Maria Ricossa

I am a professional actor and a Street photographer and I’ve lived in the Beach community in Toronto for over 30 years.  My camera and I are often prowling the beaches and city streets looking for a story. As an actor I have spent my life digging beneath the surface of a character to reveal the details of human behaviour. As a photographer, I’m drawn to the moment of dramatic tension, the beginning, middle and end of something.  Who are you? What are you doing? What has just happened?  What is the story here ?

The improvisatory nature of street photography captures my imagination because like acting, I have to respond freely and creatively without attempting to control what happens next. I relish paying close attention to these transient moments, imagining the moment before and the moment after. If I’m lucky I find moments of surprise and mystery that arise from capturing moments on the fly