Sharon Curia

Self Portrait, Village of Feltville, Watchung

I began asking for my first camera at the tender age of 9 and received one for my 10th birthday. It was a 110 film Instamatic, with the 10 flash cube sticks. I still have the photo album filled with the pictures I took with it. A couple of years later when an aunt passed away, it was my photos that relatives wanted to looked through. Throughout the rest of my childhood and through my teens, I was always the one with a camera, documenting our escapades. People began to know me as the one with the camera.  

It makes sense that I was drawn to photography. I was intrigued at the concept of capturing what I saw and began documenting people and things around me. All of my life I had an artistic flair and could draw well, paint, write poetry and short stories. I also played a bit of guitar (or any instrument you put in my hands), and liked working on craft projects and making things from scratch. I was drawn to the artistic side of things, always.

In my mid twenties, I worked a typical 9-5 job that had nothing whatsoever to do with the artistic side of things. It just paid the bills. My life had changed, though. I was now married and recently had a baby, and I could not envision returning to the 9-5 routine working at a bank. I was looking for something different.

That’s when a friend’s sister approached me out of the blue. She heard that I was not returning to my regular schedule, and I was offered a position as a photographer's assistant in a booming NJ wedding/event studio. I was blown away at the opportunity. So- I began a new life in the photography industry.

My learning experiences began hands on.  I was immersed in it, and from the first wedding- from the very first rush of adrenaline- I was hooked. Each wedding was its own little adventure and I loved that. And at the end of the night, I felt the reward of accomplishment and that my day had been truly meaningful and unique.  

When I began in the industry, I learned on cameras popular with studios at the time: Hasselblad,  Bronica, Mamiya medium format cameras, & 35mm film SLRs.  I witnessed digital imaging take the industry by storm.  I now use Nikon DSLR cameras & lenses.   

You will see a little of everything in my portfolio.  While my baseline is event photography, you'll see anything from commercial work to macro photography, plants and animals, landscapes, edgy band photos, interiors- you name it. 

I have also participated in local art shows and have had shows at Les Malamut Art Gallery in Union,  Casano Center in Roselle Park, Kenilworth Art Gallery, and Elizabeth Public Library.