Female Gaze: Women in Photography. Interview with Carianne Older & Noah Pharrell

The creative industries are becoming so open and inclusive these days it makes it easy to forget for how long it was only men that could be considered creators, thinkers, and contributors to culture in the West. All the while women used to be seen as part of a secondary, female side of culture, overshadowed by the real culture built by men—at best.

At worst, they were relegated to only being objects of art, portrayed through the prism of what is now called the male gaze, where most heroines in fiction used to be defined by men around them. (The so-called Bechdel test mental exercise emerged to look at that status quo critically: are there at least two women in the story? do they talk to each other? do they talk about something other than men?)

Photography has been no different from cinema, literature, and other cultural fields in terms of adherence to the male gaze. Sure, there’s been Annie Leibovitz, Brigitte Niedermayer, Harley Weir, and plenty of other famous female photographers with very different styles. But many people still see them as exceptions and outliers. Women photographers still often face special—not-so-positive—treatment, and photography is still somewhat of a man’s world: for every two female photographers, there are ten men.

Is the situation changing though? Yes! 

We discussed this and more with two successful photographers and simply cool girls (on the I-wanna-be-you level), Noah Pharrell and Carianne Older. And oh, this conversation does pass the Bechdel test as we’re talking about everything but men: from the female gaze on Playboy suits to unexpected ways of using Midjourney!

On how they started

Noah: I’m obsessed with numbers and computers, so I had been working in that field. But one time I saw a fashion magazine cover, and I thought, “Maybe I’d love to try that world.” Since that day, I’ve been knocking on every door. It might sound ethereal and dreamy, but I believe if you really want something, you can achieve it!

Carianne: I used to work at a talent agency but it was so boring, working at a desk in a cubicle for all these white dudes in the industry! I thought, “Oh my God, there's got to be something better out there for me…” With a bonus my boss gave me, because he felt bad that I was making minimum wage, I bought a film camera. I started taking photos of my friends and started an Instagram account, and people started to book me. My business was booming. Now, I've been in LA for five years, so yeah, work for yourself, be a CEO, and be a boss because working for someone else... well, you know.

On their creative processes from A to Z

Noah: I start with a main idea, which could be a word or a color. From there, everything else falls into place. I hunt for inspiration on social media, explore different arts like sculpture or painting, or just look around. Sometimes, when people are talking around you, they drop lines that are like found poetry. I used to write a lot of short stories, which I think can be transformed into storyboards or photo shoots. People's conversations can spark great ideas when you're eavesdropping.

The last thing is usually the location. I know I should get out more, but I'm so comfortable in my studio! Maybe I need to break out of that a bit more and shoot more on location. I'm used to shooting in my studio—well, it's actually my bedroom. I move all my stuff out, including the bed, and set everything up. When clients or artists come over, I say, "Welcome to my home!" Everybody likes it.

Carianne: When a client hires me, nine out of ten times they want me to direct the shoot: my ideas, locations, everything. So, I start by location scouting and send them a bunch of options. Once they pick one, I make a detailed mood board, but I'm mostly inspired by the subject and location. If the client gives me any inspiration, I include it, but usually, they just say, “Carianne, go for it.”

I've rarely been involved in something that doesn't look like a Carianne shoot. But I don't turn down a job just because it doesn't align with my style. I think, “Okay, how can I make this look like my style?” And it always does in the end.

On the key features of their styles

Noah: The main thing a creative has is a vision. We have a way of feeling and seeing things that we can’t change. One of the key things for me is I’m still a kiddo! Actually, both of us are. I think that you should never lose the kid inside of you.

Carianne: I like soft imagery and have always loved how women show softness in front of the camera. Men have that quality too, but it's challenging to capture. I’ve managed to bring that same softness to photos of men, which is pretty cool.

On their favorite projects

Carianne: A few years ago, Playboy decided to bring back their vintage bunny costume, and I shot two of my friends for it. The photos went everywhere, and it was a huge moment for me—to see my work celebrated like that. It's probably my favorite shoot ever, which really put me on the map.

Noah: One of my favorite shoots was with Olay, a skincare brand, for a campaign celebrating beauty at all ages. We used minimal Photoshop, focusing on natural beauty rather than over-retouching.

On the contrast between digital and analog

Carianne: I'm always checking out what my friends are buying. I ask them, “Oh, you got a new camera? Do you like it?” I'm all about trying before buying, so I rent or borrow gear a lot. Staying on top of deals and new gear is very important. But I also shoot with cameras from the 1970s, so my setup is a mix of old and new.

Noah: Shooting on film feels special because that moment can't be repeated. Unlike digital, where everything can be duplicated, with film, each shot is unique. It's like capturing a single moment in time.

On retouching, post-processing, AI, and Prequel

Noah: I often use Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and other programs to emulate the film look. Especially when clients are short on time or budget. Film has become so expensive! So, I mostly focus on color grading in my editing process. I also use AI pretty often. When I discovered Midjourney, my mind just went wild. It was like, “Gosh, what have I been doing these 10 years?” I was going through a creative block at the time, and for me, it was like all my dreams came true. I could show clients what I wanted to achieve—not as the final result, but as a preview. I've also used AI as backdrops for different companies’ campaigns, like Samsung and Lensa.

Carianne: I'm not a big retoucher; I usually shoot as it is. But the other day, I used AI to remove some weird TV screens from a concert photo. It was amazing and saved me a lot of time. Without AI, I would have been up all night trying to edit those out, especially with tight deadlines.

As for mobile editing, Prequel has always been great! It's a constant go-to for adding fun effects, like sparkles, to photos. Sometimes, I'll have one sparkle and want more, so I'll add them in. People love those added elements, like graphic designs and other fun stuff. 

On challenges they face as women in the industry

Carianne: Being a woman is the biggest challenge because for every two female photographers, there are ten men. Like, I was pitched for a tour that I really wanted this year with an all-male band. I didn’t get the opportunity because they said they were bringing their content creator. I checked their Instagram, and they added another man to the mix—a male photographer! 

But the industry is slowly changing. Here we are, two women in the industry, working and making it our careers. It's changed a lot since we started. I teach people how to shoot on film—usually, nine out of ten times, it's women who come, and it's really cool. Empowering women and teaching them how to run a business is really special. I'm not against having men there; I've had guys come to class, of course. But as a woman, I feel like women gravitate toward me, and it's just really cool.

Noah: About 10 years ago, I had a boyfriend who was also my agent. We traveled a lot, and people would always greet him first, thinking I was his assistant because I was carrying my own stuff. Everyone would just go straight to him, and I was like, “Hey, it's me.” 

Also no one thinks of me as a girl when they hear my name. When people first meet me, they often say, "Hi, I'm here to meet Noah," and they're surprised when they realize I'm a woman. 

Carianne: I get it, Noah. I feel like so many women experience this!

On what all younger creators should know

Carianne: Keep going. This industry can be really tough and discouraging, but there's always the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm reminding myself of this too. Stay positive because there's enough opportunities for everyone. We can all succeed, especially as women. There's plenty to go around!

Noah: That's great advice. Keep following your dreams and never give up. If you truly love what you're doing, you'll be super happy, even if you try other things.

Noah and Carianne were our guests on the Prequel Live series, where we meet experts from various creative fields. Follow us on IG @prequelapp to tune in for the next installments!

NB: This conversation was produced by women, this interview summary was written by a woman, the illustrations within were designed and produced by women, and all those women’s payrolls are processed by women.