Maria Baptiste

Maria B. grew up in East Orange, NJ. Manufacturers Village is walking distance from the home in which she and her brother grew up and in which her parents still reside.
Originally self-taught with a focus on nature photography, Maria's love of portraiture blossomed into a focus of photographing women in ways they seldom see themselves.
Maria is now an associate-level, photographer accredited by The Portrait Masters. She has earned certifications in Digital Photography and Retouching from Pace University and she has continued to study portraiture through workshops and conferences nationally and internationally with many of today's most recognized photography educators.

Maria has been recognized for quality photography services to nonprofit organizations that work to empower women, and she provides photography services to organizations that support international medical aid to underserved populations. Biannually, Maria has worked with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in conjunction with the College of Pathologists (CAP) Foundation to support the See, Test, and Treat program, an initiative that provides cancer screening and healthcare education to underserved populations with emphasis on women and families.

Maria is the host of "Clued Up: the Behind the Scenes Photography Podcast." Clued Up offers photographers and photography enthusiasts intimate details of the complexities involved in professional photography from concept to photoshoot and post processing. The podcast also focuses on the challenges photographers often face.

Maria holds Baccalaureate and Masters Degrees in Nursing. Maria is a licensed Advance Practice Nurse certified in Adult and Acute Care, with additional certification in critical care and cardiac medicine. She is a medical and nursing writer and editor of digital and print health care education material for major health and science publishers, and she has served as an adjunct nursing professor in nursing programs and universities within New Jersey and via remote education.