“It reminds me that my style is constantly evolving and that there are always ways to reimagine a photo.”
Andrea Landa Cruz photographs ordinary things and turns them into something else. A familiar object, a street she walks every day, a moment that catches her eye. In her hands, and through her edits, they become dreamlike, color-forward, and a little unpredictable.
She's a passionate hobbyist. And she's had two images included in a VSCO digital exhibition in Los Angeles. VSCO Prompts are how a lot of that happened—not by giving her assignments, but by giving her reasons to look at her archive differently, try tools she hadn't touched, and push her color work somewhere she wouldn't have gone on her own.
In this conversation, Andrea talks through the prompts that helped shape her practice.
1. How would you describe your photography?
I would describe my photography as both unpredictable and deeply dreamlike. There's a photo for everyone. I like to take pictures of anything that catches my attention, whether it's visually striking or sparks an entire story or world in my imagination.
Most of my work centers on ordinary, everyday objects or settings that I happen to stumble upon, with my own visionary touch added through the editing process.
2. How about your photographic practice?
I'm an amateur hobbyist photographer. I love expressing my creativity through photography, but I don't run my own business or have much professional equipment. Most of the photos on my VSCO have been taken with an iPhone.
3. You regularly submit to our prompts, thank you! How are you finding out about them?
Yes, I love VSCO Prompts! I find out about them through the Discover page on VSCO or VSCO's Instagram posts.
4. How do you decide a prompt is interesting to submit to?
I decide a prompt is worth submitting to when it aligns with my photographic style or highlights a perspective I haven't explored before. If it excites me or presents an interesting challenge, I'm eager to take part.
“I always look at the other submissions. It's a great way for me to find inspiration, discover talented photographers, and get to know the rest of the VSCO community better.”
5. What are two of your all time favorite prompts, and why?
Two of my all-time favorite prompts are #FullSpectrum and #ShapeYourLight.
#FullSpectrum focused on showcasing color photography, which I felt really inspired by, because I love making my photos feel bright and electric. Most of my photos have a strong pop of color. I was also drawn to the prompt's description of how color can add unexpected meaning to an image. During the editing process, I experimented with shifting the mood of my photos—for instance, an image that originally felt warm and familiar took on a more dramatic, mysterious tone when I added a blue tint.
As for #ShapeYourLight, the prompt highlighted the use of the Bloom and Halation tools. These tools had just come out around the same time as the prompt, so I was eager to try them. I was especially drawn to the Bloom tool, because who wouldn't want their photos to look shiny and ethereal?
At first, I felt like a kid adding glitter to literally everything. But I eventually found a balance and realized that subtlety makes a bigger impact. Overall, these tools have been a huge contributor to shaping the look and feel of my photography. This prompt also featured some of the best submissions I had seen, so I felt really inspired!
6. Has submitting to prompts ever led to connections with other photographers, professional opportunities, or exhibitions?
Submitting to prompts is the main way I discover other talented photographers. I'll be scrolling the submissions under a prompt, and if I see a photo I like, I'll check out the photographer's other work and give them a follow. The same happens to me. Every now and then, I'll get a message from someone saying they like my work, which always makes my day.
In terms of opportunities, some of the photos I submitted for the #FullSpectrum prompt were included in a digital exhibition in Los Angeles. Seeing my work displayed for others to enjoy was truly special and motivated me to continue expanding my photography skills. This was also the first time my photography had been included in an event like this, so it definitely gave me a confidence boost.
7. What would you say is the biggest impact that prompts have on your photography?
The biggest impact that prompts have on my photography is the fresh perspective they bring. Prompts push me beyond my usual approach and encourage me to expand my skills and think bigger.
Even when the theme is familiar, I always try to think of ways I haven't captured that subject yet. I find this technique has helped improve my work and allowed me to experiment with new styles.
8. When you submit to prompts, do you normally find images in your archive that feel like a good fit or do you ever take new images for it?
I do both! I'll scroll through my archive and see if anything fits the prompt, but if the prompt is more specific, I'll be on the lookout for a good shot when I'm out and about. Though, I think there's something special about seeing the potential in a photo you overlooked months or years ago.
Some of my favorite prompt submissions were photos I thought weren't anything special when I first took them. It reminds me that my style is constantly evolving and that there are always ways to reimagine a photo.
9. If you could create a prompt for other photographers, what would it be and why?
Many ideas come to mind. One prompt I've always thought would be interesting—and something I already incorporate in my own work—is flipping a photo upside down. It's a simple adjustment, but it can completely change the perspective, revealing something the photographer may not have noticed at first. The prompt would focus on enhancing an image by reinterpreting it through inversion. I would call it “Flipping the Script.”
Another idea I've thought would be interesting, but more as a challenge, is a prompt centered around signs and text in photography. It would focus on capturing signage within a scene and exploring how it either reinforces or contradicts the surrounding context. I believe text in an image can add an extra layer of meaning, even unintentionally. I would call this prompt “Show Me a Sign.”
10. Have prompts influenced, inspired, or changed how you think about photography? Or the types of photos you create?
Prompts have definitely influenced and shaped the way I think about photography. They've challenged me to consider elements in a photo that I hadn't before.
They've also reinforced the idea that everyone interprets the same subject differently. Seeing other people's work consistently inspires me and motivates me to think more deeply about how a particular look was achieved—whether through color, composition, or a unique perspective.
Prompts also offer a more personal glimpse into each photographer's beliefs and interests, which has led me to reflect more on my own work. I find myself analyzing how I portray the people and things I feel passionate about in an image, and why I choose to do it that way.
11. When you submit to a prompt, do you ever look at the other photographer submissions?
I always look at the other submissions. It's a great way for me to find inspiration, discover talented photographers, and get to know the rest of the VSCO community better.
Discovering new perspectives through prompts
Andrea started using new tools like Bloom, and it changed how she edits every image she makes.
That's what prompts are actually good for. Not just giving you a reason to post, but giving you a reason to try something you haven't tried, push a tool further than feels comfortable, and find out where your instincts actually live when you're not defaulting to habit.
Each month, VSCO Prompts invite the community to respond to a shared theme through hashtags, with standout submissions curated and highlighted by the team. Scroll the galleries before you submit. Look at how other photographers interpreted the same word or idea. Notice what you keep coming back to, and why.
And go through your archive. The photos you thought weren't anything special have a way of being exactly right for the prompt you weren't expecting.
“I think there's something special about seeing the potential in a photo you overlooked months or years ago. Some of my favorite prompt submissions were photos I thought weren't anything special when I first took them.”
