Carlz J Söda - Photographer & Creative Director, exploring beauty in the digital age

Personal Branding & Editorial Photography

An award‑winning portrait photographer and creative director based in Melbourne, Carly J Soda is known for her bold imagery, editorial sensibility and authentic storytelling. Her practice spans fine‑art photography, commercial campaigns and personal commissions, always with a focus on celebrating individuality.

Now completing a Master’s degree, Carlz’s project, Chimera, and research examine how beauty standards, social media and AI shape our identities. By combining craft with critical enquiry, she is developing a practice that explores and questions the visual language of beauty.

Explore Chimera >

A smiling woman in a purple sweater holding a Canon camera, standing in front of colorful photographs on a gallery wall.
Close-up of purple text reading "Herald Sun" on a black background.
The word 'capture' written in stylized purple text with brackets.
Stylized text reading 'MOEV R' with 'Paris' underneath, in purple color on a black background.

As seen in: 

Forbes Australia logo in purple text on black background
The text 'marie claire' written in large lavender-colored letters on a black background.

Photography & Creative Direction Services

Whether you need high‑impact editorial portraits, campaign imagery
or creative direction for a brand launch, Carly brings her cinematic eye and collaborative spirit to every assignment. She works with entrepreneurs, artists and companies who value authenticity and visual storytelling.

Reach out to discuss your project and discover how Carlz can translate your vision into powerful images.

Explore portfolio >

A woman with wavy brown hair and blue eyes posing with her hand on her head, wearing a sheer black top and jewelry, leaning on a black chair against a plain background.

Masters Project >

Chimera

Chimera is Carlz’ Master’s project and signature body of work. Through a series of 22 large‑scale portraits, each echoing a tarot card archetype, she confronts the rise of the “Instagram face,” the pressure to conform, and the role of AI in homogenising beauty. Each image moves from natural, individual features to digital manipulation and back again, inviting you to reflect on your own relationship with self‑image.

View the full series online or visit the exhibition in person. Limited‑edition prints and a beautifully designed tarot deck will be available for purchase.

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  • A woman with dark wavy hair and closed eyes appears to be submerged in water, creating a reflection of her face on the water's surface.

  • A woman wearing a headpiece with large black horns and glowing makeup against a red background, with a digital distortion effect.

  • A young woman with short, curly hair smiling and looking into a compact mirror she is holding. Makeup illustrations are added to her face, depicting a beauty or skincare concept, with expressions of confidence and self-care.

  • Miniature workers in white uniforms and helmets appear to be making a human face mask, which is a large, transparent plastic sheet with facial features printed underneath, resembling a man's face.

  • A young woman selecting a lipstick shade from a virtual display of three options, with her reflection in a mirror.

  • A human face is encased in a transparent plastic bag filled with medical tubes and wires, resembling a mix of a human face and a medical or scientific display.

Limited‑Edition hoodies

Help support the exhibition

I’m releasing a limited run of Chimera hoodies to help bring my first Master’s exhibition to life. Think of it as a way to own a piece of the project before it even opens, a wearable slice of the rebellion.

Every hoodie funds the creation of Chimera, a body of work that pushes back against the homogenisation of beauty. It’s a celebration of faces as they are, not as an algorithm says they should be. Afterpay is available.

Mint green hoodie with front design of 'cjs' logo and back text reading 'this hoodie is funding a rebellion'

A collection of recent work

Editorial & personal branding portraits

A showcase of recent shoots across editorial portraits, personal branding, and fine art photography. Whether it’s creating bold, high impact imagery for your brand or capturing authentic, timeless portraits, my focus is on producing work that’s both visually striking and strategically effective.

A man sitting on a large rock near a body of water during sunset
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A woman with dark hair and hoop earrings lying on a leather couch, wearing a denim jacket and jeans, with one arm resting on her head and the other hand near her hair.
A woman lying on her back on a beige leather surface, holding a Polaroid instant camera up to her face, with her right eye closed and wearing orange-tinted sunglasses, a white T-shirt with orange trim, and large hoop earrings.
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A woman with platinum blonde hair sitting on a black chair, wearing a black and white checkered blazer and metallic silver and black thigh-high boots.
A woman with long wavy brown hair wearing a black turtleneck and a bright blue coat standing at a vending machine at night, looking at the camera.
A woman with long platinum blonde hair and bold makeup, wearing a black long-sleeve top, posed with her arms crossed against a dark background illuminated with blue and pink neon lighting.
A woman with wavy hair and makeup resting her head on her hand, wearing a sheer black top with ruffled sleeves, sitting on a black chair.
A woman with long wavy brown hair wearing a dark pinstripe suit and black top, accessorized with layered necklaces and rings, sitting with one hand on a white table against a plain light background.
Young woman with styled hair, holding a makeup brush near her face, looking into a compact mirror.
A woman with long dark wavy hair, wearing a black jacket draped over her shoulders, a black top, light blue jeans, and several jewelry pieces, standing in front of a pink background, smiling with arms crossed.
A woman sitting on the floor, wearing a pink suit, with her legs crossed and one hand resting on her knee, facing the camera with a confident expression, against a dark background.
A man dressed in a colorful suit with a blue blazer and red pants, sitting on a chair with one hand resting on his face and the other on his knee, looking thoughtfully at the camera against a plain background.
Black and white portrait of an older man with gray hair, wearing a white dress shirt and a black vest, standing in a room with bookshelf and wall sconce in the background.
A woman with long gray hair wearing sunglasses, a red coat, and thigh-high black leather boots is holding a large electronic keyboard against a red background.
Young woman with long, platinum blonde hair, wearing a black fishnet top, and sitting against a dark background.
A woman with dark skin and short hair wearing a bright green dress and jewelry, standing in front of a colorful tropical floral background.
Close-up portrait of a woman with wet hair, bold makeup, and a neutral expression, against a plain background.
Carlz J Soda - Melbourne fashion, beauty, portrait and lifestyle photographer. personal branding and portraiture, corporate headshots photography Melbourne. Carly Soderstrom.
Carlz J Soda - Melbourne fashion, beauty, portrait and lifestyle photographer. personal branding and portraiture, corporate headshots photography Melbourne. Carly Soderstrom.
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