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

Hi Marquita, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve always had a love for photography and music, and when I was in my 20’s I dove in head first with performing locally. As shy as I am, all of the nerves dissipated as soon as I walked on stage. The biggest show I was ever blessed to a part of was opening up for DMX in 2007. Even back then, I always had a camera with me. I was always buying the latest digital camera and was in love with the art of it. It wasn’t until 2016 that I decided to “up my game” and get something more than my point-and-shoot camera. I started off photographing any and everything and really enjoyed learning what I liked as far as composition and editing techniques. I think one of the beautiful aspects of art is that is subjective. Open to various interpretations and truly allows not only the artist to be expressive, but the viewers as well.

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.
Aside from the craft in the art itself, being a photographer, to me, is all about connecting with people. The biggest compliment is when a client tells me that this was their first professional shoot and how nervous they were until they met me. Being able to capture the essence of a person is what I strive to accomplish in every shoot. Whether it is their first time working with me or their tenth time, every experience brings out a new perspective. I named my business Scenes of Vera Mae for two reasons: to honor my grandmothers by including a part of their name and also to honor my own journey in life. I’ve experienced many growing pains in my adult life and every scene birthed a new and better version of me. I hope that my work is a direct reflection of that.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Florida has some of the most beautiful beaches that are fairly close to me. So visiting Indian Rocks Beach would be one of our first stops. We would definitely go to brunch a few times, and my top choices would be Datz, Cask Social Kitchen, and Oxford Exchange to name a few. The Dali Museum would also be a place to check out. As far as the night life, visiting 7th & Grove and The Rose Bar would be an absolute must!!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my tribe which includes my friends and family. They’ve always been supportive of my ideas. Whether it was coming to my shows and singing along to my songs in the crowd or being my muse in photography while I practice posing and lighting, I’m so thankful for them.

Website: https://www.bookascene.com

Instagram: @scenesofveramae

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