THE eye behind noir & glow creative

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I’m Maria

A Los Angeles based photographer, creative director, and founder of Noir & Glow Creative.

I work with beauty, skincare, and product-based brands to create visuals that carry the same intention as the formulas, textures, and experiences they represent.

My love for art started early. On career day in elementary school, I showed up in a long coat with a cardboard paint palette and brush, fully convinced I’d grow up to be an artist. Then came the usual warnings: creative work wasn’t practical, the industry was too saturated, too uncertain. But I kept creating anyway.

In middle school, my grandmother enrolled me in a summer film photography class at a local community college. I was hooked. Photography became a playful medium, one where I could chase light, frame shadows, and document anything that caught my attention.

Later in college, I made photography my focus. I was fascinated by how a still image could hold you, how light and composition could shape a story. I studied the greats in photography and dove deep into art history as a Fine Art major, absorbing everything from ancient sculpture to modern design movements. That foundation continues to influence how I see and create today.

Now my approach is slow by design. I’m here to notice what others miss: the tone behind your brand voice, the way light moves across a surface, the energy of your space. It’s never just about the product—it’s about what your audience feels when they see it.

With a background in fine art and a framework built on strategy, I bring both clarity and creative depth to every project. No templates. No shortcuts. Just visuals that reflect who you are and where you’re headed.

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The image doesn’t matter unless it means something. What you feel is the whole point.

visuals with purpose

I support brands that care not only about how they show up visually, but emotionally and strategically. Every brand carries a mood, a message, and a story to tell. My role is to shape that into a visual language that reflects what your brand truly stands for and supports where you’re headed next.

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beyond the frame

Most people only see the final photo, not the thought process that shapes it.

Here I share how I think through creativity: what informs my direction, what is currently happening in the industry, how strategy becomes visuals, and why proper alignment always shows up in the final result.

Read the journal

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Let’s build something thoughtful together.

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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING