Finding a new focus ;)

Introducing (officially, I suppose) Mei Mei Photography, focused on visual storytelling, whether it's unconventional headshots, family portraits, lifestyle photos and more. It is my newest venture into discovering what I actually want to do with my life. And note, I think I am getting closer!

*I'm not leaving social media completely, just as an FYI. This is just something else I am adding to my repertoire!

A year and a half ago, I left the safety and comfort of a stable and well-paying job at a large Fortune 500 company to pursue an opportunity to be at home with my 6 month old son and do part-time consulting. It has definitely been a fun and challenging time figuring out how to balance work and family, and I have had a number of amazing clients along the way (really, awesome clients).

Six months into it, the first wave of COVID19 hit. The pandemic changed things for everyone, and for me it was losing the part-time childcare I had for my little guy. Suddenly, my part-time work became overwhelming as I had to get work done during nap times (if they happened) and after he went to sleep at night. My husband also owns his own production agency so our schedules were all over the place as we tried to figure out how to get everything done. It felt out of control, but we were just thankful to be healthy and able to work, knowing that eventually we'd be able to regain some of our workday.

During that time, I discovered a new passion: photography. You might think, oh great, another photographer. But if you know me at all, you might realize this is actually the perfect side hustle for me. I love storytelling, rarely enjoy routine, like to have multiple projects going at a time and am always pulled back to my creative roots. It all sort of fit together. Photographers get to be with people, whether it's for headshots, family portraits, even weddings, and tell their story through images. It's creative and each photoshoot is never the same.

I'm fortunate to have some pretty amazing photographer friends in my life, and I've been able to observe them and learn from them, even in a casual setting. There is the more technical side of photography - learning the equipment, understanding environments, making sure you get the shot. That can all be taught. The other side of photography is the people side - making people feel comfortable with you, being able to direct without giving orders and capturing the right moments. To me, this particular side of photography requires an element of natural talent, one that I see in photographers who capture truly incredible photos.

I love it. It feels like such a natural thing to do, stepping into photography. Thanks to my videographer husband, I fast-tracked through the equipment learning phase and hit the ground running. A few friends who were getting married during COVID19 had to downsize their weddings, and as a result were looking for a less formal photographer, and took a chance on me. Other friends willingly let me take headshots and family photos, some even referring me to their friends and neighbors who also reached out to me for photos. Others who are lifestyle bloggers or up-and-coming models were willing to collaborate, giving me more chances to hone my craft and learn from mistakes. It has been a wild ride and I am loving it.

The second COVID19 wave forced me to re-evaluate my work schedule. I once again lost child care, yet client work was growing. In any other situation, greater client demands is a welcome challenge, but the rigidity of my availability forced me to reduce my client list so that I could stay on top of work and not feel like I was neglecting my family. It was during this phase and I decided to officially call myself a photographer. Photography afforded me the ability to have short projects here and there, while still giving me a way to scratch my creative itch. It's extremely flexible and, once again thanks to my husband, I have access to a lot of equipment and studio space if I need it. I have even partnered with my husband on a project or two!

So basically, if you've made it this far, this is me announcing that I am a photographer! Examples of my work are sprinkled throughout this article, and you'll notice a few things. The first is that there are all sorts of portraits. Wedding, family, lifestyle, headshots... and that's because I love capturing people in any phase of life! The second thing some of you might notice is that there's not a consistent look. That is something I'm definitely zero-ing in on as I continue my work, but I also think that not having one "look" kind of aligns with my personality and approach to photography (at least for now). I love trying new things and seeing if I can create different looks based on the subject and environment.

Best example are the headshots in the header image of this article. I worked with my husband and his company to capture these really cool dual-tone headshots. It was definitely out of my normal comfort zone but so much fun, and the challenge of creating something visually cool is always welcome.

So that's it. Thanks for sticking with my ramblings this far. Basically, sometimes life doesn't go as planned. Yet sometimes that can be the perfect time to evolve and find something new.

To see more of my journey, check out Mei Mei Photography on Instagram and Facebook. Or my sometimes updated website :P