Adult industry veterans who frequent the trade show circuit throughout the year often smile broadly when the affable Mari Blue trots up to them, camera in hand, ready to snap a quick photo.
After all, she has been a regular fixture for many years now at international events that draw talent and execs together, and the ease with which she can capture impromptu moments has been honed in a variety of settings stretching back to what truly made her fall in love with photography: underwater shooting.
The many years I have spent in this industry have given me the edge, as I am aware of who the key figures are and they know me and are happy to see me again and to be photographed by me.
Now, she blends her career as a photographer and videographer across mainstream and adult biz sectors, from festivals to her still-favored undersea realm. Blue is even delving more and more into making compelling documentaries that seek to spotlight life stories with greater depth.
Besides photography being the family business for three generations, what keeps her so engaged with the visual arts are the unexpected surprises, the challenges of varied mediums and settings, and the people she frames in her shots.
Take a step behind the lens with the WIA Woman of the Month, as she shares her past inspirations, discusses current projects and zooms in on the not-so-distant horizon.
XBIZ: Tell us about your professional photography and videography background.
BLUE: My professional life as a photographer and videographer began in the ocean.
While in my early 20s, I was island-hopping around the world, diving and discovering the wonders of the underwater realm. Captivated by this incredible domain, I felt compelled to capture all the fascinating things I discovered. This is where my career really took shape.
Additionally, the fact that my father was a renowned photographer and my grandfather a respected journalist in Brazil, I was blessed to have been exposed to their skills while growing up. I often accompanied my father on working trips and still have vivid memories of the national football games, as well as other prestigious sporting events he photographed at that time in his career. I am blessed that I may indeed have inherited some of their combined skills.
XBIZ: Discuss how you became involved with covering the adult industry and how that compares to shooting more mainstream events.
BLUE: I got involved in adult industry events back in 2014. A friend, Ramon, who was involved with Camstry at the time, introduced me to a very influential individual, one I am certain many of your readers are familiar with: none other than the “Captain” himself, Andy Wullmer. We did a dive together in Curacao where I was shooting the dive trip he was on. Andy was delighted with the footage I took and since both of us are very outgoing, fun-loving and communicative individuals, we connected immediately. He subsequently invited me to come to shoot the shows for his company, SGM at the time.
It was this opportunity that was the first stepping stone into the industry, and after a bumpy first couple of years in the business I was blessed to have met Julius “JFK” Kedvessy. We teamed up later in 2016. Reflecting back I can truly say it was this teaming up with JFK that was a turning point in my career in the business. He became my mentor and through him I learned a great deal about the business, the major players in it and how to navigate through it.
He taught me everything there was to know and guided me immensely over the years we worked together. His recent sudden passing was a loss to the industry, but for me as it was an even greater personal loss of my mentor, my partner and my friend. I am grateful beyond words for the years we had working together and for all that he taught me.
Considering the difference between mainstream and adult events, I would say one of the biggest differences is the interconnected and tight-knit nature of the industry, and the individuals who run it and play a key role in it. The better one knows the industry and its players, the better one can shoot the events. The many years I have spent in this industry have given me the edge, as I am aware of who the key figures are and they know me and are happy to see me again and to be photographed by me. It’s one big happy family so to speak, haha.
XBIZ: What is your unique style and artistic approach to photography?
BLUE: My speciality and passion is underwater photography; in the deep blue, my heart and soul connect with the environment and my process is seamless. Somehow, although it’s technically more challenging, I find myself in a flow state that is simply unique when capturing footage underwater. I coupled my passion for photography with specialized education in photography and videography where I learned about video editing and scriptwriting.
I love to create documentaries, listen to people’s stories and share a narrative with the world through the images I capture, whether still or in motion. I love the creative process that unfolds within me when my mind processes the subject matter and the images and their sequencing tells a story.
Traveling is also deeply inspirational for me and helps me adjust and accept new environments and circumstances. Everywhere I go I see beauty and this keeps inspiring me to create. I have a fast-paced shooting and editing style that is synonymous with the industry and world we live in, keeping videos short, sweet and exciting. My goal is to keep my audiences engaged and always excited for the next release.
XBIZ: How has your creativity evolved over the years, especially when experimenting with new methods?
BLUE: I’m constantly in search of new technologies and techniques to improve the quality of my content. I draw inspiration from trends in the business and try to learn from new techniques that are being used globally to capture audiences. I love watching documentaries and observing how the directors and cinematographers tell their story. I also very much enjoy photographic exhibitions and find it inspirational to see how the techniques of photographers have developed over the years. Composition is key for me whether shooting an event or shooting underwater.
