Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Munoz.
Mark, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was raised in a tiny town of 500 people in West Texas. I was diagnosed with hyperactivity disorder but had a pretty high IQ. I was reading 11th grade level in 1st grade. However, I was terribly hyperactive and, therefore, struggled in school. Fast forward, I found photography and nature and found the one thing that soothed my brain and made me feel like I belonged. I think I had better communication with wildlife than with most humans. The birds really captivated my senses and I just started spotting them everywhere. Now, they say I was diagnosed with ADHD, and I have a pretty severe form, but photography is still there to give me a sense of calm.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
ADHD, Anxiety, and PTSD are real. Communication is difficult. My brain works faster than my mouth; therefore, thoughts get lost quite often. I also get impatient and feel very low at times. It’s a chemical imbalance that I’m dealing with. I never know where I will be from one day to the next. However, when I get out into the forest, everything comes together. It’s bizarre, but I go through it all the time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
So, I’m a nature photographer. I don’t use the word professional as I think words like that impede me. Once some kind of structure is placed on what I do, the magic gets lost. It becomes a job and not what I enjoy doing. Yes, I want to be successful, but success isn’t how many photographs I sell or how much. Success is having someone want one of my photographs because it makes them feel something deeper inside. It makes me feel honored to have homes all over the country with my photos hanging on their walls. I’m not famous by any means, and truly, that’s the last thing I want. I’m not an influencer. I’m not a mass-produced photographer. My photos go to people who reach out to me and have some stories that they want to share with me. Then, I decide if I want to share my photo with them in print form. I will never become a millionaire this way, but if stories and memories were given cash value, I’d be one of the richest people on the planet. I found happiness without the spoils.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I lived near Big Bend National Park. Climbing the mountains and exploring the caves excited me. Having bobcats follow me made me happy. They weren’t hunting me. They were interested in what I was doing.
Pricing:
- Anywhere from $50.00 to $500.00
- All prints are professionally printed on archival paper
