Maiz is an accomplished photographer, illustrator, and visual storyteller. Her documentary photography has received Emmy™ recognition, and her children’s book (The Ring, Greenwillow Books) received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. With over 30 years of professional experience, she quickly sets portrait subjects at ease with her gentle friendliness and sense of humor, and she loves traveling and getting to know people through her work. 

Maiz has driven across the continental United States ten times and visited 48 states, and has spent a month each in ten other countries. Her non-traditional career path has been similarly wide-ranging—she has worked as a geologist, artist and maker, teacher, blogger, photo retoucher, graphic designer, associate producer, author, editor, field researcher, and community science coordinator.

Maiz enjoys teaching classes and workshops on portraiture, phone photography, and art. Her macro and wildlife photos can be found on iNaturalist and on her YouTube channel, Distractible By Nature.

Maiz loves connecting with people of all ages, lifestyles, and backgrounds, cross-pollinating ideas and bringing people together. Born in Santa Barbara, California (as Lisa Maizlish), she graduated from Wesleyan University and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three kids.