I began my career photographing actors in Los Angeles many years ago, and I absolutely loved it. Actors were my people. Expressive, vulnerable, interesting, and willing to go somewhere real with me. I loved the collaboration. I loved watching the smallest shift in expression change everything. And I loved that moment when we both knew we had captured something honest.

Then filmmaking came into my life. I spent years writing, directing, and producing narrative feature films, telling stories with moving images instead of still ones. It was exhilarating, terrifying, demanding, and one of the great joys of my life. Filmmaking taught me more than I can possibly put into words, and I adored every second of it.

But photography never really left me, and after a major move from Los Angeles to Lexington, I find myself behind the camera again. Directing actors has been such an important part of my life, and bringing that experience back into my headshot sessions feels completely natural.

I’m also creating black-and-white fine art portraits, which speak to a different part of me. I love their simplicity and timelessness. Without color competing for attention, we are drawn to the face, the emotion, and the person. There is something beautiful about creating a portrait that isn’t simply meant to live on a phone, but to be printed, framed, and appreciated.

This new chapter has given me the chance to bring all the different parts of my creative life together. Photographer. Filmmaker. Storyteller. They were never really separate, I suppose.

My studio here in Lexington is a place for creativity, conversation, music, laughter, and making something meaningful together. I want people to feel comfortable when they walk through the door. I want the experience to feel relaxed and personal. And yes, I want us to have fun. Because being photographed can actually be fun. I promise.

“The Art of Being Seen” has become the heart of what I’m doing now. Not being turned into someone else. Not hiding every beautiful thing that makes a face interesting. Simply being seen, perhaps in a way you haven’t seen yourself before.

I’m so happy to be in Lexington, camera in hand, creating portraits again. And I genuinely cannot wait to see who steps in front of my lens next.

Let’s make a little magic.

xoMarina.