Meet Marianela Manzanilla: Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marianela Manzanilla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marianela, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I believe that risks are crucial in life, they force us to step out of our comfort zone whether is in our personal life or career. I think I have been taking risks ever since I was 14 or 15, pursuing an artistic career is not something that is common where I come from, and around that time of my life I already knew I wanted to be a photographer, I didn’t know how I was going to make it happen but I did, I took a risk leaving my home country, Venezuela, to pursue my passion and I have found myself taking more of these as life keeps throwing them at me. Risks force us to make decisions, act, and think about all of the factors and variables of it. The passion and energy you give towards your decision making are what’s going to make a difference in them. I try to always embark on these situations with a positive attitude and with an “I’ve got this” state of mind. In the photography world, we always find ourselves with risks, it could be that the weather is not ideal the day of your shoot, or even when you’re going to explore your conceptual side of your work. Art is incredibly personal and subjective to every single person therefore I believe that anyone that pursues an artistic career is taking a risk, not everyone perceives our art the same way, the real risk is doing it for yourself, staying true to your eye, and keep shooting.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My work has always been a reflection of me, a form of expression. Being a visual person it’s always been easier to create an image, a collage, a composition to express an emotion, a story, or a concept. Parting from that and from over 10 years of experimenting with this media, I have found a way of putting into my work what I can not put into words. There is more than just a photo shoot, there are sensori-emotional values that make the shoot an entire experience. Music plays a big part in my entire work, from the shooting itself to the editing process, poses and colors deviate and are heavily influenced by the mood created by it. To make the subject I am photographing feel as comfortable as possible is a priority during my shoots, I want them to feel beautiful, confident, and engage with them in order to tell their story, to capture their essence, which is what a portrait is truly all about, capturing one’s essence in an image. Portraiture has been my forte in photography, recently I have had the pleasure to experiment with fashion photography, a field that I am looking forward to exploring even further. To be able to combine the visual concepts learned in my college years and the ideas of fashion and portrait photography is something I want to aesthetically pursue. This journey in my career has taught me that there is no right way to do things, just like in life, everything is an experience and a lesson to learn from. Every shoot is an experience, a story waiting to be told, a moment to capture in time. This is what excites me the most, to be able to be part of a story, to create and combine so many details with a background that complements every composition into a unique image.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Mmm… my favorite spots in the city… I am a food and wine type of woman, my absolute favorite spot in Miami is Lagniappe, been going there for years and its always a fun time. I am a fan of anywhere you can sit and relax while having a conversation with friends, enjoying some wine and charcuterie boards. Galleries that I consider a must in the city are The Marguilles Collection, the Perez Art Museum to then enjoy some coffee on the patio observing the view of Miami Beach, the Rubell Collection, ICA, and The Bass museum, to name a few. I could go on and on about places to eat, starting with Lung Yai Thai Tapas in calle ocho and then taking a walk around the Grove… I think that would be my ideal day. Starting at the galleries, having late lunch at Lung Yai, walking around the grove to enjoy the sunset and then finishing the night at Lagniappe.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family without a doubt have been my biggest supporters along this journey, my friends and loved ones and my NWSA (New World School of the Arts) family, they have been not only supportive but have made me see things differently, explore photography and life in different perspectives.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/photomanzanilla
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianela-manzanilla-24a495193

Image Credits
photographer headshot by: @bykanvas all other images by me.