Photography wasn’t always Charlotte Feinstein’s favorite hobby. An “artsy” girl since she was young, Feinstein ’12 always had a passion for fashion. From a young age, she was fascinated with the “ins and outs” of the fashion industry, taking various classes in New York City to gain more knowledge. Now, at age 17, Feinstein has discovered that she is a natural at photography.

“To be honest I was always really into fashion design, but a year or two ago, I fell in love with photography, with the lighting, the composition, and the aesthetics,” said Feinstein. “It got me through a really hard time in my life and I have been passionate about it ever since.”

When looking at her work, its hard to imagine that she only began taking photos a couple of years ago. In both her black-and-white stills and her color stills, Feinstein shows a knack for getting a remarkable amount of emotion from her subjects.

Her subjects, most interestingly, happen to be her best friends. Both Anna Gerla ’12 and Annabel Burchill ’12 have been friends with Feinstein from the very beginning of her love for the arts, and they enjoy being a part of it.

“I think it’s fun helping her out. I like getting dressed up and going to random pretty places,” said Gerla. “It’s cool to see how the pictures turn out.”

Quite possibly the most difficult part about being a young photographer is facing the criticism from certain peers. Luckily for Feinstein, she has been met with serious positive reinforcement. Jon Wormser ’12 has this to say about Feinstein’s artistic journey. “I think its really cool what Charlotte’s doing. I know a lot of people are clicking the link to her website because it has really interesting shots.”

Wormser, when he mentions “what she has been doing,” is referring to Feinstein’s most recent work, which highlights several of her friends, including Gerla, posing in nearby nature areas. The shots come off incredibly professional, and the settings that she chooses are certainly less than ordinary.

Drawing inspirations from the likes of legends such as Irving Penn and Steven Klein, Feinstein likes to look at her future in a very mature way.

“It was a very tough decision even though I love photography so much. There definitely is a difference between an arts and liberal arts school but I decided I want to learn as much as I can and get all the experience,” said Feinstein.

While some photographers jump straight for art school after High School, Feinstein is focusing on appealing to all of her artistic palette. Whether it is going to a school that focuses on her fashion, photography, or strictly liberal arts, Feinstein has an incredibly bright future ahead of her.

Gerla, when asked about Feinstein’s future, simply had this to say: “Her pictures are beautiful and if you don’t believe me, look at all the views she has on her blog: over 3,000.”

To visit Charlotte’s blog, please click here.