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This was how it all started…

I asked (more on begged) friends to have a portrait session with me. Some gave me the chance to snap away. They were patient enough to hold a pose for a tad too long. Nobody ever said the photos didn’t look professional. Maybe I was just lucky to have a bunch of supportive people to cheer me on.

Sometimes criticisms hurt. Constructive as they may be, but for newbies it’s hard to be bluntly criticized. I was careful with whom I shared my passion for photography with. I made sure I was surrounded by positivity.

But of course it’s different when you enter the real game. I started snapping photos of couples after years of shooting objects and doing solo portraits. At first I didn’t like the pressure it gave me. I lost myself in the process, but I liked what I had to capture. I just didn’t know how back then!

Calography was a husband and wife team that took me under their wing. Hooooray for kind souls!  They were my mentors in the wedding world. I observed and learned. The first time I third shoot for a wedding I didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know what to look for. Didn’t know what moments I had to capture and chase. I went home feeling spent and made a promise to myself that I’ll never do weddings again. One was enough! But that one promise didn’t stay true.

Couples hired me as a second photographer. Meaning there was already a main photographer and a team. I became the outsider! I didn’t have an assistant with me back then. One professional photographer asked with a fat smirk on his face, “you don’t have an assistant??” I didn’t know I needed one! Truth is I didn’t have a hard time carrying my Crumpler backpack with just one body – a 450d, a 50mm and 85mm.

It wasn’t easy really! One photographer confronted a wedding coordinator and asked why I was there. I didn’t know that some photographers do not allow another photographer to cover a wedding with them side by side. I remember asking if I should go home. But the bride said – please stay! Stay I did! He was very rude. It was a challenge to have a comfortable vantage point. He blocked my way most times.  I was his target in a forum thread he started.  Cowardice I should say!  He didn’t name names but he said —  a lady wedding photographer.  I was the only lady photographer back then.  Why did he disliked me so much? 

I look back and tell myself I’ve come along way. I’ve made friends that became like family. Those rude encounters in the past don’t really matter.

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Here’s a photo session I did last week. These photos are for an agency in Canada.

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Comments

Mai – Mai / Shutterfairy is a contender NOW in the wedding industry. The name is already a brand in itself and a self-sustaining brand-of-photography.
what “WE” like about her work are the angles and softness. the tones that are produced and the sincerity of shots. It makes you want to look at the shots over and over again because of the richness and how all the Colours “POP” . You really feel that second of your life being frozen into a shot was painstakingly thought of by an artist.
Shutterfairy is not just a professional photographer. Rather, an Artist behind the lens.

A big thank you for your kind words…

Congrats mai!!!