For artist Fares Micue, each image is a story, a snapshot that captures a narrative, a concept, a subject moving on a journey through the frame. Born and raised in the Canary Islands, she came to photography from a love of storytelling and writing; she flexes this muscle by writing down the narratives behind her photographs.

Micue’s use of color is exacting, pinning down an emotion, feeling, or atmosphere through palette in her compositions. It is worth noting that the same woman appears in most of her works—this person being the artist herself, making the photographs even more personal. Each piece creates a window into Micue’s mind and vision. As a photographer, she sees an entire world from behind the lens—a world filled with rich, shining colors and gorgeous, surreal, and fantastical imagery. Her world.

Learn more about the artist’s mesmerizing photography in this exclusive interview!

www.saatchiart.com/faresmicue
Instagram: @faresmicuephotography

How did your journey as a photographer and artist begin? What attracted you to photography specifically?  

I started photography as a hobby around 2009 after discovering a photography site. At the time I wasn’t planning to make it my job, I was just looking for a way to be entertained and find something I enjoy doing. I always loved to write and would write down my thoughts as well as little stories. My original dream was to become an actress, and I found in photography a way to combine my passions--writing, interpretation, and creating stories--all in one frame.

I am so drawn to the crisp, rich color in your work! Does color play an important part in your  process and/or in your practice as a whole?

Thank you, definitely. Color plays a big role in my work because it helps to convey further the story I intend to portray. Many times, as I am writing the concept and story of the image, the color is already there, and I can see clearly which color I need to complement the artwork's narrative.

The portraits you take are self-portraits, correct? Can you tell us about your choice to use  yourself as a subject?

Yes, they are. At first, it was just convenience. I wanted to start practicing with my new camera straight away without having to get out of the house ( I am kind of an introvert and homebody), so I decided to start practicing with myself. Later on when I started to create more conceptually elaborated images, it also became more convenient to do it myself because now, on top of the availability factor, I felt like it was easier for me to interpret the story than trying to explain in words to another person the feeling I was looking for--and just like that, self-portraiture became my standard practice.

Many of your photographs appear dreamlike or surreal. Do you find influence from Surrealist art? What photographers working today influence you?

When I started my journey I didn’t really know any specific photographer and wasn’t familiar with fine art photography, therefore I didn’t have too many references to look up to. Of course, I was familiar with surrealism in paintings by the hands of Dalí or Magritte, but I don't thinks they played a big role in my early days. As I stated before, I create my images from my writings and my thoughts and I just happen to be very dreamy and positive. Also, I love very aesthetically pleasant images, so I assume these concepts end up translating in my practice of creating these dreamlike and surreal images. The first fine art photographer I discovered was Brooke Shaden and, although our photography is very different in aesthetics, it showed me how versatile and complete photography can be to bring to life any idea you have no matter how crazy it seems.

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I love your use of props, such as balloons and flowers. What imagery has been inspiring you lately?

Thank you. One element that I am feeling driven to is fabrics; I am in love with the movements and the various forms they can take. I have used them in some of my images but I am looking forward to using them more boldly.‍

What keeps you moving forward when presented with a challenge? Artistically, what keeps you motivated?

I just breathe, stay calm, and do not overthink it. When I find myself stuck with something, I just rest from it and do activities that put my mind at peace like going for a walk in nature, listening to music I enjoy, or watching a good movie. With time I have mastered isolating myself from any intrusive or unproductive thought, and if I don’t feel like doing something at a given moment, I just don’t do it. What keeps me artistically motivated is feeling connected with what I create, since I always write down my feelings I always have that inspiration source to go back to when I am feeling a bit dried out.‍

For all of the photo/tech nerds out there, what camera do you use?

I am currently using a Canon 5D Mark IV.