No Instant Gratification

Photography By Carianne Older

Photographer Carianne Older talks about being self-taught, shooting for Playboy Magazine, and a not-so-serious approach to photography.

Los Angeles, USA

What is your history as a photographer?

I was working corporate and I was so bored everyday in my office. I had no hobby, so with my holiday bonus I bought a really nice film camera and the rest is history! Shooting became a hobby, I would take photos of my friends, and in return they'd use my camera and take great shots of me. We kept doing that until my little silly film account started to pop off..and here we are, 4ish years later! This hobby went from something I did for fun to something I do for a living!

How did you develop your style over the years? What makes your photography unique?

When I jumped into photography, I didn't even know what I was getting myself into. I'm completely self-taught, I started taking pictures for fun. I think I approach photography in a less serious manner. Not that I don't take the craft seriously – I take it deeply seriously. I have fun with my shoots, I don't want this job of mine to ever feel like work, and I've done a good job at not letting it consume my life. I never want to copy someone or create art that looks like anyone else's, which is where I think the word "unique" comes into play. When other people post my work, my fans are the first to comment saying "wow, Peggy shot this." People can tell my photos apart from others, they stick out in the crowd, and that's something I'm very proud of.

You only shoot with film. How does film let you express yourself versus digital ?

I don't shoot digital so I wouldn't really know! Film is my thing. I've always shot on film. If you want to hire me, it's because you want to be shot on film. I think film is special because you have to wait to see the images. There's no instant gratification.

Tell the story behind one of your images.

PLAYBOY COWGIRL PHOTO

I shot this set for Playboy earlier this spring and it just came out a few weeks ago. This is one of my favorite photos I've taken this year. A funny story is attached to this photo: we brought all those hay bales with us. We hauled them in, and they were so heavy and the hay was just falling right off of them. It was a nightmare. We were all sneezing the whole shoot, and we were covered in dust and dirt from the hay. I will never work with hay again, but it did make the photos look authentic and incredible so I guess it was worth it in the long run!

You shoot for the iconic publication, Playboy. How did this happen? What has your experience been like?

I truly manifested shooting for Playboy. You can ask anyone close to me – it's all I talked about for years, and I guess I talked to enough people that one day someone connected me to the right person and the next thing you know, I was at Playboy having a meeting with their team. I've consistently been shooting them for them for almost 2 years now and I love every second of it!

You released two handbooks that detail how you shoot and include tips on how to reach out to magazines. What inspired you to release these? How did you decide what to include in these handbooks?

During Covid, I was trying to think of something I could do that would inspire other creatives like myself. So I decided to make a handbook! It flew off the shelves (just kidding, it's digital) and people raved so much about it that this summer I dropped part two! I think it has helped inspire people during a very dark time. You can get your digital copy here: https://www.peggyshootsfilm.com/shop

If you could tell 10 year old Carianne anything, what would you tell her?

Anything is possible when you work hard and have a positive outlook on life, no matter what the circumstances are.

What's next for you?

I just shot what I personally think might be my best shoot ever for Playboy. It's for Halloween and I LOVE Halloween so much, it's my favorite season to create for!

To See More Of Carianne’s Work, Follow @peggyshootsfilm