Californian photographer Ceci Miras runs us through her first camera, trajectory of her career, and photography as a “way to communicate, connect, and create.”

34-year-old photographer Ceci Miras says people have described her work “sincere, pure, and a little sad.” Growing up in various cities throughout California, there’s no shortage of emotive experiences to capture on any given street, and Ceci points her lens squarely at the intimate moments of suburban life. We caught up with Ceci for an overview of her coincidental journey to photography, favourite subjects, and the ability of her work to communicate, connect, and create.”

Scroll down for our interview with Ceci alongside her full Frames portfolio, and head here to follow her on Instagram. 

Where did you grow up and start taking photos? What’s your favourite thing to shoot? 

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, here in California, and currently live in Oakland. I started taking photos at the beginning of 2021. One of my cousins gave me a Nikon F2 SLR that belonged to our grand-uncle who was a professional photographer. It was the first time I ever owned a camera and first time shooting film. I don’t think I can choose just one favourite thing to shoot, but a favourite at the moment is people by the water. 

How would you describe your style of photography?

Nostalgic, if that’s a style. I still feel somewhat new to photography, so I feel like my style is still forming. Someone once commented that my photos “feel sincere, pure, and a little sad,” and that description made a lot of sense to me, and I took it as a huge compliment about my work. 

What is it about photography that you enjoy the most?

I like that it automatically makes me more hopeful. When I take my camera out, I anticipate seeing something that will make me stop, or make me feel something, or just the chance of stumbling on a really odd or wonderful coincidence. Just carrying a camera can do that. Everything feels purposeful and present. 

You become attuned to your surroundings and every person or thing contributes to the frame— the colours, shapes, lines, movement. When you’re aware of it all in play, you don’t stress about tomorrow and you don’t really worry about anything else. It’s a strange, exhilarating, and grounding feeling.