"I grew up in the Caribbean and these happy places memories (white sand beaches, balmy nights, crystal clear waters, and its rich local culture) fuel my creativity."
Name: Marieke Rizvi aka Soleil
Occupation: Art Direction, Photography
Hometown: Martinique “the flower island”
Current Location: Bali for a bit
What do you do?
I like to see myself as someone who captures the light. I am a dreamer and this sounds so poetic but it is true. Through the art of creating visuals, I play with lights and shadows and connect with love and surrender to the person in front of my camera, in that particular moment.
Did you study anywhere or self-taught?
I am self-taught, with a father who was a photo/camera lover
What’s your favourite camera and/or equipment to work with?
I love Canon for its colours, and I shoot mostly on film for the authentic feel of the images
Who are your favourite photographers?
Michelle van Dijk for me is the ultimate photographer, I love Purienne & Brydie Mack too, they have so much talent!!
Who or what else inspires you?
Connecting to Mother Nature is my go-to inspiration. I grew up in the Caribbean and these happy places memories (white sand beaches, balmy nights, crystal clear waters, and its rich local culture) fuel my creativity. When I am in Nature, I try to take all the beauty in!
How have you evolved over the years?
I love co-working in a small team so I started working with local photographers on fashion campaigns and this helps me direct the shoot from another point of view, giving me more time to create non-commercial shoots, with more freedom of creativity.
Do you find any challenges in your industry?
I love this industry, I hope we can all see each other as an inspiration, to help each other in creating more magic. The real challenge ahead will be the fast creeping-in of AI-generated images. It scares me to think where will this lead to. When I think about it, it makes me want to hold on even more to the authenticity of film images shot by humans, with humans, for humans. This connection, we all desperately need it to survive as a species and we must preserve it at all costs!
What tools or apps help you get your work done?
I mostly use Lightroom and Photoshop.
Are you reading or watching anything right now?
I am re-reading Dolores Cannon books whenever i can, I studied her Past lives Hypnotherapy techniques and I am fascinated by her knowledge. It gives me a broader understanding of the universe we live in.
What are you listening to atm?
Bob Marley ;-) I watched the movie last week and it inspired me to listen again to his legendary lyrics.
What websites do you frequent?
Netflix when I have time, I love to watch crime documentaries.
Where are you traveling to next?
Probably Vietnam or India this summer with my loved ones.
