We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mariana Lozano. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mariana below.

Hi Mariana , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I began being interested in photography from an early age. I remember back in 2008 when point and shoot cameras we all the craze. I would take my mom’s camera behind her back and take pictures of literally everything. Sunset, snap, pretty tree, snap, my brother’s, snap. I just remember being obsessed with taking pictures and wanting to be a photographer when I grow up. Knowing what I know now, I probably would have started sooner. Right out of high school I wanted to go to school for photography but I found myself full of fear, self doubt, and limited resources. I ended up straying away from my dream and ended up as a “Senior Manager” at a retail store. I continued to practice photography during my free time. Whether it was on my off days, before my shift or sometimes during my lunch break.Over the years I began being consumed by the stress of my job and my body was literally begging for help. I began having Panic Attacks and Nocturnal Panic Attacks. (Yes, that’s a thing) I ended up quitting my job without a single back up plan. I told myself I had enough funds to come up with a plan. After I quit my job I made time to practice photography. I started out by having my friends model for me so that I could practice shooting in manual, practice framing, and composition.
I would stay up late at night reading blogs and practicing in my room. I attempted watching youtube videos but it just wasn’t for me. Once I felt confident enough in my skill I began shadowing other photographers so that I could gain experience working with clients. I spent so many years practicing and learning the craft and till this day I am still practicing and learning new things.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Mariana Lozano. I am a Photographer based in Houston, Texas. I got into the industry because I quit my job with out a back up plan so I had no choice but to make it work. My focus is elopements, portraits, and branding pictures. I am most proud of building my business from the group up and having one of my images used as an ad in “Brides of Houston” magazine. You should have seen me when I saw it. You would have thought the whole magazine was about me. The most important thing that I want my potential client to know is that at the end of the day all you’ll have left are pictures. All your kids will have left of you will be pictures. Just take the pictures. You don’t have to lose weight, you don’t have to be “photoshopped into a smaller size”. Just take the pictures.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After a few years of being in my career I realized that, I love weddings…… as a guest. When I first started I loved the idea of capturing the love between two people. I started shooting weddings. However over time I began being exhausted. Then covid happened and most of my clients went from huge weddings to elopements. After shooting my first 2 elopement’s I realized why I was so exhausted, it was the people. It was having to pretend I was an extrovert so that I could hype everyone up for the picture. It was chasing all of the extended family members for the formal portraits, or wrangling up the bridal party. Covid ended up postponing most of my weddings. Most of my clients gave up on the wedding process and just decided to elope. That’s when I began to focus on elopements. I had to rebrand myself into an elopement and micro wedding photographer.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth and Instagram have always been how my clients have found me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marilozanostudio.com
• Instagram: @marilozanostudio

Image Credits
Photo of Mariana: @simply.grace