Meet Madeline Arenas

We were lucky to catch up with Madeline Arenas recently and have shared our conversation below.

MADELINE, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

Immerse yourself in a variety of visual arts, study the Master of Photography through award winning photographers, and constantly experiment with new techniques. Pay attention to the feedback you receive on your image critiques but don’t let it stifle your creativity. Instead, use it to refine your vision. , Attend live judging photo competitions, you will learn so much from someone’s mistakes.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Madeline Arenas, born and raised in Pangasinan Philippines is a Los Angeles based international award-winning portrait photographer for 16 years and founder of JollyBox Global, 501c3 Nonprofit. JollyBox Global envision a world where every individual has the education, nourishment, and resources to break free from poverty and build a thriving, self-reliant future. By empowering underprivileged communities, their aim to create a more equitable society where opportunity is accessible to all.

Her passion for art started at an early age, and she fell in love with photography when she got her first camera in elementary school. However, like many artists, she was told that there was no money in art and decided to pursue a different career path. She went back to photography when she purchased her first digital camera in 2003. As a mother with a young baby, she started Cubrix Photography during the recession in 2008 and posted on Craigslist with her son as a sample portfolio.

Today, she specializes photographing in newborns, marriage proposals, destination weddings, and Bar Mitzvahs – “pretty much the milestones of their life” as she says. Madeline’s unique perspective on storytelling in photography and her empathy for others makes her work truly stand out. Her astonishing photographs have received numerous accolades in many international prestigious awards including WPPI (Iconic International Photography Awards) – 2nd place Photojournalism, 2019 with 9 silver awards. AsiaWPA International Photography Awards – 2nd place Fine Art and Nude, 2nd place, 2024, WPE Awards, out of 1,136 USA Photographers, currently ranked 77th. She currently conducts newborn photography workshops in the Philippines.

She’s having her 2nd solo photo exhibit this Jan 10, 2025, 6-8pm, at Norwalk Cultural Arts Center. The gallery will be open to public until Jan 7 – 24th. The photo exhibit focuses on awareness for Tribal Communities in Philippines, humanitarian projects from her founded non-profit, JollyBox Global as well as her enormous creative award- winning images.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, what do you think were the qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey?

Resilience: The ability to bounce back from setbacks is crucial. Life and career paths are rarely linear, and resilience helps you navigate challenges and stay motivated. To develop resilience, practice self-care, maintain a positive mindset, and seek support from mentors or peers.

Continuous Learning: Staying curious and committed to learning keeps you adaptable and relevant. Embrace new technologies, read widely, and take photography conventions and workshops to expand your knowledge base.

What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Embrace Challenges: Step out of your comfort zone and tackle difficult tasks. This builds resilience and confidence.

Network Actively: Build meaningful connections with creative people. Networking can open doors to opportunities and provide valuable insights.

Stay Curious: Never stop learning. Whether through formal education or self-study, keep expanding your horizons.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

I was delighted be invited at the AsiaWPA Annual Conference and Award Ceremony Dinner in Tokyo, Japan on 16-17 January 2025.. My outstanding talents and creativity have shone brightly in this competition garnishing 9 awards on 1st half of competition. 1 award ranked 2nd place on Fine Art Nude category.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: cubrixphotography
• Facebook: cubrixphotography
• Youtube: cubrixphotography
• Other: TikTok:
  https://www.tiktok.com/@cubrix_photography_video