Hi, my name is Benita, and I am a long-time friend of Marco's. I'm trying to raise funds to help out our friend, Marco Patino...and I'd like to ask for your help too. On Monday, August 7, 2022, his car was stolen while he was at the Rio Rancho/Loma Colorado Public Library.

** UPDATE: SEPT. 2002 - Marco's car has been found and returned! Please read latest update below! ** It was a 2005 Chrysler 300. He has filed a police report with RRPD, but his car still has California License plates on it.

As most of you know, Marco has earned a living through his photography for many years. He had some of his lighting equipment in the trunk of his car, but thankfully NO other photography equipment. This was Marco's ONLY vehicle. I want to help him raise funds to buy another "around town" car so that he can go to and from work & also to his photography sessions. Please help him out if you can.

Marco began his love for photography in his teenage/early 20s. In the summer of ’91, he had the distinct pleasure of meeting “the old guy with the pink hat,” mister Dick Deloach, the technical editor at Lowrider Magazine. During a show at Cantwell High School when Dick approached Marco and asked him if he’d be interested in doing freelance work for LRM. Of course, Marco said “yes” and met with the publisher/owner of Lowrider Magazine, Alberto Lopez. With no formal portfolio, just a handful of 4×6-inch glossy photos, Marco had that fateful meeting with Dick and Alberto o­ne Tuesday afternoon. Marco had known about both Dick’s technical writings and met “Al” at a few local events but never thought he’d be working for the man in just a few short weeks. He continues to learn from his peers, young and old and is currently working o­n Lowrider Today with friends from his magazine days that will feature his work with film over the years.

“Working both in film and digital gives me the best of both worlds; (shooting) film is like a tradition to me, like driving an old Chevy down the boulevard on those occasions when the cruising bug bites hard. I have old cameras I still use and enjoy the ritual of burning a roll or 10 on whatever sparks my interest." - Marco Patino