Life & Work with Marilyn Nguyen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marilyn Nguyen.

Hi Marilyn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
Hi! My name is Marilyn, and I’m a photographer who travels back and forth from the San Francisco Bay Area to LA/Orange County area. 

I started photography in 2012 when I was on Tumblr. I came across these really high-quality images, and I was super curious about how to take nice images like that! I picked up a camera, and I started learning. Joining my yearbook class in high school helped me learn editing tools like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. 

Since then, my biggest passion is doing conceptual photoshoots, event photography, concert photography, portrait shoots, and much more! 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Although I must say that I am very proud of how far I’ve come, the road was not always smooth! Throughout my photography journey. The biggest obstacle, I would say, was experiencing burnout. 

Starting photography when I was very young, I also had to learn how to start a business at a young age. I struggled a lot with staying organized and also balancing taking so many gigs with my personal and social life. 

Another obstacle I came across would be defining my own style– which I think a lot of photographers experience! Looking up to so many more experienced photographers, I wanted to be just as good– but my own way! That entire process (which I think I’m still going through) took a lot of trial and error. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a photographer that specializes in portrait photography and event photography. However, what I’m most proud of is my concept photoshoots! 

I love building a set together and also incorporating my photoshop skills and creating something beautiful. I love the brainstorming the process that comes before it and the editing that comes after! My favorite part would be showing someone the final photo and then showing the “before” photo. I think the amount of time I spend editing and my attention to detail is what sets me apart from others! 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are a lot of people that had a huge part of my journey. Although it’s been many, many years now, I must give credit to my mentors in my high school yearbook class! Those were the years I learned the most. Whether it was photographing other students or school events, having all that practice definitely helped me excel in photography. A lot of the skills I use today, 7-8 years later, were skills I learned for the first time in that class! 

Contact Info:

• Website: marilynnguyen.com
• Instagram: @marilynnnguyen