"My photographs transmit from the eyes to the heart," says fine art photographer Mara Saiz Gomis. "It is a photograph from the inside out, from the soul to the skin."

Mara's career has been as much about self-discovery and compassion – for herself and others – as it has about finessing her craft and individual style, best described as vibrant, feminine and sometimes ethereal. Confident in their potential to transform lives, she creates images that enable people to see themselves through the eyes of others, free from any of their own negative or distorted views.

Mara's first foray into anything close to professional photography came when she was asked to photograph her then husband's band. Unboxing a Canon EOS 400D on the tour bus, Mara recalls studying the instruction manual. "It was like a whole new world opening up for me," she explains. Although she didn't find band photography particularly fulfilling, on returning home Mara knew she wanted to keep learning and researching. "I was living quite far from friends and family, so I was practising on my own, and that's where I discovered the true magic of photography – the self-portrait."

Mara developed a special appreciation for the self-portrait while going through her divorce in 2017, and this continued through the Covid-19 pandemic. The self-portrait allowed Mara great introspection. "I found a beautiful and revealing solitude that I had not known before," she says. "The process helped to heal my heart."

On realising the potential of photography and that it could be more than just a hobby, Mara enrolled on a photography course to learn about lighting and editing. However, much of what she's learned has been self-taught. "Despite some training, my knowledge comes from experience and experimentation, using myself as the model," she explains.

She expresses a level of caution when discussing photographers she admires, preferring to forge her own path. "I'm afraid they could become too much of an influence on my own work," she says.

How do you prepare for a portrait photoshoot?

"For sessions with individuals, models or even self-portraits, I allow everything to take shape depending on how I feel that day. Before photographing someone, I need to know several things about their personality. I have a small preliminary questionnaire that brings me closer to someone's way of viewing the world. I need to be in some way connected to my model so that the session can flow, and we are both in the same mood."

Colour is clearly an important force in your work, what does this mean to you?

"It's the most important characteristic of my work. I can't conceive life without colour. In fact, it is very difficult for me to work with black and white photography. I think the world is already too grey, so I want my photos to convey how I see it. Or better, how I would like it to be. My childhood bubble of happiness, surrounded by wheat, poppies, sunflowers, saffron and daisies, and oblivious to all the problems of the adults around me, can be seen in my photos."

How does photography help those with self-esteem and self-discovery?

"We tend to be very self-critical and unkind to ourselves. With my photography, I aim for people to see themselves anew. When we dare to see ourselves with a new perspective, from the outside, we see ourselves in the most real and, usually, most beautiful way. It's sometimes about re-educating the way we look at ourselves. It's about looking at each other with love and respect, valuing our entire history and giving thanks for all the emotional and external scars that have made us what we are today."

"If you're an artist, you really need to reflect on who you are and what you represent. I would love for all portrait photographers to know how important it is to know how to look at themselves, especially when working in this field. In the end, if you don't know how to see yourself, how do you intend to see others?"


Instagram: @marasaiz.photo

Website: marasaiz.com