We were lucky to catch up with Lorenzo Marez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lorenzo , appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My interest in photography started in early childhood when my parents showed me our family photo albums. I was stunned to have so many memories preserved for me that I wouldn’t have remembered otherwise—my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and pretty much every birthday after was documented—elementary school theatre productions, captured– little league Tee-ball and football moments, immortalized.
I fell in love with the stories my parents told me about each of our precious photos. To them, these photos were complete days of memories, but to me, they were only moments frozen in time, validating my perception of reality. I came to realize that my mother documented me and my sister’s childhood because she didn’t want my father to miss any moments while he worked tirelessly to provide for us.

That’s where my mission started. A little over 10 years ago I set out on an adventure to document life as it happened. I wasn’t satisfied with capturing my life alone, rather, I preferred to share the stories and lives of others.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I began my creative journey in high school while doing projects for class. I fell in love with making short films, writing poetry, and photography because, to me, they all felt like transferable skills that could be applied to various courses. Art was a lifeline to me throughout my education and eventually helped me secure the Helen De Vitt Jones Scholarship for my undergrad studies at Texas Tech’s College of Media and Communication.

As a unicorn (born and raised Austinite) I have some fairly deep roots in Austin, Texas. I grew up having my parents drive me to concerts and festivals like ACL and SXSW. In 2014 I began working with MIXI Shows and Indie Culture Now as a photographer and digital media strategist. I sought to discover local talent to share with others and endeared connecting communities and audiences to artists. During my 5 years there I was able to help curate talented undiscovered artists for showcases and tours as well as develop my skills as a copywriter, photo/videographer, and social media manager.

The client work I did then has transformed significantly over the years, although the industry remains the same. My clientele gradually shifted from artists and individuals to companies and publications. After cultivating communities and connections within the various spaces my camera allowed me to be in, I found myself at a difficult crossroads. The evolution of our digital media landscape made the commodification of photos inevitable. We took the intrinsic value of capturing memories for ourselves and replaced it with rushes of dopamine from engagement. We stopped creating art and we started creating content.

To my peers, the conversation was very much black and white, I could either create art or go commercial. However, I felt the situation deserved a grey area. I had been pressured not to be a ‘sell-out’ and I was warned that I would be unable to sustain such large ambitions. Why couldn’t art be commercial or vice versa? Ah, yes- the daily desire to bridge the gap between advertisement and artistry.

This debacle would catalyze my unrelenting dedication to creating genuine representations of businesses and brands. Most companies will tell you that the key to sales is in keeping something simple, rather, I believe it resides in completely understanding your desired client’s needs and your ability to accurately fulfill them. My creative ability resides in the translation of ideas and concepts into visual productions and marketable media — hence, LMVM was born in 2019. The acronym stands for; leveraging marketable visuals masterfully.

My proudest accomplishments have all stemmed from my authentic personality and unwavering commitment to connecting soulfully with others. I started photographing artists at concerts for $15, not because I didn’t understand my worth, but because I wanted to work with people who were just as hungry as I was, literally and figuratively.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Before I left for college my folks told me one thing that stuck with me– to get a job that pays the bills and to let my passion be a hobby– and for a long time, they were right. Had things gone the way they should have with their logic, I would have spared myself a lot of difficult moments. At the lowest points in my journey, I found myself without shelter, unable to provide for significant others, and financially in disarray.

Presently, I work 2 jobs – one that helps pay the bills and the other one that helps… pay the bills. It is not impossible to follow your dreams, it just takes a certain magnitude of courage and faith. Not only in yourself but in God. I had to reframe the idea of failure and make it an essential component of my strategy; losses = lessons. There is no “taking an L” when the outcome is learning.

Consistently put time into anything you want to get better at and I guarantee you will. I say this because when I first started, I was too afraid to take the first step, in any direction, I had a paralyzing fear of failure. I say this because I’m no longer afraid of failing – I’m afraid of not learning. Repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting different results is insanity; continually challenging yourself and failing is growth.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

From a young age, I enjoyed building worlds for my LEGO people to operate within. I found escapism in video games because it was an environment I could control. I started writing poetry as a cathartic expression to reconcile childhood trauma. I taught myself how to beatbox, play the drums, and eventually produce beats because my rhythmic aspirations could not be satiated within my mind. Growing up I thought the most rewarding part of being an artist or creative would be the tangibility of ideation.

What I’ve learned is that the most rewarding thing I get to experience as a creative comes from listening to others. I will always be grateful for the chance to truly listen and not just hear someone. The fabric of our society is often littered with overlooked, mundane, and/or forgotten moments. Moments that most people wouldn’t share if asked what they did earlier in their day.

I enjoy being an artist because it allows me to engage with the world empathetically. We are creatures that continually require social integration, and as such I find it most pleasant to be around people who have no innate desire to do so. The people who prefer their own company to that of others, the people who find integration robotic and chaotic, the people who create counter-culture, the silent and humble innovators, the perpetually optimistic realists. Everyone’s story is fascinating if listened to for long enough, the question is, will you be the one to listen?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lmvm.online/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.marez/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenzomarez/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EnZo_asmr
• Other: Print Gallery: https://enzo.darkroom.com/collections/enzo-s-print-gallery Inquiries: lorenzomarezphoto@gmail.com

Image Credits
All images taken by Lorenzo Marez