I have a Master’s degree in design and photography, but my path hasn’t been straightforward. I’ve always been curious about a million different things — from prepress and graphic design to book publishing — before leaping across the pond to the USA and Canada to work in studio portraiture.
Eight years later, I made my home in London. My restless urge to explore often takes me around the UK, especially the coastlines. Many complain about the rain and the grey skies, but to me the English light is poetry. In the wind and clouds I see something Shakespearean, dramatic, and perfect for photography.
My name is Marija Španja — though there’s always a little confusion about it. The “J” is silent, but I’ll still turn around if someone calls out “Mari-ja.”
As a child I spent hours playing with miniature cars — and I still keep them all. My first love was a red Jeep Wrangler, though these days I’m devoted to the Defender. It feels like a serious relationship; sometimes I imagine we’ll be announced as “the car and its better half” and live happily ever after.
While I occasionally shoot interiors and hotels, my heart truly belongs to portraits and automotive photography.
I believe cars have souls, and when I photograph them I always imagine a smile hidden in the metal. My portfolio reflects this passion: anything with four wheels and a loud vroom seems to wake up my camera.
This didn’t happen overnight. Slowly, I discovered my real passion: photographing men. There’s something about capturing the essence of their unique masculine energy that doubles — even triples — my own joy. I prefer to photograph people in their raw environments, surrounded by what matters most to them: a car, an aeroplane, or their loved ones.
The best images I’ve taken are always the ones I didn’t expect — fleeting moments that can’t be staged.
I love details, atmosphere, and moody light that wraps emotion into the frame. I’m a magpie for beautiful design, and I bring that same attention to the smallest details in every shoot.
Perhaps one day I’ll convince my son to become a mechanic, so together we can bring vintage cars back to life.
Until then, I’ll keep chasing the rain,
the wind, and all the little truths that make a photograph feel alive.
If my work speaks to you,
I’d love to collaborate and
capture your story — your truth, your strength,
and those rare, unplanned moments
you’ll treasure forever.
