Marisa Marulli is an explorer, photographer and journalist with a passion for connecting people to the unknown.

FIND YOURSELF

ABOUT

In my explorations of remote places like the Arctic Circle, Siberia, Iceland and more, I discovered that the "unknown" does not only refer to unexplored places, but also to unknown, difficult-to-access circumstances or feelings.

Within the desire to explore the unknown, I have taken special interest in the hard and often muted topic of the human experience: the necessary discovery of our true selves. I am fascinated by the individual human experience, the power of the shifts within us, and I hold the mission of inspiring people to discover what we truly want for our lives and to go after that with all we've got. 

As true to me as the quest to find our true selves, I am passionate about exploring an equally challenging topic: the conservation of the Earth. I believe that as we uncover the true facets of ourselves, we inherently acknowledge and honor our heritage and connectedness with Planet Earth.

LIVE YOUR LIFE

PHOTO EXPEDITIONS

I used to think so much I never did much. One day, I decided I’d play the side of my hopes and dreams and take the time investment away from my doubts and fears. It didn’t feel easy, but I was tired of the alternative. So I embraced a “fake it til you make it” mentality with myself. I ‘faked’ it. I quite my cubicle job and acted as if things would fall into place. I acted like my dreams were 100% correct. Then, I hopped on a plane and acted like I knew what I was doing. Then I built my business. And now I’m here.

I want you to join me. Set yourself free. I welcome you to browse through my expeditions and play the game of figuring out what my driving force is behind each one. Oh and sign up for the one that speaks to you, won’t you!?

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MIRAGES OF THE MOJAVE
MIRAGES OF THE MOJAVE

Apr 11-14, 2019

The Women of the West have a story and a power. Join our fashion photography odyssey to the heart of the Nevada desert for one incredible fusion of everything you need — no matter which type of photographer you are. Unwind your days at our retreat-worthy Moroccan resort and charge your creativity to levels you never thought possible.

CAPTURE THE RED MAGIC OF MOAB
CAPTURE THE RED MAGIC OF MOAB

MAY 16-19, 2019

Join photographers Marisa Marulli and Robert Swinson as we chase the stunning light that falls on one of America's most unique landscapes. Sunrises, sunsets and even astrophotography will be part of this tour!

THE GREAT ALASKAN ADVENTURE
THE GREAT ALASKAN ADVENTURE

Sep 1-7, 2019

It is time to embark to ‘The Final Frontier!’ Join Marisa and Alaskan conservationist in chasing an unforgettable sunrise glow on beautiful landscapes, the magical Aurora Borealis, wildlife, fall colors, and even trek on glaciers! This Great Alaska photo expedition offers every piece of the beautiful land!

BELIEVE IN YOU

RECOGNITION

One of my favorite poets, David Whyte, released a book titled “Everything Is Waiting For You.” If only we could tell our kids that the real magic happens when you finally believe in yourself and invest in yourself. You just take that leap, and then bam — it’s like everyone was waiting for you all along to just make the move. I went from being an administrative assistant to being an administrative assistant to renouncing it all for my passion, and then the Universe swept in and said, “Well, hello there!”

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palm beach illustrated magazine
palm beach illustrated magazine
afar magazine
afar magazine
the palm beach post
the palm beach post

nurture YOUR mind

JOURNAL

If you haven’t noticed, I use my words. I thought and felt a lot of things during the process of change (and I still do). I figure if I could pack those ‘things’ into tangible, digestible, little blog nuggets, it would help people understand all of this (the feelings, the thoughts) is normal and in fact necessary to creating what you want for your life.

latest
MY LOVE LETTER TO THE TONGASS
Marisa Marulli
MY LOVE LETTER TO THE TONGASS
Marisa Marulli

Your 17 million acres of green imperfection swallowed my complacency whole. For seven days in June, it was just you and me — anyone else on our 25-passenger boat was there just as a floating passerby in their own silent catharses. 

For days we watched your inhabitant whales’ blows, fins and tales play with the surface of your silky smooth water.

It was during the choppier times that we saw them for the first time truly dance, breaching in full-hearted devotion to the symphony of waves and wind that constitutes you.

Tree by tree, breath by breath, our world’s largest temperate rainforest (intact), Tongass, you’re the biggest love we have left.

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Marisa Marulli
Magical Little Lonely
Marisa Marulli
Magical Little Lonely
Marisa Marulli

I realize there’s a whole system of life here within me.

A moment with my own self is actually an amazing thing. It’s incredible. A blessing. A miracle.

Anytime I may feel alone, I remember this epiphany I had, and immediately, I no longer feel alone. I just feel grateful to have this moment with myself, in this life.

If you think about the impermanence of life, and change, and all the good, and the challenges, and all the in-between most likely coming your way, you look at this aloneness as something to be cherished.

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Marisa Marulli
Breaking Your Mold
Marisa Marulli
Breaking Your Mold
Marisa Marulli

And as you go through this process, know this mold is not who you are.

Stop letting your mind take it to the level of identifying with it. Believe in yourself, that you’re different now. The change is being made.

Maybe before anyone else believes in you, maybe before you’re even sure yourself.

That’s a leap of faith. And that’s what you do in this situation. You take a leap of faith that you can change.

Behave differently in pieces, before your whole system is on board. Eventually, it all will follow.

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Marisa Marulli
The Purpose of Life
Marisa Marulli
The Purpose of Life
Marisa Marulli

That’s the purpose of life for me, in this moment. It may change.

