Meet photographer Maria Petrova, a freshman Earth Science major. She is excited to display her original photographs that detail her love for the environment, geographic features, and the earth as a whole. Welcome to “Travel Through My Lens” in TDU.

As a child, Maria’s mother took photos of Maria and her brother. Looking back, Maria found that she didn’t remember many of the moments photographed. Her love for photography began as a way to remember the special moments in her life. “I’ve always connected pictures with memories and helping people remember what they’ve forgotten,” she said.

This is clearly demonstrated in the landscapes of her collection and the way Maria shoots her photos as if the viewer is looking through her eyes. As for the subject matter, Maria’s family is constantly traveling. “I’ve traveled my whole life,” she said. “It’s shaped me as a person—my values, my perspectives.” The photographs of places she’s been are the way she can remember and share these moments with family members. “I like showing people places they can’t go visit themselves,” she said. In particular, Maria says that her grandmother likes to see the photos and “relive the experience.”

To Maria, photography is a great form of self-expression. “You can do it your own way,” she said. “You can take pictures of whatever you want, [and] you can change them.” In addition, it is an important and useful way for Maria to document her life.

From her photos, Maria wants the audience to “admire how beautiful [nature] is,” she said. “It’s very unique, having to experience different countries. Being out in nature makes you very calm and it makes you very happy.” Her love for the environment and nature is evident in her sweeping landscapes and colorful snapshots of moments in time.

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