BIO

 

Hello, My name is Ana Olivo, and I am a professional photographer.

 

I was originally born in Peru, and lived there for 18 years before I moved to Spain. In Barcelona, I had the privilege to study at the Universidad Politecnica de Catalunya, the first university to teach photography in Europe. It was through this marvelous technical and cultural education, I lay the foundations that would enable my career. I now reside in the United States, where I have continued the journey I started in Europe to fulfill my dreams.

 

My desires and inclinations toward photography began much earlier in my life. I recall very clearly, at the age of 11, returning from a school field trip, I was disappointed by the blurred and poorly made photographic images that were taken of the trip. I was unable to even recognize myself in the photos, much less the other amazing things my classmates and I had seen. I knew it could be done better.

 

Since then, I have learned this is true. But there is so much more to photography than the competent capture of imagery. As I learned and studied the art and science of photography, I came to understand that there are so many ways for people to get closer to images, not just by visual composition, but by capturing action, spirit and the deep meanings of moments. This, I soon realized, is the essence of the art.

 

While the artistic soul of photography has and will always endure, the industry continues to change at a rapid and breathtaking pace. I will always treasure the hours I have spent in darkrooms, extracting art from the captured light within photos. But today, we have more tools and digital technology to help us. Despite the availability of these incredible tools, I still believe that the soul of photography remains unchanged. The concept of being a painter combining the objects, palette of colors, the tones and rays of natural or artificial light, with an inspired imperative to create something unique and memorable remains my mission.

 

Most importantly, when human beings are the subject of my photos, it is they who are my muse. I strive to combine the living subject with the other elements arranged to capture the perfect balance and harmony when I press the button to capture that singular, irreplaceable moment.

 

There are instants where I just “know”; precious occasions where I feel I have genuinely created something different that combines skills, inspiration and the reality before the lens into a fantastic moment that has captured on film or digital media the image in my mind’s eye. These special moments transcend the human habitat in its ordinary context and create true art. I call this “The World As I Imagine”. I see the world as a Great Stage with undiscovered sceneries, subtle gestures, and acts in time.  To succeed in revealing the unseen that lies before us and preserve it forever is when I know I have fulfilled my artistic desire.

 

We are all familiar with the phrase that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. But to me, a truly inspired photograph is worth much, much more. In truth, the best photos describe to the viewer something that words could never convey. The best photos will forge a creation that originated first in the intimate mind and soul of the person who holds the device, but then transforms into a construct that was at the same time “created” and “discovered”.

 

And yes, photos will tell us stories. It is through the visual image that the many of realities of the world are revealed to all of us. Both the beauties of the world -- the grandiosity of nature, for example -- and the terrors, such as the devastation of a natural disaster are experienced by most people through static and moving images. It is the job of the photographer to be the eyes of all. As so many other photographers have found, I too have learned that even in the glorious and awful bounds of reality, art can be discovered.

 

I love the medium. I love the art. And I love my subjects. And I am amazed that no matter what I have newly discovered today, I know that there are infinitely more discoveries waiting for us. It is my privilege to be present for so many of these discoveries.