A Mereuta

Born in Moldova, I’ve immigrated to the United States about a decade ago. With prior training as an economist, and a deep intention to contribute and serve others, the opportunity to do something about it presented itself when I discovered photography. In 2010, I enrolled in the Photography program at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and that decision set me for a passionate and fulfilling journey.

The power of the still image, my fascination for people, cultures and sincere caring for the human condition and for the environment, shaped my path towards storytelling. To me, the photograph has magic, it is a moment captured in time and preserved in our consciousness, it has the force to move people to great deeds.

The images I aim to make are about emotion, connection, and the human spirit. If it is a portrait – my goal is to show the dignity of my sitter, if it is a story – it must touch the heart.

In pursuit of my passion, I was curious to learn as much as possible about this craft, from as many perspectives as I could.

The instructors equipped me with sound business practices, technical and creative skills, while as an active member of the American Society of Media Photographers, I was able to connect with industry peers and take what I’ve learned in theory a step further in practice. The combined experience and received mentorship inspired in me the intent for professionalism and aspiration for technical excellence.

I’ve worked alongside Jeffery Salter and learned about the art of portraiture. With Liz Ordonez, I’ve had the opportunity to study the how of making inanimate spaces breathe life and vibrancy; Sid Hoeltzell taught me the intricacies that food photography and copy art entail; Natasha Kertes’ approach to elegance and beauty – introduced me to the amazing world of art and fashion. Kate Benson’s talent to liven a piece of jewelry or product – trained my eye for precision and detail. Each of these experts, have left an imprint on my own creative process. The people who continued to further shape me into an independent artist, is Carl Juste and C.W. Griffin, photojournalists at The Miami Herald. Through their guidance, I honed my vision, style and ingenuity. That resulted in an internship with The Miami Herald which gave me a first-hand experience of the role and importance of journalism and the delight of engaging with the community.

Since graduation, I’ve been seeking opportunities to learn from highly respected voices in journalism to cultivate my storytelling abilities. At The Missouri Photo Workshop, I was closely mentored by Dennis Dimick and Jim Richardson – great visionaries and highly intelligent minds, they encouraged in me an attitude of engaging photography and communicating ideas in ways that connect with a universal consciousness and tie into vaster themes, to challenge self-imposed limits and always think of the deeper meaning. At the Daring to see in a New Way workshop, Maggie Steber taught me to look for lyrical ways to express an idea, to make images as symbols, with a quality that transcends time and speaks to the heart of any human being.

In 2018 I was honored to be invited to The Eddie Adams Workshop XXXI. Here is where the legends of the storytelling world come to give freely of their wealth of knowledge and share their heart with the next generation of storytellers. 100 students each year, from around the world, are invited into this beautiful family and are given a precious gift: unwavering support, inspiration and a compass for our heart to remember why we do what we do.

In the last few months photographer Erika Larsen made a dream of mine come true. As an assistant to her we set together for a few months on a one-in-a-lifetime journey for a National Geographic assignment to photograph some of the most powerful and beautiful in spirit women who shape the world as we know it today. These women inspired me beyond measure. A window was open for me to see what kind of effort and dedication is required to do the work of service; I witnessed how powerful a human being can be when mind and heart align together and reaffirmed the truth that a life worth living is one that encompasses the wholeness of all life.

When home in Miami I cover stories and make portraits for Wall Street Journal, Biscayne Times, editorial magazines and commercial clients. When in Moldova I collaborate with the United Nations as a storyteller to promote projects on social and economic development.

http://www.andrianamereuta.com/

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