BIO
Ofelia Arzate is a Mexican-Canadian photographic artist living and working in Canada since 2013, currently based in the Annapolis Valley, Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia). Her work defies conventional frameworks and explores themes of solitude, individuality, and a profound, enduring ache for belonging. Through her imagery, she addresses her family’s tradition of unspoken vs unspeakable emotion, with the presence of her daughters in her work embodying an ambivalence between new and past experiences—ultimately revealing herself as her true subject.
A multi-award winner recognized by the Made for Documentary Awards, This is Reportage: Family, and Inspiration Family Photographers—where she has also served as a juror—and a finalist at the Documentary Family Awards, her work reflects a strong voice within the documentary family photography community. Her photographs have been published in This Detailed Life magazine, will be part of Co-Ex Collection 5: The Forgotten In-Between, and will be exhibited at this year’s Leverage Lens Film + Art Festival in Toronto.
Ofelia is available for family and portraiture sessions, events, creative collaborations, and commissions.
+1 780 263 9946
IG @ofelia_photo
AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS
2021 Shortlisted/Nothing is better than real life, Documentary Family Awards
2021 Shortlisted/Cellphone, Documentary Family Awards
2022 Reportage Family Awards/Collection 12 - Winner, This is Reportage Family
2023 Family Story Awards/Collection 20 - Winner, This is Reportage Family
2024 Best Family collection award/Collection 24 - Winner, Inspiration Family Photographers
2024 Best Family awards/Collection 43 - Honorable mention, Inspiration Family Photographers
2024 Best Family awards/Collection 44 - Winner, Inspiration Family Photographers
2024 Best Family collection award/Collection 26 - Honorable mention, Inspiration Family Photographers
2024 Best Family awards/Collection 46 - Winner, Inspiration Family Photographers
2024 Best Family awards/Collection 45 - Juror, Inspiration Family Awards
2024 Best Family awards/Collection 48 - Winner, Inspiration Family Photographers
2025 Best Family awards/Collection 49 - 2 Honorable mentions, Inspiration Family Photographers
2025 First Place/2024[Extra]Ordinary, Documentary Family Awards
2025 2 Honorable mentions/[Extra]Ordinary, Documentary Family Awards
2025 2 Judge's Choice awards/[Extra]Ordinary, Documentary Family Awards
2025 Best Family awards/Collection 50 - Honorable mention, Inspiration Family Photographers
Photo Cereal Zine/Issue 1, 2021
This Detailed Life/Edition 5, 2022
Upcoming 2025/Project Feature/Co-Ex Collection 5: The Forgotten In-Between
Upcoming 2025 /Leverage Lens Film + Art Festival gallery/Toronto, Canada
PORTFOLIO
