Since I was a young girl, I dreamed of developing my own film in a darkroom.  I saw it in a movie and I always thought that process was so mysterious!  The red glow of the safe light excited me and seeing the black and white image slowly appear – magical!

As it turned out, my background knowledge in photography was learned on a “hands on” basis, reading photography books, and learning from other film photographers.  I took an instructional photography class when I first purchased my 35mm camera in 1975.  From that class, the one major important bit of knowledge I learned was “composition”.  Since then I have taken several other photography and darkroom classes.  I believed one had to know “everything” there is to know about photography to be “exhibited” – and this is what held me back.  Everyone takes photos, but to take a photo that captures a ‘feeling’, an ‘intense’ moment,  something that ‘moves’ another human being – that’s what I wanted to do - to capture the mystery of life on film!

As a result, I have exhibited my work since 2003.  I have been fortunate to have been a ‘featured artist’ here at the Blue Moon Gallery, as well as several other Sacramento galleries.  I also have photography works on display in Auburn.  I am a member of the Placer Arts Organization.  I was accepted by the Crocker Museum for their Holiday Art Festival in 2008 and 2009; I have participated in other Art Festivals, and have numerous pieces of my photography on display in local restaurants.

In September 2010, I juried my first photography show at the 48 Natoma Gallery in Folsom, California, for up and coming new artists.  This was a first in my career, a wonderful experience and great ‘exposure’ for me.   

I have my own website: www.MariaSotoPhotography.com, which displays my photography from the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington; Hawaii in B&W and color; Empire Mine, France, Monterey and Carmel, San Francisco, New York City, Central Park,  Bodie Ghost Town, and Point Lobos, to name a few.   I also have a new Blog up and running since the first of 2010.

I continue to use several Minolta film cameras (SRT 201 and SRT 101) for Black & White, a Canon Elan II (film) and a Canon digital SLR for color.    I LOVE the grainy mystery of Black and White (Kodak 400 TMAX film) and I am basically a die-hard for film photography.  I am now developing gelatin silver prints in my own darkroom which was just built in 2010; and I continue to make digital giclee prints.

My technique is utilization of “natural light”.  Life and natural light inspire me, and I just have to capture it on film.