Welcome

Hello and Welcome to the Tranquility Boutique Blog!

My name is Maria, and I’m a professional headshot and portrait photographer. Photographing people is my passion—it’s where I feel most at home, creating art that captures personality, emotion, and connection. For many of us photographers, it’s in those moments behind the lens where we truly thrive.

But I’ll be honest—when it comes to social media, I’m not quite as comfortable. Like many photographers of my generation, I initially saw social media as a space to share thoughts, engage in meaningful conversations, and maybe learn something new. It was a platform where we could respectfully share opinions and feel heard, even if the audience was small.

I hoped the same would be true for sharing photographs. But the reality? Algorithms dictate who sees your work and how often it’s shown. Photographers are encouraged to post regularly, catering to the rules of the platform just to get our images in front of more people. For serious photographers, who pour time and care into creating meaningful work, that can feel disheartening.

As a professional, my focus isn’t on gaining followers or winning a popularity contest. For me, photography is about creating images that evoke emotion, tell a story, or inspire reflection. While “likes” and comments are lovely, they aren’t the goal. I think of a friend of mine—a brilliant photographer whose work has been published internationally, including in the pages of Vogue. She has fewer than 2,000 followers on social media. It’s a reminder that true artistry doesn’t need to be validated by algorithms.

So, why am I sharing this?

Because I’ve realized that if I spend all my energy chasing social media trends—figuring out what to post, when to post, whether to add music, or how to create behind-the-scenes videos—I’ll have little time left for the things that matter most to me: creating art, experimenting with new ideas, collaborating with other artists, and learning.

That’s why I’ve created Tranquility Boutique. This is a space where I can share my work outside of headshots and portraits. These photos may not be flashy or trendy, but they mean something to me. I hope they resonate with you, too. Maybe they’ll spark a pleasant memory or inspire you to pause and reflect.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing this journey with me.