Sabine Ostinvil — Haitian-born, Philly-raised, Brooklyn-based.

Each session is a collaboration, not a performance.

Rooted in intuition, presence, and visual storytelling, Ostinvil’s work spans photography, video, movement, and writing. She shapes visual direction, guides energy and flow, and makes space for presence to naturally unfold.

She’s drawn to color, stillness, and moments that feel like breath.

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Where I’ve Been, and We're going together


I earned my BA in Visual Arts from Columbia University. My work has been exhibited at the African American Museum, the TILT Institute, and featured in The Guardian’s Arts & Design section, following my selection as a Firecracker International Photography Grant recipient in 2019.


I take on a limited number of projects each season to keep the process intentional and immersive. Each shoot begins with conversation, reference building, and visual direction—often created through moodboards and sample images so we’re grounded in a shared vision.


As a dancer, rhythm shapes how I direct and photograph. I’ll often guide posing through movement cues, play music, or swap places with my subject to show them what I see. The process is collaborative and intimate—quietly choreographed and grounded in trust.



01.


Fact 1


I was born in Haiti and raised in Philly. Something about being an island girl draws me to slow, fleeting moments and the feeling of stillness in a frame.

02.


Fact 2


Portraiture is like a love language. I’ve always found joy in sneaking photos of my friends when they’re most themselves.

03.


Fact 3


You may just catch me dancing barefoot in the rain like I’m the main character in a music video, or sinking into a good book.

04.


Fact 4


I love saying yes to the unexpected—spur-of-the-moment dance breaks, last-minute road trips, anything that makes life feel cinematic. Spontaneity is my love language (in life, and sometimes on set when it feels right).