Meet Mami Okamoto | Portrait Photographer

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

Hi Mami, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan.
Growing up in Hiroshima, even though we had our tragic history, we were taught that the acceptance and forgiveness are the key for the humanity and that’s what we need to pursue. At the school, we’d learned and discussed a lot about how we become better together and how we can make the world better instead of hating what happened. I am grateful for my city to carry on this ideas and history to show the world how we can stand up and keep growing.
I also remember lot of things from my childhood when I stayed at my grandparents place in a small island in Hiroshima. Every time my sister, my cousins, and I visited them, they caught the fish before our arrival and served the delicious fish meals only for us. I remember the smell of ocean, the smell of meals my grandmother made, the vibration of the fish boat my grandfather drove, and the reflection of the sun. Those sweet sentimental memories are forever in my heart.
That being said, that is a reason why I appreciate and accept the uniqueness each person and family has and I see the world of full of love and hope. I love to see the connection and intimacy one person has to another. It is my goal to capture those moments forever as a photographer so those memories can brighten your days!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My photography business was just established January this year. I am fairly new to this industry so I am proud of myself for finally diving into new things what I am passionate about. I’m a natural light girl and my focus is capturing the real moment/feelings my clients have at that moment. I want to create the safe place for people to feel themselves and feel great about themselves. I direct the poses but I often ask them to be playful so I can capture their real emotions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If it’s in Atlanta, I would take my friend to Ponce City Market and Chattahoochee Food Works. I love there is like a small market and they have different varieties of food. I’m a big foodie person! Also, I love to explore small towns like Helen, Dahlonega, and Elijay.
If it’s out of Atlatna metro area, I would definitely go to Nashville or Savannah. Nashville is all about the live music and bar hopping, which is my favorite thing to do! Since we moved to Georgia, I started to listen to Country music and I’m so in love with this music! I bought my first cowboy hats and boots this April when I went to Nashville with my friends. It was a blast! Savannah is another great town to visit. It has everything you need! We can walk around, shop, and eat good food in the town (They had the best shrimp and grits, yum…!), and the beach is just 30mins away from town to relax. I was the most amazed to see the huge cargo ship passing on the river. It was gorgeous. Those two cities stole my heart 🙂

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband definitely deserves a credit to support my business! He has supported and encouraged me from day one when I wanted to pursue my passion to Photography. He was the one who has a camera at first. But when I realized that he had not used his camera for a while, I started to use his camera to take some photos of our son when he was a baby. I had a long break from the camera, but now when I got in back, I am fully able to take the chance because of his support.

Website: https://mamiokamotophotography.mypixieset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamiokamotophotography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mamiokamotophotography

Image Credits
my self: Mami Okamoto Photography