Meet Malak Oda | Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Malak Oda and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Malak, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always had a deep passion for creativity that’s always been a part of me, even when I was following a more conventional path in my career. Being the “family photographer” growing up reflects my natural eye for detail, aesthetics, and storytelling, and that side of me has always been alive.

Before starting my photography business, it was tough working in a role that didn’t fully align with my creative interests, even though it was stable and successful by many measures. Sometimes, even when we achieve something we’re expected to, there’s still that nagging feeling that we aren’t truly living in line with our passions.

Coming from a multicultural background, I didn’t see many creatives in the wedding industry that embodied multiculturalism like I knew I did. That’s when I figured the missing piece in the wedding photography industry and that I can fulfill that missing piece. Which is what pushed me to take the step to start my business.

After years of capturing many weddings, from many different backgrounds and ethnicities, there is one thing in common between them all. Which is the love between the newlyweds and the love of the friends and family surrounding them on their wedding day. Every wedding I capture is like the very first wedding for me; with the feeling of fulfillment after finishing every wedding; knowing that I have captured many people’s favorite day in their lives. To add on to that, every time I sit to edit the wedding gallery, I relive the feelings and emotions of the people in each image that I go through with a huge, goofy smile on my face. And I know that if I feel that way, I can just imagine how they would feel when they receive their gallery from me. I have quickly came to the conclusion that my work is not just an art, but a priceless moment in life that is captured forever in a timeless manner.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Coming from a multicultural background, I feel like my creativity and passion for art combined with my understanding and love for different cultures and ethnicities is certainly what sets me a part from others. I am mostly proud of going against many odds that were in my way to start and continue my business to reach what it is today. Having to relocate from Canada to the US was not easy what so ever, and having to overcome that step for my business is certainly something I am proud of. I still feel like there is so much to discover in this country when it comes to expanding by business and reaching the heights that I’ve strived to reach.

I am more than my business and my business is more than me. Even though my love for my business stemmed from my love of art and creativity, I am more than just that. I am a person with a vast and colorful history that started way before I was born. The same goes for my business, my business does not just embody my creativity and mindset into it, but it also includes the emotions, feelings and creativity of every couple I capture. Every single client of mine adds to my business in one way or another. My brand is an embodiment of tender moments you remember from your past, joyful moments you experience in the present, and hope for more to come in the future. These are the kind of emotions I aim to capture in every photo, and hope to invoke in whomever is seeing the photos for the first time.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to send a huge shoutout to my very close friend, Veronica. Before starting my business, I was hesitant to take the steps to make it an official business and had a lot of anxiety surrounding the idea of starting a business and then failing soon after. At the time, Veronica was my supervisor at work which quickly became a very close friend of mine. She not only pushed and encouraged me to take the necessary steps to start my business, but she also spent an entire weekend changing into 10 plus outfits and driving around to more than five locations to help me create the portfolio that I will need to jump start my business.

Website: https://odamedia.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odamedia.co/