Connection Over Perfection
Event & Branding Photographer, Orange County
Photography for people that are in the moment.
Forget the step-and-repeat. The best photo from your gala is your board chair mid-laugh, with no idea the camera's there.
I document private events, personal brands, and couples. Real moments, real people.
Serving Orange County, including Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, San Clemente, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Anaheim and Santa Ana
PREFERRED PHOTOGRAPHER — Environmental Nature Center, Newport beach, CA
Hi!
Mariano here, the one behind the lens...
Before I was a photographer, I trained as a life and leadership coach. That background shows up in how I work a room: I know how to put people at ease fast enough that they forget I'm there — whether that's two hundred gala guests mid-fundraiser or one person in front of a branding-session lens for the first time.
My job isn't to direct the moment. It's to be paying close enough attention that I don't miss it. Your son tripping over his own feet. The windblown hair your partner brushes from your face. A quiet, knowing glance while everyone else is looking somewhere else.
Every session starts the same way: a real conversation, then me Finding the moments. See how it works →
The Portfolio
Events & Galas
Personal Branding
Couples & Editorial
Testimonials
"Intuitive, creative, and full of heart. He made everyone feel at ease and beautifully seen — the photos from our event are alive with the spirit of the evening."
Carrie W.
Local business owner, Laguna Beach, CA
"I am in advertising, I work with professional photographers on a regular basis. Mariano excels in artistic skills as well as the empathetic demeanor needed for this work."
Paul C.
Creative Director, Seattle, WA
Tell me about what you want documented