I consider myself lucky that through my years of experience above and below the surface of the ocean, I have developed a keen eye and quick pace, able to adjust myself and my angle of capture to shoot most shots. This leads to focused and well-composed shots that capture the moment at its best. In underwater photography, as well as in events photography, there is little time for hesitation.
XBIZ: What hardware and software do you typically use?
BLUE: In order to achieve the best results I use Photoshop and Lightroom for editing my photos; I have been working with both programs for more than 10 years and this experience has paid off in a big way. Lightroom allows me to edit very quickly and when I need to go deeper on a single shot I use Photoshop. For video editing I use Final Cut Pro; I have more than 12 years experience working with this software.
The business of shooting adult events is by no means easy. The speed at which I shoot, edit and post my content has often received surprised “wows” from newer photographers in the industry. This is a result of having mastered my skill and the software I use.
XBIZ: Tell us a bit about yourself when not working. What are a few of your passions?
BLUE: Honestly, I am almost always working. However, when I’m not capturing adult events, I’m shooting music festivals globally and producing behind-the-scenes shorts for a wide variety of people, products and services. I am currently also working on a few projects, directing and filming documentaries. From time to time I work for NGO/ charities and smaller projects and brands, helping them with photographic and videographic exposure. Also, whenever I can, I love to go diving, as this is an absolute passion of mine and being close to the ocean or on a beach is where I find myself the happiest.
XBIZ: As a photographer with a diverse array of skills, tell us some of the special considerations when shooting underwater or with drones.
BLUE: As you’ve gathered by now, being underwater is where the magic happens for me. I have been a diver for over 23 years and been shooting underwater for over 10 years. Being underwater comes very naturally to me; however, there are many things to consider when shooting underwater. As anyone who has dived before will know, buoyancy is vital, and carrying a camera changes this considerably, hence the increased need to have good buoyancy control.
Having to also be aware of the potential dangers around you while diving is key, plus keeping track of the available air in your tanks while catching the best footage possible makes shooting underwater dynamically challenging. The light underwater is technically also very different and requires a special eye and array of settings and filters to capture the best footage. Technically speaking, it’s a tricky place to shoot with little to no margin for error, which makes it all the more exciting for me. In the depths, I find myself in the present moment like nowhere else, and shooting in this state of being is just mind-blowing for me. It’s hands-down my favorite place to shoot!
I began flying drones in 2017 when I got my first drone. The perspective it adds to any video is just fantastic; flying requires a similar hyper-awareness of the environment and conditions that diving does and this makes it exciting! However, it’s technically challenging in terms of needing to be aware of wind, fly zones, public safety and of course getting the key shot.
I like the challenges these two disciplines offer me and how they force me to push my limits.
XBIZ: How does your work with products, fashion and landscapes differ in terms of your methods/ preparation versus capturing more impromptu moments at live events?
BLUE: Shooting products, fashion and landscapes is very different from events or shooting underwater. There is substantially more planning, additional crew, equipment and resources required for the latter. When I shoot events, there is greater need for going with the flow of the event program and the guests’ movements and vibe and capturing these moments. This makes it more similar to shooting underwater. I would say this is where my strength lies: I enjoy the creative flow of capturing those magical, unplanned moments both in nature and at events. I mean, it’s tough to get that shark to hold that last pose he looked so great in, haha. Through my work doing documentaries and other projects, I am delving deeper into the planning of a shoot and the footage required to tell a story and this is certainly a very exciting and interesting growth process for me.
XBIZ: What new projects or skills are you working on at the moment?
BLUE: I’m currently involved with three documentaries; two of these are based in Brazil and the other one is based in Germany. The Brazilian projects surround the story of a political journalist and the story and history of one of Brazil’s oldest electronic music festivals. The documentary in Germany is the story of a Brazilian female conductor who rose to acclaim between the two world wars. All of these are narratives of great interest that I’m very much looking forward to being involved with. Additionally, I have four music festivals and six adult events coming up in the next couple of months.
XBIZ: Any major goals for the coming year and beyond, for your work and personal life?
BLUE: Besides all the events that are coming back after the pandemic, I’m very excited about the new company that Mike B and I are developing for the mainstream; it’s called Main Affiliate Magazine. Pushing this next year is my big goal and both Mike and I see a huge potential in it. The prospect of getting involved with more documentaries also really excites me and I’m looking forward to dedicating more time to this new passion. If all continues as it’s currently going, 2023 is going to be a fantastic year!
Each month, XBIZ spotlights the career accomplishments and outstanding contributions of Women in Adult. WIA profiles offer an intimate look at the professional lives of the industry's most influential female executives.
