We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mariel De La Cruz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mariel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned a lot on the job mostly. I was able to lean into my food styling to get me some long term gigs that really allowed me to learn the extended basics while I made some money. Learning new skills has always been fun for me and I have dedicated most of my life to learning craft in several genres, from dance and being a vocalist, to pastry and writing, and now photography.

I don’t think I’ve learned anything as fast as I learned food photography! I poured all of myself, all of my time and resources into it and there was passion supporting me, these new jobs that I felt I had to be really good at to continue learning was a huge motivator in learning as much as possible as fast as possible. But I’m a quick study and it all felt right, so I kept at it.

Hands down the most vital skill I learned was using artificial light. The world that opened up for me was incredible and in crafting light I was able to tell more varied stories in food.

Being from an underrepresented community-I’m a queer woman of color, just has obstacles. What I did to get around those obstacles was apply to programs, grants, scholarships, and have been tremendously successful in getting assistance from those trying to change the landscape of commercial photography.

Mariel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The very core of what I do is tell stories about food–what it makes you feel, what evokes a special memory or simply makes you hungry. The clients who come to me are in need of imagery that takes their customers on a journey into their home, their kitchen table, or the grocery store with their product/brand and show them how it fits into their life, and why they will enjoy it. My images are decadent, sexy, and drool-worthy. They make you want to pick up the spoon/glass/slice of pizza and savor it.

I went to culinary school and was in restaurant pastry for several years and brought the meticulousness that requires to this genre of photography. On set, I’m calm and collected, just as I was in the kitchen (very unlike The Bear). I was a cooking instructor, and learned so much from people and how they interact with food and ingredients. I bring all that with me to my business and my clients benefit from that experience, trust that I can tell their story, and ultimately give their brands new assets to grow.

What I want people to know about what I do is that whatever they need me for, be it food styling, creative direction, photography/motion is that it is rooted in hospitality. I’m an artist, yes, but their needs are first and foremost. I want it to seem effortless on their end and create an experience where they will know that at the end, they will have the perfect images for their business. That is absolutely at the end of the day, the part that makes me feel so good about what I do.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The only thing driving this journey, the one of creative entrepreneurship is that I thrive in the ever-changing dynamic of creativity. Being stagnant is not great for me, I always need to keep learning, keep telling stories in more varied ways, and creating new worlds with each client. Its freeing, as a woman to have my own business, and make something uniquely my own. That fuels the late nights, the endless hours, the back and forth with clients, the staggering cost of marketing myself, and pushing myself out of the comfort zone time and time again. I simply have to.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Therapy. Because there are a ton of books, videos, and essays, but those only helped when I knew myself and how I react to things, or why I feel scared about this particular aspect of entrepreneurship or another. Actually peeling back the layers on why I have “impostor syndrome” and healing those parts of me has been so much more effective than reading another book on impostor syndrome. Another resource is people! Peers and people you admire are a deep well of knowledge and personal stories. Finding community and like-minded individuals is vital to the health of my mind and I’ve learned a lot about business by cultivating that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marieldelacruzllc.com
• Instagram: @marieldlcphotography, @marielstylesfood
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marielbdelacruz/