Maya Beano is a 26-year-old scientist and photographer based in Cambridge, UK. Her work focuses mostly on 35mm film, creating moody, thoughtful images from her travels. We featured her for a week on the @worldphotoorg feed.
Hi Maya. Please introduce yourself and your photography to our audience
Hello! My name is Maya Beano, and I currently live in Cambridge, UK where I work as a research scientist. I dedicate my free time to photography, and I think of it as more than a hobby. My photos focus heavily on mood and colour, particularly those of a landscape.
Tell us about the series of images we featured. Do you have a favourite, and why?
These images were all taken when I was on holiday with my friends. My favourite of those is the one taken in the car. I was in the very north of Sweden with three of my friends, and it was only about 1 or 2pm when the sky turned pink as the sun sunk below the horizon. On the right is a very frozen Lake Torneträsk, one of Sweden’s largest. When I look at this image, I remember how happy I was to be witnessing such astonishingly beautiful scenery. It's a moment that will stay with me forever.
Why photography? What does the medium mean to you?
I am very intrigued by the surreal moments in nature that I come across. Most of the time this results in a compulsion to capture this artistically. I'm a fan of all visual art forms, but I find photography to be the most intuitive and accessible medium. I love that photography enables me to create a visual diary of my thoughts.
Do you have a photographic philosophy?
I think that people who have a vision can create wonderful photographic work with even the most basic of cameras. It's easy to get lost in the camera and lens options out there, and I like getting my hands on some snazzy gadgets, but I don't think you need fancy kit to be an artist.
What inspires you?
I would say I'm inspired by the unknown - by what could be. I love learning new things, whether it's science, language or art. This love of learning has defined most of my life so far. I'm also hugely inspired by kindness.
@mayabeano
mayabeano.com
@worldphotoorg
