Cubans have a saying… ‘Para atras, ni para cojer impulso’. Loosely translated, that means ‘Never take a step back, not even to gain momentum’.

Hi, I’m Anna Marie—a Photographer, Storyteller, and Entrepreneur based in Jacksonville, FL.

I was born in Vero Beach and raised in Miami, where I learned to appreciate light, color, and chaos in equal measure. After college (and a hard-earned education in student loans and corporate job interviews), I lived in cities around the world, collecting memories—and learning that photos hold more meaning than any souvenir ever could.

Eventually, I took the leap from the corporate world to pursue photography full-time. It was a decision fueled by passion, creativity, and one powerful conversation with my dad—the man who inspired my eye and had just been diagnosed with ALS. When he saw my early work, he looked at me and said, “Anna Marie, never stop.” Then he added something I’ll never forget:

“Para atrás, ni para coger impulso.”

(Don’t go backward, not even to gain momentum.)

That was the moment I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.