As a Latina woman who grew up in Puerto Rico, New York, and New Jersey, Paola Franqui never imagined she would pursue a career centered around travel and photography. However, since 2021, she has been doing just that every day, much to her own surprise.
Her career as an NFT photographer includes creating captivating photo collections like "Collecting Hands" and collaborating with top brands like (Time) Magazine, Sony, Adobe, and Nike.
She describes her photography as cinematic because she views the world through the lens of a filmmaker when she shoots, and her moody photo editing style makes you feel like you are watching the climax of your favorite movie.
Since becoming an NFT artist, Franqui (better known as "Monaris") has amassed a large following in both the Web2 and Web3 spaces. You may already be one of her more than 400,000 followers on Instagram and know her work well, but if you are not, or want to learn more, here is some important information about Monaris.
Who is Monaris?
Monaris is a talented photographer known for her engaging, cinematic photography of everyday life. Born in Puerto Rico and now based in New Jersey, she started using a camera more than a decade ago after downloading Instagram.
The app's creativity sparked her interest in street photography and led her to develop a style that is both intimate and dramatic. She keenly captures each moment, paying attention to light, movement, and emotion, transforming ordinary scenes into visually striking narratives. Her ability to capture fleeting expressions and hidden beauty has earned her a high reputation in the photography world.
An NFT artist introduced the photographer to NFTs
Monaris began her photography career in 2014 after joining a photography group in New York that walked the city focusing on street photography. Monaris considers street photography to be her initial love, and at the heart of her work is capturing emotional depth and personal connection, which allows her photography to resonate deeply with viewers.
Over the years, she has developed her street photography perspective into what she calls 'Life Photography' because she is committed to capturing the lives that happen to herself and others.
As Monaris continued to hone her passion for photography, her friend Dave Krugman (who also happens to be an accomplished NFT photographer) introduced her to NFTs and encouraged her to share her work.
Monaris' first piece was titled "Until We Meet Again." The photo was taken through a window, with the reflection connecting three main subjects - Monaris on the right taking the photo, an older woman sitting on a bench on the other side of the window, and the window reflecting a young woman standing tall.
Monaris' visual storytelling takes center stage in her photographs, juxtaposing women of different ages.
Her photographic style is inspired by everyday life
Monaris' street scenes and portraits are breathtaking, full of cinematic atmosphere and charm. Her work captures everyday life, both nostalgic and wondrous. The vibrancy of bustling cities, the serenity of quiet moments - each frame tells a story.
Her compositions focus on color and balance, drawing the viewer into a world shaped by light and emotion. Influenced by classic photographers and cinematic storytelling, she draws endless inspiration from the people and things around her, each photograph embodying her deep understanding of the world, imbuing even the simplest moments with beauty and meaning.
All of her NFT series incorporate visual storytelling
Since its first minting, Monaris has been committed to showcasing uplifting visual narratives in all of her works and series. Her 'Collecting Hands' NFT series is an ongoing photographic series that was minted in the summer of 2021.
Each of these 30 images focuses on the subjects' hands behind their backs and the objects they might be holding at the time. While it seems like a simple concept, the images are filtered in a way that evokes rich emotion, which is exactly what Monaris hoped for.
As she wrote in the project description: "This series is a basic prompt, no two hands share or tell the same story, yet somehow, despite our different life experiences, we are able to connect with each other on one common ground - life."
In another work, 'New York Underground Stories,' Monaris weaves the commuting stories of New Yorkers into a series of 51 images.
"Beneath the streets of New York, you’ll find the underworld - a world of its own." Monaris explained on the project page, "Here, people create and experience moments like this every moment, here, in the chaos and dirt, there is a great beauty hidden, in my latest series (New York Underground Stories), my goal is to find, celebrate and preserve these moments forever."
With each photo, she leads the audience into the magical corners of the New York subway, to observe the people and stories that we might pass by in a hurry. In Monaris' underground world, you will see someone holding the door for a child, a couple snuggling together, or children turning the subway into their classroom.
You can also find Monaris' work in other mediums and collaborations
While most of Monaris' personal work focuses on the people and stories she encounters in her life, she does not shy away from creating art based on specific themes.
For example, when (Time) magazine invited her and several other Web3 artists to participate in the 'Seven Series' in collaboration with writer Deepak Chopra, Monaris gladly accepted. As part of the series, Monaris was required to redesign the cover of Chopra's best-selling book, 'The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.'
Monaris' magazine cover, inspired by Chopra's 'Law of Pure Potentiality,' emphasizes the importance of solitude, with the photograph 'NFT' vividly capturing this law, focusing on a woman sitting alone at a table with only a lamp above her.
In 2021, Monaris compiled her work into her first published book, 'Momentos,' and used the first NFT image she minted, 'Until We Meet Again,' as the cover. As if that wasn't fulfilling enough, Krugman also wrote the foreword to her book.
In April 2024, Monaris commemorated her third anniversary in the Web3 space and made the following statement: 'Just three years ago I minted my first NFT on the blockchain - a decision that ultimately changed my life, I've been here every day since then, through the ups and downs, it's been a wonderful journey!'
It is safe to say that everyone who appreciates her work would say the same.
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