About Me
My name is Sydney. I am passionate about our natural world, but also just as equally passionate about using creativity to inspire change. I am a documentary photographer and filmmaker.
I currently reside in the southwest, but often am found sleeping in the back of my car, scuba diving or snorkeling, traveling abroad, hiking or backpacking and out in the elements.
I grew up in Nebraska and spent three years after college working in ground water conservation as a communications specialist. That’s where I discovered my love for the natural world. Later, living in Northwestern New Mexico, I began documenting conservation stories and life in the Southwest. These experiences have shaped my work, particularly in exploring systemic challenges stemming from colonialism and their impacts on the environment.
Thank you for joining me as I continue building this work. If you’re interested in collaborating to tell a conservation or brand story, please email me at sydneysmolla@gmail.com or fill out a contact form below.
Feature with Adorama
Welcome to Durango, Colorado, where the mountains whisper stories and the scent of pine lingers in the air. In this episode of the Picture America Series (2025), we walk beside Sydney Smolla, a landscape documentary photographer whose work is a visual ode to the land she calls home. Through her eyes, we see Durango not just as a place, but as a living canvas: raw, poetic, and endlessly inspiring.