At the age of sixteen, Maresa began her journey as a nature photographer studying photography at the Hilton Leech Studios, in Sarasota, Florida. During that time she received First place in the Macro Division of the National School Scholastic Contest and also received rewards in the National Kodak Contest. After graduating high school she went on to Daytona Beach Community College where she studied in B& W for gallery presentation and photojournalism. That year, she signed on with Animals Animals/Earth Scenes in New York.
After college she pursue a career with the Sarasota Journal, an afternoon paper, which lasted two years until that era, was gone in the publishing industry. Wanting to learn more about the commercial end she started at W.C.O. Creative Services, where she met her future husband and was able to work on such accounts as Donzi Marine, and Tropicana.
Winston and Maresa started, Lightwave Photography in 1987 and for two decades have shared their passion in photography. While her main focus has been on Florida, her travels have taken her around the world to wonderful places such as the Galapagos Islands, Cuba, Costa Rica, Norway, and her most recent trip to South Africa’s Elephant Coast. They reside in Bushnell, Florida raising Limousine cattle and Mustang horses.
Her photo credits are as follows: Book Publishers: Graphic Artist Publishing Company, Harcourt School, Holt Rinehart & Winston, Houghton Mifflin, Mc Dougal Littel, McGraw-Hill, Magazines:Audubon, Living Bird Mother Earth News, National Geographic Kids, National Wildlife, Outdoor Photographer, Ranger Rick, Scholastic Library, Sierra, Smithsonian, Time for Kids, and more . . .Exhibits: Florida Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium, Smithsonian Institution.
