Life & Work with Sydney Mason of Chapel Hill

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Mason

Sydney, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Most stories start out with, “Well, I’ve been doing this since I was little.” I surprised myself when I started to look back and realized that I actually have been, too. I grew up with a camera in the house. My parents and I were always snapping away. As I got older, I loved looking back at old files and laughing at different photos. My mom bought me a new camera around 2020 when everyone was stuck at home. I decided to learn how to use it, and took it into my first year of college. Freshman year, I took photos of my friends for the memories. If it wasn’t for them, I would have never realized I wanted to take this seriously. Sophomore year, my friend from home helped me set up my social media so I could post all of my photos. I knew I didn’t want to just take photos of my friends anymore. I wanted to be as professional as I could, taking editorial and portrait photos. Throughout college, you learn a lot about yourself. I learned that I love to be outside and find an adventure anywhere I could. With that, I started getting into landscape photography so I could photograph the places I loved and discovered. I still have a lot to learn, but I have learned so much and know that photography is the thing that brings me the most joy.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been anything but a smooth road. I became so creatively passionate about photography that I lost my motivation in school. People say that a basketball can take you places you can’t even dream of. I believe it’s the same with a camera. This little device in my room could take me places as long as I keep snapping. My focus would be all over the place and there have been many nights I’ve spent crying, just trying to find my way, but I’m confident in where I’m at now on my photography journey.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a portrait and landscape photographer. My work has been uplifted around my campus and people recognize me as a photographer they can count on for any type of photos. Not only am I proud of putting myself out there, but I’m proud of how I portray myself. Social media plays a big role in photography as socials like Instagram are meant specifically for photos, so not only do I display my photos, but I display them creatively. This could be through my reels or from the way I post them artistically.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love how much of a home it feels like. My parents know many people through the university so Chapel Hill feels like one big family. I regret not discovering more of it as I grew up so I truly don’t know much about the city, but I love how big it also seems. There are many back roads to drive through with animals to view and a lake to be excited about. The only thing I dislike about Chapel Hill is how fast it is expanding. It has always felt like my small town so seeing all the new construction projects makes me a little sad. At the end of the day, more people will get to understand this place and discover their home, as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sydmason.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shotbysydd_?igsh=NmJybjNxaXJ4ajM0
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thesydneymason?feature=shared