Meet Maria Christianson | Photographer & Aspiring Lamp Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maria Christianson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maria, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?

There are so many habits that could drive someone to succeed. For me personally, I have always tried to work for my future self. Making a habit of stopping and thinking – “Is this something I want to leave for my future self?” “Is this something I could regret?” Not everything has to be this thought out, but it can be applied to school, money, self-preservation, and much more.

Deciphering the “needs” and the “wants” in life is also a good habit to form. Of course, we all have strong wants that appear to be a need. The key is a view past your own nose. A view to your future self! This could be tonight, next week, or even a year from now. I think this is a habit worth trying. And also, noticing how often you are grateful you stopped to think.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I am an Advertising Photographer working in New York City. The freelance world is never easy, but if you are good at what you do and show you care, then people will hire you. I graduated a few months after the pandemic hit. So, at first, I did not come to the city. After about a year the market seemed to open up and I joined my friends who had already moved. I started to meet more people, email more, and network. Now, a couple years later, I am working consistently as a photo assistant and shooting some small jobs. My first job after MATC was back in Milwaukee with a photographer named Kevin Netz. I was a PA on a set for a month-long Harley Davidson job. I got to know Kevin more and soon he told me I could use his studio to shoot. I would go there to shoot and learn. Eventually we became friends and I would help him out as a photo assistant. Fast forward 5 years, we flew out to LA to shoot a job for FIJI Water last summer. From being a PA to a Photographer alongside of him, there has been a lot of growth. It is extremely important to keep and build relationships. People matter and laughter matters. If you have a dream, you should always try to visualize it. If you can see yourself doing it then you are going to do it.

My new endeavor is applying my lighting knowledge to lamp making. Learning more about wood carving/shaping and starting to create lamps that bring warmth to people’s homes! That’s a whole other story:)

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I have lived in NYC for about 3 years and every week I learn something new! Ideally the weather would be nice and we would walk around central park. So much to see in the park, you never know what you will get.

There is a Cafe on the upper East side called Cafe Sabarsky. It is all Austrian and German dishes with some amazing desserts. There is a lot of walking so be prepared!

At night there is a piano bar near Times Square called “Don’t Tell Mama”. It is small and intimate with one piano in the corner. The waiters and waitresses sing as they serve drinks and you can request songs. It can be a fun time especially when the Broadway people show up!

A unique place to go for a movie would be the NiteHawk Cinema near Prospect Park. Vintage type theater where you can order food while you watch a movie. Old ads will sometimes show before a movie starts. Don’t be fooled, the food isn’t loud and everyone is very respectful.

For dinner one night you can head to Williamsburg. King Co Imperial is located there and has an amazing Dim Sum. Perfect for friends or a couple. It is better than the one in Manhattan, in my opinion.

In Manhattan there is a small part of town called Little Italy. It can be quite lively at night with people selling Cannolis on the street. If you have a soft spot for Dean Martin songs this is the place!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

My shoutout goes to my tech college in Milwaukee Wisconsin, MATC. They had an amazing Photography program that taught me almost everything I know. My teacher, Mr. John Glembin, pushed me to always create the best image I could, no matter how long it took. He would stay late grading papers while I worked in the studio for hours after class. It was a time of growth, frustration, perseverance, and relentless learning. He challenged me more than any mentor I’ve had. I know he did that because he believed in me. Now I work in New York City, and look back with complete admiration for those couple of years.

Website: mariachristianson.com

Instagram: m.christianson_