Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Riboli.
Hi Maria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was born and raised in a beautiful town on the Adriatic Sea in Italy, and in 1998, I moved to NYC and finally felt at home! I’m an actress and a director, and I had an opportunity to go to NY with a theater company, and I wasn’t gonna miss my shot!
So, a week later, I was in the Big Apple. I didn’t know anybody, I was staying at the YMCA on the Upper West Side, and I never felt more alive…
I auditioned to get into the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute, and I was blessed to be able to study with some incredible teachers.
During my time in the city, I directed numerous plays and short films and acted on all platforms (stage, film, and tv).
I also had my own acting studio, and teaching actors always had a particular spot in my heart.
In 2018 I moved to Orlando to bring my acting studio here as well.
But Covid had other plans for all of us, and even though I was already working as a videographer and photographer, I truly started focusing more on it.
My passion for photographs comes from my father. He used to tell us, “I’m stopping the time that goes by!” and I’m so thankful now that he did and that we have so many memories thanks to him!
At the beginning of Covid, my photography helped keep my creativity alive as I dove into a personal quarantine project, documenting my own life inside the walls of my apartment that every day felt a bit tighter…
When life started to flourish again, I was also thankful to be able to start doing photoshoots outside safely and grab a few memories for many families.
I’m also a videographer with Perfect Sky Productions (www.perfectskyfilms.com) doing weddings (we are a preferred vendor for Disney Weddings), corporate events, commercials, and more.
And, of course, I have my photography business to keep me very busy!
With Perfect Sky Productions, we are currently working on some new exciting things as we will be offering more video and photo packages starting this year.
And I’m personally adding new unique photo packages to my experiences, and I’m really looking forward to that!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Obstacles and challenges, uh? How much time do we have? 😉 Joking aside, we all have plenty of both, and somehow, we learn to get through them.
It is a challenge to be in a very populated field like photography here in Florida, but I also believe that being who you are will attract the people who want to work with you, and you will build your tribe that way…
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m not your typical photographer; I don’t fit into a ‘light and airy’ or ‘dark and moody’ category… Instead, I create based on what I experience.
Every photoshoot for me is unique; every couple, every family, and every wedding have its own vibe.
Consequentially, every shoot will reflect that.
I have a more vibrant documentary style.
As much as I’ll gently guide you into posing, I will let moments unfold, and I’ll be there to catch those memories, the ones with genuine laughs and hugs and kisses…the ones that will warm your heart for years to come.
YOU are the one who will always inspire me…
The client experience is at the top of my list; I always want my clients to feel safe, heard, and seen.
I am there for each and every one of them from the beginning, helping with wardrobe, location, props, and everything in between.
And hopefully, by the end of the time we get to spend together, you’ll feel like you just hung out with a friend…
I know I made so many friends during my photoshoots, and I’m so thankful for it!
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
It never hurts to be at the right place at the right time, but we can’t really plan that, can we?!? 😉 Luck helps, and it can lift you when you feel overwhelmed, but I’m a very hard worker, and I do genuinely believe that if you work hard, it will pay off…
I put my heart and soul into everything I do, and if it doesn’t work out at the end of the day, I at least know that I tried…and that is good enough for me…
Having said that, the Italian in me will always throw salt over her shoulder while cooking…just to be safe 😉
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MariaRiboliPhotography.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/MariaRiboliPhotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/MariaRiboliPhotography
- Other: www.pinterest.com/MariaRiboliPhotography
Image Credits
Maria Riboli Photography
