SARA RUBINSTEIN

A simple truth: Sara is incapable of putting down a camera.

Raised in the rural South, half Jewish and half German, identity was elusive. My teenage self found limited access to art, pop culture, or a good bagel; those teenage years left me starved for something tangible that could speak with me, for me, through me. It wasn’t clear to me yet, but I was incapable of putting down a camera.

I spent four years at Carleton College studying Biology and German. My worst grade outside of Organic Chemistry was a “C” in the only photography class I ever took. My father kindly suggested perhaps I could buy postcards instead of wasting film. This shift would leave me free to pursue a sensible career in medicine or law. Practicality aside, I could not put down a camera.

College complete, photography consumed me. For money, I waitressed in Japanese restaurants, earning tips and purchasing one lens at a time, methodically. I began photo-assisting some of the great advertising photographers of the time. For a hazy number of years, I worked obsessively on my craft, alternating between assisting and creating my style of work. I shot everything –  racehorses, Muay Thai boxers, motorcycles, pro golfers, lawyers, athletes, landscapes, politicians – anything that I could manifest with a lens. I could not put down the camera.

Clients noticed. One shoot at a time, my portfolio and business grew. Over time I learned the greatest gift was humanity. Making pictures became a collaboration, each production and image greater than the sum of its parts. Collaboration became the magic. My relationship with the camera began to shift slightly, but I still couldn’t put down the camera.

The transition to directing commercials with story, transitions, flow, and purpose was simultaneously both natural and challenging. I took acting classes; I learned how to better direct talent and real people on camera. I learned the subtleties of camera movement and blocking. I developed the skills to shift between motion and stills to ensure both mediums could resonate as compelling on one set. I collaborated with bigger teams: with incredible agency creatives, DPs, set designers, lighting teams, and producers. Still, even when directing motion with a dedicated DP, I keep the camera hanging around my neck, ready to go. I cannot put it down.

I discovered I’m an introvert who loves connecting with people. I was taught that creating great imagery means being fearless with the camera. I broke some ceilings. A few others left me grounded, licking my wounds. I learned if you stay present and calm, shoots always work out just as they need to. I learned to believe in artistic vision and how to intertwine it with the demands of a layout or client need. I learned how to drink my coffee black. I got a 142-day streak on Duolingo. I will always love R.E.M. I don’t match my socks. Horseback riding helps my brain rest. I don’t eat blue cheese. I can eat the same meal every day without boredom. Cloudy weather is my favorite. I like the cold. I learned I’d rather leave this earth with relationships versus a portfolio. I learned the portfolio still means something to me.

Here we are. And she still can’t put down the camera.

Read about Sara on Leica's site: Sara Rubinstein Her Legacy with Leica Camera