Daily Inspiration: Meet Zahara Mehta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zahara Mehta.

Hi Zahara, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
15 years ago when my children were one and three, my father gifted me an entry-level digital camera which changed my life. In his words, I needed the tools to do what I love but even better, which was taking my children’s pictures. Over years of trial and error and mastering my equipment, I discovered that Newborn photography was truly a dream job for me and I spent the next few years perfecting my craft.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Although I have loved almost every single day of my work, I have had challenges. The most significant one Is balancing work and life. Finding a way to keep my professional and personal lives separate from each other was a hurdle that I learned across early on. When you work from home you discover that work can either be never ending or you can schedule a block of time for your personal life as well as your work life.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in newborn photography. Most sessions happen before the baby reaches three weeks of age. It is such a special time for the parents and creating art for them is truly amazing. My work baby-focused, I love the simplicity of monochromatic setups and deep colors with some rich neutrals too. Deep shadows and perfect skin tones are our signature.

Newborn photography is truly my dream job and I really feel lucky that photographing babies everyday is now my career. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing new parents view their images, whether it’s on the back of my camera or printed on a canvas.

I love that this work combines technology and creativity. Technically, the lighting has to be just right to create the perfect balance of shadows and highlights. We have mastered every function of our camera so that shooting in manual becomes a muscle memory, as the settings are constantly changing. Designing a session is the fun part. Incorporating props, fabrics and accessories to customize exactly what the clients request brings out the our creative side.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
For those who are starting out, I really recommend mentoring and attending workshops that are specific to your niche. To be a master of none is something that should be avoided. Really finding what you love and choosing to focus on that is so much more important than shooting all different genres.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.zlmphotography.com
• Instagram: @zlmphotog
• Facebook: Facebook.com/zlmphotography

Image Credits
ZLM photography