating a video specifically for Bella instead.

You state on your website that you will “travel at any opportunity.” What draws you to traveling so much? What excites you about visiting different places of the world?

There is much more to the world than Los Angeles, simply put. As much as I’m proud of the life I’ve built for myself here, there are many things I prefer outside of it: A different type of perspective from the people who are living in different areas, the weather and light in different places, etc.

Also, much of what I’m drawn to personally as well as creatively works against the “LA style” sometimes, but I still do value what Los Angeles has to offer. It’s nice to grow your career here, but even nicer to escape to Scotland as much as I’m able to, to de-stress, get centered, and find inspiration again (and, where I finally completed this interview). Scotland is a place where I have no problem being in the present moment, whereas the day-to-day hustle in LA feels very much like living in my head with all the obstacles of what I need to do and want to do while maintaining my businesses.

From my first international trip (Japan in 2005-2007) - and well before that while traveling the US with my family as a kid - I’ve become obsessed going to as many new places as I can. Fun fact: I dream about being in a hotel or traveling nearly every single night…

Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of Bella Magazine?

If you’d like to keep up with my photography and filmmaking, you can follow me on Instagram at @emilysandiferphoto. My travel work is at @ladyemilytravels. If you want to work with me, you can email me at EmilySandiferPhoto@gmail.com. My website is: EmilySandiferPhoto.com. 

And, lastly, a film that I directed, co-produced, and edited called “Into the Valley” is screening locally at the SIMI Film Festival in September. It recently won the International Award of Merit in Scotland at the West Lothian Film Festival and Best Shorts Director via London Women Film Festival. This was a project that writer, producer, and lead actress, Emily Somers, spearheaded when she optioned the rights to the novel by Ruth Galm to write a feature length script. Somers brought me on board in 2021 to direct and produce alongside her for the short film/proof of concept version. Really tragically, she recently passed away, and so I’m continuing her dream as best as I can. Follow me to keep up with details and hope to see you there.

Thanks for reading!