Marissa Leshnov is a Black and Russian American photographer based in Los Angeles, California. Through her soft and intimate portraiture, her work explores the complexity of intersectional identity and belonging in the American West.

Marissa's photographs have appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic and TIME, among other major national and international publications. Commercially, she has worked with Apple, Google, Nike and more.

She believes that images have the power to shape public imagination and views photography as an act of political importance, emphasizing the need for photographs that add depth and nuance to existing narratives. As a lifelong student of photography, she often references the visual vocabulary of Black image-makers who came before her.

She is proud to be a member of Women Photograph, Diversify Photo, and Authority Collective.