Maria Maza
United Kingdom
Biography
Originally from Spain and now long based in the northeast of England, she lives with a sense of being between cultures. Photography provides her with a way to observe and understand, to participate and to document the world around her.
Her approach is candid and straightforward, rooted in a humanistic perspective. Working instinctively and from the heart, she focuses on capturing people in real-life situations, highlighting moods, emotions and lived experiences. She is particularly drawn to moments of human connection where generosity, resilience and joy come to the surface.
Community celebrations are among her favourite subjects, and she enjoys collaborating with community groups and charities, using photography as a tool to strengthen visibility and shared identity.
Project
“The Hoppings” by Maria Maza is a documentary photography series that captures the vibrancy, rhythms and subtle human moments of the Newcastle Hoppings — an annual fair in Newcastle upon Tyne where communities gather for rides, games, street life and shared experience. Maza’s approach is candid and observational, focusing less on spectacle and more on the quieter, evocative moments that reveal the character and spirit of the event and its participants.
As a street and documentary photographer based in Newcastle but originally from Spain, Maza brings a humanistic eye to her work, favouring imagery that celebrates everyday life, community and unguarded expressions. The Hoppings reflects this sensibility by finding poetry in ordinary interactions, gestures and scenes amidst the fairground atmosphere, inviting viewers to see beyond the obvious and connect with the lived experience of place and people.
