Meet Maris(a)

Imagine a romantic novel and how you visualize each scene, frame by frame. Imagine the excitement of falling in love, the stolen glances, the building passion. You can see the story unfold in your mind. You imagine the details of what they look like and the outfits they’re wearing, the setting they’re in.

You create the scene in your mind using the tools of your imagination. There is a beginning, middle, and end. There are details that you visualize in your mind. You as the reader are instantly transported and are made to feel a range of emotions. Now imagine a collection of photographs. . .

Each frame is perfectly executed in such a way that there is a story being told without words. You can now see every detail and perspective of the environment. You can feel the passion. Visualizing the story of their love by how each frame evokes emotion and creates a narrative. A silent story that will stand the test of time.

Maris is derived from my name Marisa, meaning “of the sea”. Growing up with this name I was fully convinced I was a mermaid. I would spend hours in the ocean every summer, enjoying the serenity of feeling weightless in the water and the rhythmic pattern of the waves. The world felt peaceful.

Now as an adult I find that the ocean is grounding, comforting, as well as a source of inspiration. It only made sense to honor this important element in my life within my name as it literally is an extension of me.

From an early age, I’ve always had a deep love for art as well. I delved into art history with a special focus on Italian Renaissance art, while also learning to oil paint in the styles of the Renaissance, Impressionism, and the Dutch Masters. This blend of academic study and artistic practice has deeply influenced my approach to photography, allowing me to capture moments with the same attention to light, detail, and emotion that a painter would.

“Maris” —

A feminine name of Latin
origin meaning, “of the sea”.