My name is Sarah Norton and I am a photographer originally from South Lake Tahoe California. Growing up in breath taking South Lake Tahoe, I became aware of the magical scenes that surrounded me every day.  During my high school years I started taking pictures with my camera and found that I loved seeing my world through a photo lens. I quickly fell in love with photography, every single aspect of it. It was here in Tahoe where I became interested in capturing not only the beauty of the world, but also the beauty in people through my photography.

I want to use my photography as a means of expression of myself and of others. For me photography is a means of self-expression. It allows one to identify the hidden qualities of character and to understand the realities of not just ourselves but of others. I want to be able to tell a story about the person and be able to convey an emotion. The inspiration for my work comes from contrast between light and dark, which for me is the concept of beauty. I want people to not only see beauty that there is in life, but to also realize that there is beauty in the dark, dramatic, and unique things that people may not always see.  I believe we can find beauty and uniqueness everywhere.

From a very young age I think I have always had this perspective on life. I believe that this inspiration came from being in theater. The stories that I watched and performed in always seemed to have this concept in them. I therefore, draw some of these concepts from theater and try to convey them through my photography.

I have been studying photography for some time. And the more I learn the more it influences me. I am now currently student at the Art Institute of California Hollywood obtaining a bachelor’s degree in digital photography with a specialty in fashion, beauty, and portrait photography. As well as doing collaboration pieces with makeup artist.

- Sarah Norton
www.sarahnorton.net