These vibrant portraits give a good looking perception into Mexican tradition and heritage – you should have a look!

Mercedes Diaz Barreiro Aldana, a graduate from Norwich University of the Arts, explores her Mexican heritage, folklore and historical past by a mission titled ‘Soul of Mexico’. Originally impressed by her devotion to dwelling, her work quickly gained enter from her research overseas and have become a collaborative mission with different younger artists. Mercedes tells me extra about how she obtained into pictures, her work which I found at Free Range (The Truman Brewery), and her future objectives…

Our rising photographer collection goals to shed a light-weight on up-and-coming expertise. Photographers are supplied a platform to share their work with a wider viewers by the AP channels, with the scope of furthering their careers. We additionally get an perception into their inspirations, the digicam gear used and future aspirations, in addition to the journey taken into pictures – which doesn’t must be essentially the most conventional route!

We’ll be sharing the work of photographers on our web site and social media and even within the journal. If you’ve got lately began your pictures journey or are a scholar / graduate, share your work with us at [email protected]

When and why did you begin taking pictures?

Raised by an artist, I found my ardour for visible storytelling as a toddler, documenting my childhood with a toy Disney movie digicam. What started as a pure intuition to watch and seize on a regular basis moments remodeled right into a profession path in 2019 after I purchased my first Canon digital digicam and commenced finding out pictures formally. Today, I take advantage of my lens to problem views, see the world by a artistic framework, and paint with mild to attach deeply with folks and my interior soul.

Which style do you are likely to work principally in?

My observe facilities totally on portraiture, drawn to the artistic freedom of constructing intentional units that inform a topic’s story. Through wonderful artwork pictures, I assemble conceptual realities to characterize various peoples and cultures. Ultimately, my work goals to have interaction and educate viewers on important themes, together with cultural id, environmental sustainability, and the deep spirituality present in nature.

Tell us a bit of bit extra about your photographic coaching. Why did you need to examine on this specific course?

I lately graduated with a First-Class Honours BA in Photography from Norwich University of the Arts, the place I devoted three intensive years to studio observe. My choice to review right here stemmed from a want to maneuver overseas, expertise a brand new tradition, and develop my horizons, with the last word purpose of working in London’s vibrant artistic sector. Leaving Mexico to construct a brand new life in Norwich was an enormous milestone, and pictures turned the software that helped me form my new id. Through this technically rigorous course, I directed, styled, and shot weekly tasks, collaborating intently with fellow creatives to convey my imaginative and prescient to life.

Tell us extra about your mission/exhibition/current work? and so on

My current mission known as “Soul of Mexico,” which was exhibited at The Truman Brewery for Free Range 2026, has been my newest work based mostly on my Mexican heritage. The mission explores Mexican folklore and historical past impressed by my profound devotion to dwelling which I’ve been expressing by my pictures as a result of being distant and sustaining that reference to artwork.

“Soul of Mexico” was additional formed by my photographic research overseas, which taught me to embrace a extra sustainable and collaborative observe. With enter from different younger artists, the units concerned handmade props, recycled backdrops and charity-shop objects to help the neighborhood’s rules. From this, I proudly shared my work because the product of multiculturalism and its potential to create artwork.

What sort of response has it had?

The mission has acquired an extremely constructive response, starting from the crew concerned within the photoshoots to exterior trade professionals, together with creatives and the Association of Photographers. Seeing folks have interaction so deeply with the colourful colours and cultural narrative of Mexico actually motivates me to proceed documenting cultural topics.

Being named a finalist within the People class for the Student AOP Awards was an absolute honor. It additionally supplied a beautiful alternative to attach with established photographers like Rich Lakos, who shared invaluable suggestions on my work. Ultimately, capturing Mexico’s profound ardour for artisanal crafts has been immensely rewarding, permitting me to collaborate with fellow creatives like Pacheco from Our Latin Thing and assist develop the Latin American artistic neighborhood.

What gear do you utilize?

My technical basis is constructed on adaptability, developed largely by the intensive gear assets at Norwich University of the Arts. My portfolio spans from Pentax DSLRs to the Canon R5 mirrorless system. While the R5, alongside Elinchrom and Amaran lighting powers the vast majority of my imagery, my flower still-life collection calls for a distinct tempo.

For these, I step right into a quiet area and use a Phase One digicam that permits me to deal with absolute precision and deeply join with my topic. This college coaching is paired with real-world trade expertise, whereas helping on skilled units in London, I’ve turn out to be assured in adapting to numerous studio environments utilizing Profoto, Broncolor, and Godox lighting programs.

What are your hopes to your pictures profession sooner or later?

I’m an aspiring Lighting Assistant in London trying to develop my expertise throughout business and freelance tasks. I intention to collaborate with various creatives, change revolutionary concepts, and contribute to the photographic sector whereas mastering superior lighting strategies. My long-term purpose is to launch a sustainable, culture-driven freelance enterprise, with a deal with supporting environmentally aware organizations like National Geographic and exhibiting my work in galleries.

Do you’ve got a dream task?

A dream task can be photographing stills for an environmental and cultural documentary movie. To create a wonderful artwork manufacturing based mostly on their theme to help their advertising in markets equivalent to museums and academic settlements to develop their viewers. As a lifelong admirer of instructional cinema, impressed by impactful works like National Geographic’s The Secret of Bees and John Chester’s The Biggest Little Farm, I need to translate these important tales into highly effective key artwork. For me, the last word task is crafting the definitive billboard, e book cowl, or key picture that brings an environmental narrative to the worldwide stage.

Instagram: @merdiazphoto

Success tales

At the 2026 AP Awards, Nick Teo was introduced as our Emerging Talent winner for this documentary-fashion work. Previous rising photographer award winners embody Ethan Parker, Aliz Kovacs-Zoldi and Tariq Sadu. Si Jubb and Ethan Parker spoke at our Festival of Photography: Documentary occasion in 2025.

---

More studying:

Do you need to win some nice prizes to your pictures? Enter your images in our International Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. Free entry for photographers aged 13-21.

Follow AP on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Irys.