Sapna Reddy’s story on her Alpha Universe profile reads, “The pursuit of photography has been a spiritual journey filled with happiness every step of the way. I live in California and love immersing myself in the natural beauty that surrounds us. I believe nature has an inherent healing power. Through my images I hope to share that healing effect of nature. I split my time equally between medicine and photography. As a radiologist I analyze images in an attempt to achieve cure. As a photographer I aspire to generate images that help to heal the mind.”

We connected with Sapna to learn more about her, her photography and why she switched to Sony Alpha gear. Read more about her below and visit her profile for more.

Learn more about landscape photographer Sapna Reddy and why she aims to create images that heal the mind.

Photo by Sapna Reddy. Sony α7R III. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/60-sec., f/8, ISO 100

Career Snapshot

I am currently pursuing a dual career in medicine and photography. As a radiologist I analyze images in order to establish diagnosis for the various illnesses that affect the human body. As a photographer I aspire to generate images that help to heal the mind. I believe nature has an inherent healing power. A holistic approach that heals the body and mind I feel is more efficacious. Conventionally sterile whitewashed walls of hospitals have a sense of intimidation. The display of beautiful images of nature removes that feeling and instead incorporates an ambiance of healing. Having always loved spending time in nature, I had renewed purpose when inspired to generate images that would help me to share that therapeutic effect with others. 

I started capturing landscape images and donating them to medical centers. That journey gradually evolved into one of creative expression and my images started to gain traction with a larger audience. I currently split my time equally between both fields. Some of the images I generate are currently sold in 80 countries worldwide through different channels including the international art gallery franchise Yellowkorner. I enjoy teaching and have conducted both national and international workshops. Currently I offer private workshops that emphasize developing one's individual creative style in artistic expression.

Photo by Sapna Reddy. Sony α7R IV. Sony 12-24mm f/4 G. 1-sec., f/18, ISO 100

Why I Use Sony

Being a Nikon user for a long time, when it came to upgrading my D800e I looked at the options available. I felt that mirrorless technology would be the wave of the future and that regular DSLR would slowly get phased out similar to old film cameras. Sony was clearly a pioneer in the field of mirrorless technology having gone through several iterations and fine tuned their cameras. Initially it was a struggle trying to switch over to an entirely new system, replacing not just my camera bodies but the entire gamut of lenses with native Sony glass. I feel it was worth the effort and am so glad to have made the switch to Sony. In addition to being lighter the Sony fits well in my hand, delivers excellent high ISO capability, unparalleled IBS and the bright monitoring mode is a boon for night shooting. I was really impressed by both the speed of focus and the tack sharp images generated with my new Sony lenses. The increased resolution played a significant factor in the quality of large sized prints. It was a steep learning curve when switching camera systems, but once I got used to the new system it felt like I had been using it all along.

Photo by Sapna Reddy. Sony α7R IV. Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master. 1/40-sec., f/11, ISO 2000

My Go-To Sony Gear

I carry two bodies with me Sony α7R IV and Sony α7R III usually pre-mounted with the lenses I expect to use in the field. Being a nature photographer, I tend to take images that go from wide angle to extreme telephoto and everything in between. The lenses I carry are the Sony 12-24mm f/4 G, Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master, Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master, and the Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master. Depending on the subject and quality of light, I vary the use of my lenses significantly. For night shots I prefer the 16-35mm f/2.8 GM. When I am in the mountains I tend to use my telephoto lens quite extensively. (Read more about some of the gear she’s used in her What’s In My Bag article.)

Photo by Sapna Reddy. Sony α7R III. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/20-sec., f/11, ISO 1250

What Photography & The Sony Community Means To Me

The incorporation of art is known to enhance the quality of our lives and have a profound impact on our well-being. This is especially true in my life. The pursuit of photography for me has been a joyous journey with every step drawing me deeper into the exhilaration of the art. Working in the hospital during this recent pandemic has made me realize how vulnerable we are not only to the illnesses that plague our bodies but the mental vulnerability that comes with such a situation.The fact that even after an exhausting shift I could turn to my images and feel at peace made me realize how truly fortunate I am to have this form of art in my life. The pursuit of this creative expression helps me to stay balanced, focused and emotionally resilient. Time spent in nature helps me find my flow and indulge in the calm meditative state where all pressures and stresses seem to melt away. I have been questioned as to why I do not pursue photography full time when it gives me so much joy. My response has always been, it’s pleasurable because I do not have to worry about earning a livelihood through it. I do not have to hustle. There is immense satisfaction for me in medicine both from the intellectual challenge as well as the emotional reward of taking care of the sick. And it is photography that makes me a better physician.

Photo by Sapna Reddy. Sony α7R III. Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/45-sec., f/19, ISO 800

As far as the Sony community goes it has been a constant source of inspiration, support, and encouragement. There is a sense of camaraderie that is unique to this community. The exchange of ideas and the ability to collaborate with one another has resulted in long standing friendships. Being able to lend our collective voices to protect and preserve the beautiful places we photograph is an important part of this collective endeavor. I sincerely take pride in being a member of the Alpha Female community. Kudos to Sony for putting in extra effort into reducing disparity and showcasing those who are conventionally underrepresented.

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