I photograph because it makes me a better person. I've come to the realization that as I observe through the lens of my camera, I am able to see the world beyond anything I have ever been able to see before. I connect with the beauty around me, with the people I meet and the feelings they have. I am able to feel myself, the joy, the sadness, the desperation and the hope of those that are kind enough to intimately share their lives with me and my camera.

My photography is an attempt to capture the essence of what makes life beautiful; the details. The small, subtle, almost insignificant elements that miraculously mixed together make a wonderful creation. I thrive in the details, and that is where my fascination with getting close comes from.

My intention is to make a difference in the world. As I continue to grow as a photographer, I hope to shed some light into the human consciousness. I hope to bridge the gap between cultures and religions, to make the undecipherable understandable - at least to a certain extent; and to provide those that care to know, access to a different point of view. I hope that in this search, I will contribute at least a small drop of awareness, clarity and upliftment to the human consciousness.

Ultimately, photography is for me a journey of self discovery; a process by which I find out who I am and what I'm here to do. It is a new journey, and as such it continues to evolve and unfold in ways I can only begin to predict.

Martin Herrera Soler