Emotive Outdoor Portrait Photography Finds Beauty in the Small Things

Aspiring biologist Cristina Hoch has a love for the natural world that runs deep within her dark and emotive images. Be it the way light falls on a subject or the universe of freckles on a face, Cristina's ability to pair small life moments with intense human emotion leaves you feeling a connection to the vulnerability of each subject. Her unique style of pairing strong shadows with bold contrast lends to a powerful experience for her audience.

We were grateful to catch a glimpse of Cristina's process with a Behind The Lens look into her outdoor portrait photography!

Photographer Cristina Hoch pairs bold contrast and intense human emotion to create unforgettable imagery. Learn how Cristina captures her outdoor portrait photography our exclusive interview below!

Tell us a bit about your journey into photography?

I started taking photos in 2009 when I was sixteen and I've been in love photography since then.

What are some of your interests?

In terms of photography, I want to keep it as a hobby. I enjoy taking photographs and processing them but I want to work as a biologist. That's what I'm studying and my true passion.

Your photographs are full of deep emotion that has a way of speaking to the soul of a person, what qualities do you believe make an incredible portrait?

I think that simple things like focusing on small details like, eyes, freckles, lips, or even light hitting in the right place makes for some interesting photographs.

A lot of your photographs are portraits of your younger sister. How long have you been photographing her?

I've been taking portraits of my sister since I started taking photos. She has always been my favorite model and biggest inspiration.

Do you and your sister María enjoy shooting together?

We love it! We take photos almost everyday when we're together. She even gets jealous when I shoot other models!

You often call your sister your muse, what about her inspires your photography?

I'm inspired often just with her look or her facial expressions. I've always love beauty and I think she's one of the most beautiful people, and I'm not just saying that being her sister, I say it as objective as I can. She has an exotic and unique beauty, and since she was two or three years old, she has had an intense and adult gaze.

It's amazing to see your style evolve as the years have passed, how would you define your current style?

I wouldn't know how to define it. I've never based my photography on any pre-establish style..

Some of your photographs look like memories from moments in nature. What are your favorite locations?

I like to go to the river here in my town, there is green color everywhere and I love it! I also enjoy taking photographs near the sea.

What message do you want your photographs to convey?

I would like to say that my photographs shows my love for nature, either in a forest, in a river, in freckles, in mountains or in two eyes.

What challenges have you faced while creating?

I have had to deal with stormy days, giant dogs, snakes in the grass and a lot of things like that. But I love it and I take these experiences as adventures.

What's a must have in your gear bag?

My 50mm lenses and my phone. I love taking photos with each of these.

How much post processing goes into a completed photo?

I think that post processing is one of the most important things in my photographs. I spend about 30-45 minutes to make them as I want. In my portraits, I try to enhance special details like freckles, if the model has them, as well as cheekbones or eyes by sharpening and illuminating them. I also overexpose and underexpose different areas depending on the shadows I want to create.

What are your plans for the future?

Enjoying life and nature with my lover and all the people I love.

Do you have any advice for aspiring photographers?

It can always be a good moment to have a perfect portrait, with the perfect gust of wind, the perfect ray of light or the perfect piece of moss so always carry your camera with you.