Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Mariani.
Hi Laura, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story starts in northern Italy, in a hospital administration office, where I realized I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my working life behind the same desk.
It was 2012, and I had a stable nine-to-five job, but I wasn’t happy. I wanted to create something, meet people during joyful moments in their lives, and see more of the world. Photography had always intrigued me, so I signed up for a basic class in my hometown. At the time, I had no idea how much that small decision would change my life.
Through those classes, I met photographers and began assisting them at weddings and events for free. I wanted to learn firsthand, the long days, the unexpected moments, the responsibility of capturing something you can’t ask people to repeat. I needed to find out whether I loved the work as much as the idea of it. And I did.
In 2014, I approached an established photography studio in Milan and asked for an opportunity. After an interview, they gave me the chance to photograph a wedding and show them what I could do. By 2015, I had left my administration job to work with them full time.
People around me were understandably worried. I was leaving a secure position in a hospital for a future with no guarantees. But I felt ready to give it everything I had. Looking back, it remains one of the happiest decisions I’ve ever made.
Working with the studio taught me so much: how to see light, compose an image, anticipate a moment, and stay calm when things move quickly. It also gave me opportunities to travel and do the work I had once only imagined from my office desk.
Then I met my future husband, and life brought me to the United States. Colorado became home for seven years and the place where I built Laura Mariani Photography. Throughout those years, we visited San Diego every year simply because we loved it. Eventually, the place we kept returning to became home, too.
Today, I’m based in La Jolla and offer photography in both San Diego and Colorado, capturing families, couples, maternity, and celebrations. My surroundings have changed, but what draws me to this work hasn’t: the chance to make something meaningful out of the love and connection already there.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It certainly hasn’t been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges was building a business in a new country while still learning the language. I had experience as a photographer, but suddenly, even introducing myself or directing a session could make me question myself.
I would think, “Am I good enough? Do I sound awkward? Am I explaining this clearly?” I knew what I wanted to create, but finding the words in English didn’t always come naturally. That gap between what I knew and what I could comfortably express was difficult.
What helped was continuing to show up, even when I felt insecure. Little by little, I found my own way of guiding people and helping them feel comfortable. Then clients started coming back, year after year. Seeing them trust me with another chapter of their lives meant so much—and helped me trust myself, too.
My confidence grew slowly, through those relationships and the experience of doing the work. I still have moments of doubt, but I’ve learned that I don’t have to feel completely confident to take the next step. That’s how I started, and it’s how I keep growing.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the photographer behind Laura Mariani Photography, based in La Jolla and working throughout San Diego and Colorado. People come to me for many different reasons, but the thread through all my work is a shared appreciation for the way I see and photograph them.
My aesthetic is natural, elegant, and quietly romantic. I love soft light, thoughtful composition, movement, and photographs that leave you with a feeling. My Italian background and the years I spent working with a photography studio in Milan have shaped my eye: I notice how fabric moves, how light falls across a face, and how a simple setting can become beautiful through the people in it.
During a session, I bring that vision while making room for your personality. I’ll guide you, help you find beautiful light, and pay attention to the details so you can relax. There’s room to be playful, quiet, affectionate, or a little unexpected. Those differences are what make the photographs yours.
What sets my work apart is that balance of intention and spontaneity. I’m thoughtful about what goes into the frame, while staying open to something I couldn’t have planned. A windswept dress, an unguarded expression, or a blur of movement can become the detail that makes an image feel alive.
I want someone to recognize my work through its feeling before they ever see my name. Whether I’m photographing one person or a room full of people, that sensibility carries through.
What I’m most proud of is when clients tell me they felt comfortable, beautiful, and understood—and then come back again. Having someone connect with my vision and trust me to create something personal for them is deeply rewarding.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is being close to the people I love and making time for life together. Becoming a mother has made me more aware of how quickly things change. There are little things my daughter does today that she might not do a year from now, and I wish I could keep all of them.
That feeling carries into my photography. A photograph can bring you back to the way your child fit in your arms or how someone you love looked at you. Something that felt ordinary at the time can become incredibly precious.
I want to build a life where I can do work I love and still be present for my family. I left my first career because I wanted to feel more connected to how I spent my days. That still matters to me.
Pricing:
- $420 – Starting Price for portraits
- $250/hour -Starting price for private events
- $500/hour- Starting price for weddings
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lauramarianiphotography.com/portfolio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauramarianiphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraMarianiPhotography
