Strap in as we take a little tour of Maria Alzate’s life. It’s a wild ride and quite frankly you’ll be amazed she survived but hey, what doesn’t kill you makes you a better photographer, right? 

It all begins in Colombia. Cue machete fights and revolutionaries, the church, the vibrant culture and the tallest palm trees in the world. Maria left her birth home as a four year old for the dusty wastelands of Baulkham Hills, West Sydney, where she was terrorized by blue tongue lizards before moving to a housing commission flat in Surry Hills with her mum. Nothing says welcome to the neighbourhood like a syringe in the playground. 

If pressure makes diamonds, Maria Alzate is a particularly sparkly one.

A grounded and sparkly diamond with a love and enthusiasm for photography. When the going gets tough… Maria will sort it. She is resourceful, resilient and passionate. Her images are  intimate and strong. She vibes and finds connection in small joys. A smile, a furtive glance or touch.

Maria has photographed celebrities Sally Obermeder, Kat Hoyos, Courtney Clarke and Akira Fujii and her work has featured in campaigns for Adobe, Rebel Sport, Optus, R M Williams and the Aboriginal Language Trust. She has been commissioned by Yes Agency, M&C Saatchi and Big Red and her work has also appeared in Marie Claire, Soller Mag and Scouted magazines.

Breath easy, Maria Alzate is safe and happily enconsed in her Sydney home with her three kids.