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A portrait is so much more than just a picture of a person; It’s an artistic representation of who a person is. The work of portrait photographer Mahala Preudhomme flawlessly embodies this distinction.
“I was first introduced to photography when my mom bought me my first digital camera at 9 years old,” Mahala shares in her online portfolio, through which she details the influences in her life that led her to her passion – and her successes.
Join us as we explore our favorite aspects of Mahala’s photography!
“I’ve discovered that being a black, female, queer, and inclusivity-focused photographer is one of my biggest passions in life,” Mahala shares, as she remembers the lack of diversity she came across during her time modeling in the industry.
This dedication to diversity has led Mahala to open the door to incredible projects, such as her upcoming series Queens of the South, in which she will “bring light to the drag queens and drag culture in the South” through portrait work. What we especially love about this project, and what captures the true presence of diversity in Mahala’s work, is that it includes the submission of photographs and interviews with drag queens to “local, national, and global museums.”
Mahala’s ability to connect her work with tangible action breathes a fire into her photography. Her focus on uplifting underrepresented groups has made each of her photographs more captivating than the last as she heads passionately in the direction of what she’s meant to accomplish.
“She lit up the room.”
It’s a sentiment that’s often used to describe a particularly remarkable quality, and Mahala manages to capture it in every single person she photographs.
“I always say being a model has made me a better photographer,” Mahala shares, “in regards to giving direction, encouragement, and just an all-around understanding of production.”
We can undoubtedly see the role Mahala’s modeling background plays in her work. She brings a light out in her subjects that goes beyond a truest self, to a side of us that only comes out to play when we feel our most comfortable, accepted and spoken to. It’s this gift – being able to bring out each person’s ethereal glow – that made us fall so in love with Mahala’s work.
Mahala doesn’t make her models fit into a shoot, she makes a shoot fit her models. Through this embrace of those she photographs, Mahala is able to genuinely represent them in her work.
Mahala’s photographs have featured a range of outfits, poses, settings, body types, hair types, and skin tones. She never mutes or dilutes the qualities of those she photographs, but rather works with them to highlight the qualities they love the most about themselves – whether it be their smile, their eyes, their sense of fashion, their aura, or anything in between.
It’s this dedication to her clients’ comfort that allows her to achieve a truly diverse representation, in which the nuance of humanity is brought to the surface; And it looks good!
Join us in celebrating Mahala’s incredible talents and meaningful mission. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @halaatmephotography and @halaatmephoto.
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