Over the past five years, photographer Farah Sosa has captured many of the LA Phil’s events at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and The Ford, collecting impactful and tangible reminders of the good times we shared—whether they be from the stage, in the audience, or behind the scenes.

When she’s not peering into the viewfinder of a camera, you might find Sosa helping a young photographer do the very same thing. As a mentor for the Boyle Heights-based nonprofit Las Fotos Project, she works with teenage girls and gender-expansive youth at The Ford, guiding and encouraging them along their own creative endeavors in photography.

From her first photo credits as a student in Guatemala to making a full career for herself in Southern California, this is Farah Sosa’s journey.

How did you first become interested in photography?

During my teenage years in Guatemala, I was a correspondent for a newspaper’s teen writers section where we were taught the basics of film photography. My father, who lived in LA, on one of his visits was offered three used cameras that still had film in them, on the condition that I use them. I must have been around 14 or 16 years old. That’s how I began taking photos. It was a time when opportunities for women in photography were limited.

When I moved to the U.S. about 20 years ago, I put photography aside, unsure of what life had in store. But once I settled in Los Angeles, the city’s diverse music scene awoke my interest in documenting its sounds, and I started doing music photography.

What was the first photograph you were proud of?

It’s hard to choose just one when so many come to mind. With every shot, my work evolves, and the next one becomes my new favorite. But I do remember a photo I took of an elderly woman sitting alone in a park, staring into the distance. Her wrinkles and the texture of her skin contrasted beautifully against a blurred background. She never noticed me. I’m not sure if I was proud of it, but her expression stayed with me. I see it sometimes in performers and audiences today, and I always try to capture it as truthfully as possible.

Who are some photographers you admire?

I admire Annie Leibovitz for her ability to tell grand stories through framing. Her images feel larger than life. I enjoy a wide lens that includes a lot of content for you to discover and many elements in one frame. Stanley Kubrick’s photography also inspires me—his one-point perspective, symmetry, and immersive angles are techniques I often incorporate into my work. And then there’s B+ (Brian Cross). I might be biased because he’s a friend, but his documentation of music history, from hip-hop to reggae, keeps me inspired. His work reminds me of the importance of preserving music’s legacy through photography.

What’s your favorite type of live performance to photograph?

I thrive on challenges—situations that push my limits. I love energetic, fast-paced performances where the music is loud and the stage is alive with movement, whether it’s an opera or a cumbia.

But I also appreciate the quiet moments when there’s little movement, allowing me to capture the softness and delicate beauty of a performance. I enjoy that balance between intensity and stillness.

As a mentor for Las Fotos Project, what advice do you give to aspiring photographers?

Master one thing at a time. If it doesn’t feel right, explore something else, but keep practicing until you find what truly makes you happy. Sometimes it takes longer to find that “thing,” but you won’t get there unless you keep moving forward. This applies to life as well.

Maybe you start as a live music photographer, but it doesn’t fulfill you. Then you try band photoshoots and enjoy it, only to later discover your passion is fashion photography, capturing people posing for the camera.