That is, if there is any purpose to life - any outward thing you should find yourself doing to achieve some greater connection to your existence - other than to just enjoy it. 

But I have to say, I believe there is.

For those that this post does not resonate with, maybe the purpose of your life is to find your own purpose.

Blessings as you do!

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Marisa Marulli
Self Love
Marisa Marulli
Self Love
Marisa Marulli

We all need way more self-love - for ourselves and our experiences of being a human on this planet.

We sit there and just expect so much of ourselves, so much of others. 

We decide who they should be, and they decide who we should be. It’s a board game in a circular path. None of this gets us to each other.

Instead, what we need to do is simply feel the day.

Loosen the expectations of ourselves, of our days, and of each other.

Unwrap the need to control. Open up the grip. Be gentle with ourselves, gentle with each other.

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Marisa Marulli
You're Never Stuck
Marisa Marulli
You're Never Stuck
Marisa Marulli

Life is about metamorphosis. Not even the seasons can stay the same for more than a few months. 

No wonder you can easily get sick of something or someone, when you yourself are sticking to an old, layered identity and suppressing part of your divine potential.

I once heard someone say that luck will show up for people and it will leave them, but if you’re constantly working on and improving who you are - game over (in a good way). 

And so, I believe that if you’re constantly challenging the staircase you're climbing, taking turns up and down new paths, you’ll create and enter whole universes of new possibilities for yourself.

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Marisa Marulli
Staying Focused
Marisa Marulli
Staying Focused
Marisa Marulli

That’s what we do as people who are in charge of our own futures, as people who are responsible for and dedicated to going after what we want for our lives: we respect the way our bodies feel, we respect the other obligations we have, but we walk the line of challenging ourselves to go when it looks like the weather might change.

Then you trust that your efforts will be received by the universe. And if they are not - if your attempts take time to get there and then you still don’t feel like they are received, then you find another way around, a new route, a new relationship, a new method of applying for jobs. You try different things and you keep going. 

Because no thing is more important than you staying with yourself. No matter what, you stay focused on yourself and what you want for your life. 

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Marisa Marulli
New Beginnings
Marisa Marulli
New Beginnings
Marisa Marulli

2016 is over. 2017 has just begun. The change of year compelled me to write a credo, a manifesto, for this new beginning. The concepts in my credo aren’t anything new - however, that’s not to say I hear them much or quite like this.

Not always have I been able to embody them perfectly - sometimes not at all. But they remain my backbone and they have guided me through time, love, happiness, fear and the loss of my dear sister, Jessica.

These are my intentions. I always come back to them.

I wanted to put my credo out into the world so it can serve as yours too, if it resonates with you and you want it. I hope it helps you further your path, and expands deeper meaning, authenticity and presence in your life. 

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Marisa Marulli
Life and Death
Marisa Marulli
Life and Death
Marisa Marulli

I was so proud of Sam, so taken back by her comfort. I was sobered by her ability - when it really comes down to the pain of things - to really be there for someone. To lay right down there with them and go through the thick of it with them.

I think of grief. The grief of my own loss, or of watching a loved one go through it, or of not necessarily losing someone but indirectly hurting someone who loves me. I think of all the heavy and light miscommunication in this world. 

Grief is something you carry. It’s not quite something you move through. You learn where it fits, where it’s recurved the structure of your body. What parts of your skin ache when seated a certain way now. And respecting that. You find a new normal.

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Marisa Marulli
Feeling It
Marisa Marulli
Feeling It
Marisa Marulli

Make space for the sadness, the grief, the loss and make space for the relief and the hope. 

Sit down with these feelings and invite them into your home, into your mind. Let them be something else for you now.

Renounce whatever preconceptions you’ve had of them before, no longer believe there is something wrong with them. Make them something else. Allow them to be something else. It’s a simple as that. It’s almost too simple. Just play with the idea of giving them an alternate reality.

It’s hard because you go somewhere with it all. You go somewhere else with it. You take these feelings and you transform them into something else, you give them another identity. Meaning you’re not right where it is.

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Marisa Marulli

REINVENT YOURSELF

UNIQUE OFFERING

Now it’s time to tell you about Alan Watts, one of my other favorites. He once said “You are under no obligation to be who you were five minute ago.” Ah. I love that. Don’t get stuck in what you know. I believe having an open mind expands your life. Keep changing, keep shifting, you’re alive!

I keep introducing myself to new facets of journalism, photography, and conservation. Here’s a new offering of mine which is unlike most of my others: Mirages of the Mojave — A Fashion Photography Odyssey to the Heart of the Nevada Desert. It has my usual travel and landscape photography element, but now I’ve partnered with my fashion photography friend Linda Mason. We are creating fascinating characters from the heart of the Mojave and highlighting their stories in the jaw-dropping scenery of the desert. With our retreat-like schedule and resort oasis in the desert, this is one creative supercharge your passions are aching for!

feed your passions

the photo scoop

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Beautiful Moon, Show Me Your Craters!
Beautiful Moon, Show Me Your Craters!

The solution for how to photograph the moon:

  • Set your camera up on a tripod

  • I like to try a nice telephoto lens like a 70-200

  • Put your camera in Manual mode

  • Set your aperture to f11

  • Set your shutter speed to around 1/125 or 1/250 

  • Set your ISO to 100-200

  • Now that your general settings are ready to go, you need to achieve focus on infinity (which is where the moon is). Don’t forget about this part! 

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“Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.”
— Rumi