Rina Mintz (she/her) is a photographer originally from Washington Heights whose work centers on storytelling and coming-of-age themes. Since 2023, she has developed long-term projects exploring young womanhood, published her own photo book and short films, organized a collaborative art show, and had her work featured in independent publications across the United States.
How do your relationships with the people you photograph show up in the images?
I photograph people as I see them. Through photographing the people around me, I've noticed I can see the way we felt about each other that day, in that photograph. I can look at a photo from years ago and remember exactly how I felt when I took it.
How did photography first enter your life? What were you photographing then, and what was it about taking pictures that made you want to keep doing it?
Three years ago, a friend of mine got me a digital Canon point-and-shoot. The first thing I did was a project called “4 Corners of the World.” I met four people who responded to my Instagram story and followed them with a camera throughout the day. For months after that, I focused on more long-term projects. These projects shared stories and became windows into memories and eras of my life and other people's lives. I wanted to freeze more moments and create more windows.
What does your shooting process look like?
Lately, I've been having very specific photos in mind that I'll text my friends to pose for. Other times, a shoot will come from a reply to an Instagram story, and all we discuss is a general when and where. When I'm shooting with someone I don't know, it's half taking photos and half getting to know them. I feel like becoming friends for the day bridges the distance that might otherwise be noticeable in a photograph.
Outside of photography, what other mediums, artists or things are feeding into your creative world right now?
I would say music. I listen to music all the time. I'm answering this while listening to “Sex With Me” by Rihanna. Lately, I've been loving Samba Jean-Baptiste, The Newlyweds, Smerz, Brockhampton, and Ariana Grande. And, of course, my friends are the inspiration behind everything.
Photos courtesy of Rina Mintz.
