Imagine feeling totally free to create. A state in which you can explore ideas without the shackles of time or the judgement of others. That’s how Laura Zalenga feels about her self-portrait photography, and when you see her work, understand her perspective and realise the lack of barriers to doing it, it’s a great place to be. Just her, a camera, and unlimited opportunities.

“Like many others, when I started, I just photographed the things around me,” she explains, “but soon I found a curiosity for humans. The thing is, when you’re learning, you don’t want to bother anyone else or waste their time. So, I entered the world of self-portraiture. Although today I also work professionally as a portrait photographer, capturing other peoples’ stories, self-portraiture remains one of the important parts of my practice. For me, it’s a space of complete creative freedom and experimentation. It energises me as much as it challenges me to grow. Over the years, it has become a way to explore questions of identity, belonging and what it means to be a human being. Because I am both photographer and subject, I can investigate these themes without compromise or external expectations.”

Deliberate and thoughtful, Laura’s images wear this freedom openly, from her choice of locations and clothing, to the ways she places her body in the frame. “My images are often minimalistic and visually simple, but they are usually built around larger questions. I’m interested in themes such as connection, identity and our relationship with the world around us. I like to create visual metaphors that invite reflection. So I aim not to be recognisable in most of my imagery, as they are not about “Laura” but about concepts that I hope can be interpreted beyond the individual.”

Often shot outdoors in meadows, trees, or rocky cliffs, a big part of her intention is to show the interaction between humans and nature, often mimicking shapes she finds, or fitting herself into natural apertures. “Many of my concepts explore the relationship between humans and nature. I’m interested in the idea that we are not separate from the natural world but part of it. In a time when many people feel increasingly disconnected, I try to show that state honestly or create images that reflect a sense of interconnectedness. Nature is never a backdrop to me but always seen as a partner in composing.”

Her setup is simple, a Sony Alpha 7C II and a tripod, though she sometimes improvises by placing her camera on a tree stump or her backpack if inspiration strikes spontaneously. “But in almost all cases, I also connect my phone to the camera using the Sony Creators’ app,” she explains. “Anyone who tries making self-portraits will find it an amazingly useful tool. It’s like I’ve taken the camera screen into the scene with me. I look at my position in the frame, set the self-timer, put my phone out of sight, and intentionally forget about the camera for a moment.”

“But the app goes much further,” she says. “You can also control all the major settings, for example adjusting exposure, as well as changing the AF mode and see exactly where it’s focused, just like on the regular screen. With modes like Sony’s eye-detection AF, I can move into the scene and know it’s focused exactly where it’s supposed to be, even at very wide apertures. No more prefocusing at f/8.”

“The way I work often involves fitting myself into a location like a puzzle piece,” Laura explains, “and when I started with self-portraits I’d need to come back to the camera if the light changed, or to review the images. But now I never have to, so I can be more adventurous and free. The app saves me a huge amount of time that I can then put into the parts the camera can’t do for me such as the concept, emotions and story.”

“Then there are the new Custom Looks,” she continues. “I thought there was just a limited selection, but you can do so much more by customising them yourself. I’ve been working with a film look, which I tweaked to my style, lowering contrast, crushing highlights and lifting blacks, while adding saturation. I compared the JPG to how I’d develop my RAWs and it was quite close. It was impressive to see something similar to the results of my editing workflow but straight out of the camera. That allows me to share beautiful previews with clients or on social media right away. Additionally, it means I can see the world through my personal Custom Look through the viewfinder and camera screen while photographing, which adds a whole extra layer of fun.”

Her Alpha 7C II fits perfectly into these projects, Laura says. “I love it. It’s compact and light, but without compromise. 33Mp, with great ISO and dynamic range, and it’s fast. A lot of the time, I’m hiking to scout locations, but I always like to have the camera with me in case I find a scenario that can’t simply be returned to. Not carrying heavier, bigger gear allows me to be free in my exploration, like climbing into trees and scrambling over rocks more easily.”

“After many years of working professionally, publishing, teaching and exhibiting internationally, I still believe curiosity and experimentation are the most important parts of the creative process. Photographers often have incredible ideas when they’re beginners,” she finishes, “but then lose the sense of exploration as they become more technically proficient. For many people I mentor, work has turned into a routine with far less creativity and passion. In lectures and workshops I aim to teach how to foster that sense of magic people had at the start, the freedom, the imagination and the curiosity. Self-portraits remain my favourite way of staying close to that state. They are a space where one can continue to learn and forget, fail and grow, test and wonder.”

You can see more of Laura's work on her website and Instagram.