Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie Foss.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always been artistic. To me, art has always been a way to express myself and contribute to the world and the people around me. I don’t always have the words to express how deeply I experience things, how much beauty I see in others, or how I can get choked up at the way the sunlight hits the trees. Art—be it photography, poetry, music, etc.—is where I can touch on the magic and depth of life.
I grew up in Milwaukee, WI, where my hobbies largely involved visual art, dance, theatre, and music. I would borrow my parents’ small digital camera as a kid, and my sister and I would take turns photographing flowers on family trips. I started taking pictures everywhere I went and would do photoshoots with my friends in middle/high school with my first “real” (point-and-shoot) camera.
Once I had my first Nikon DSLR, I was able to work towards eventually turning my work into a business (Marie Foss Photography), which started as taking my classmates’ senior photos at the end of high school, along with photographing a few events here and there.
I think it was during the end of high school that I realized pursuing art was more of a calling than simply a pastime. One of the most meaningful moments in my photography journey was a photo I took at my sister’s college graduation of her and my grandparents. My grandfather, though a photographer himself, usually didn’t smile much in photos.
But my whole family pointed out how happy he looks in that photograph, and how much it meant to them to be able to see his joy. Moments like that are what encouraged me to keep pursuing this passion.
Much to my parents’ initial concern, I decided to major in Photography in college, at Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Art at Washington University in St. Louis. After some time working as a photo lab monitor freshman year, I switched to the Communication Design program so I could push myself and learn more than I felt I would in the Photography track.
Instead, I jumped into a subject I knew nothing about, and I did basically all of my photography education and training on my own as I continued my business on the side. Although it was difficult to balance my classes, work-study jobs, and college life, I found time to do photo gigs for student groups on campus, friends, and family, and eventually the university when I was hired as a photography intern by the College of Arts and Sciences.
Over the course of the past 2 to 3 years, I put a lot more effort into pushing myself to engage in local and global photography communities, connect with other local photographers and models, surround myself with work that inspires me, improve my craft, and find my style.
More recently, I have also been redefining my brand, improving my social media presence, designing a new website, and building up my business. In May, I graduated from WashU with my BFA, and now I am looking forward to moving somewhere new to continue pursuing my career in photography and graphic design.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Yes and no. It has been difficult to balance building an independent business on top of high school, college, and now a full-time job in design and marketing, but I have had great support and have found ways to make the most of it.
I have definitely faced many personal obstacles over the years, including mental health, a traumatic accident, and illness to name a few. I also had difficulty making time for it in college since I was very involved in starting two student groups and designing for a campus journal. Obstacles like these made me have to take breaks from photography, but I think it’s okay to step back sometimes and focus on existing rather than working and being successful. We are all human at the end of the day, regardless of how successful we are.
I think overall, though, the lack of pressure to make a living off my photography business gave me the space to be creative and really find my style that has been inspired by concepts I’ve drawn from college and my healing.
All of that would have been much more difficult without the incredible support and encouragement of my family and friends.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My portfolio is a mix of personal artistic work and client work. I’ve basically done every type of photography there is, but I’ll talk about what I like to do most.
For my own creative practice, I do a mix of travel, street, and documentary photography. I actually wrote and crafted a book of my photographs and reflections during the pandemic. It explored themes of self-reflection, visual representations of memory, and the feelings involved with losing track of time and place.
I’ve also been partnering with models and other photographers to explore creative portrait concepts and editorial work. My main love, though, is simply capturing beautiful moments in the world around me, whether I’m in St. Louis or Italy.
When working for my business, I specialize in couples and engagements, seniors, and portraits. I would define my work as capturing life, light, and love. I find so much beauty in what makes us human and the moments in life that give us meaning. I like to say that I believe in telling love stories, whether that’s love for yourself, life, or someone you hold dear.
In my photography, I strive to bring out the light in people and to capture the authentic and in-between moments, which I do through a mix of posed and candid direction, details, and movement that bring a nostalgic and dreamy vibe to the photos.
A photoshoot with me isn’t just a photoshoot; it’s having fun, letting your guard down to let someone capture your story of love and beauty, and creating beautiful memories and photos that will last a lifetime.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
You can view my work on my website, and support me by following me on Instagram (@mariefossphoto) and Facebook (Marie Foss Photography).
If you would like to get in touch to collaborate or work with me, feel free to send me an email or even a message on social media!
Contact Info:
- Email: mariefossphoto@gmail.com
- Website: http://mariefossphotography.com
- Instagram: http://Instagram.com/mariefossphoto
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/mariefossphoto
Image Credits
Headshot photographed by Tawny Ballard Photography (edited by Marie Foss)
