M Portraiture

The first time I ever really used a camera was during the sixth grade when I took a trip to Washington, DC with my elementary school. To document my vacation with my classmates, my dad let me borrow a tiny little camera of his, reminiscent of one used by James Bond when sneaking into top secrets places! I thoroughly enjoyed taking photos during that trip and took at least a dozen rolls of film. But when I got the prints back from the lab, they all had my finger in them! We both had a good laugh about it, but my dad didn’t give up on me. Three years later, after enrolling in a photography class in high school, he bought me a “real” camera and taught me how to shoot manually. Since then it’s been a love affair between me and the lens and no more finger in the photos!

_99A2396_99A0596_99A1978e_99A6067_99A2441_99A9724_1editFor a long time after high school, I simply shot as a hobbyist, mostly when traveling with my family. However, after working as a therapist for several years, I decided to change career directions and pursue my hobby more seriously. I earned a scholarship to study abroad at Parsons in Paris, then completed my photography studies at the Academy of Art in San Francisco where I earned a Master of Fine Art (MFA). As a grad school student, I started shooting weddings and have been hooked ever since!

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One of the things I really enjoyed about being a therapist was that the job allowed me an opportunity to connect with a diverse group of individuals in meaningful ways. I love the fact that in being a portrait photographer, I can still connect with a variety of people during some of their most cherished moments. While I love photographing traditional weddings, it’s always fun to shoot something out of the ordinary. I once shot a wedding where there were belly dancers!

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The other day, someone asked me why I love shooting weddings, and I said, “I get to be a part of a special day that’s filled with love and happiness and hope for the future. It’s a day where dreams come true.”

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Susan Mah

COMPANY: M Portraiture

WEBSITE: https://m-portraiture.squarespace.com

SOCIAL: Facebook

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