Meet Aya Mac | Photographer

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

Hi Aya, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I come from a multi-racial, multi-cultural background. My mother is from Fukuoka in southern Japan, whilst my father was born in Sydney, Australia and is of mostly German and Irish roots. Although I grew up in Brisbane, Australia, I was born in Kyoto and spent most summers with my grandparents in Japan. I speak three languages – English, Japanese and Portuguese. Most of the time my ability to speak Portuguese catches people off guard. I learned the language due to living in Brazil for four years over the past decade. I first lived in the south of Brazil on an island called Florianópolis, and then more recently in the northeastern state of Bahia. It was during my time in Brazil where I really discovered my passion for photography. Doing street photography there was a way of making sense of the new environment around me. Photography was both a means of connection, and a way of tapping into another culture.

Interestingly enough, my father was an avid photographer in his own right during his time living in Japan. He shared a dark room with a friend and developed images in which the subjects included my young mother and myself as an infant. The parallels are kinda cool, and the fact that I inevitably chose photography as my career path is not lost on me.

All in all, my background and upbringing has had a massive impact in who I am today. This convergence of cultures, all strikingly unique from one another, has provided me with a nuanced worldview and widened perspectives. On the other hand, it’s also created challenges and even confusion, in relation to my intersectional identities.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I like to think of myself as a fly-on-the-wall in a lot of my work. The candid, in-between moments are generally the most authentic, in my opinion. Not to take away from editorial, directed photography (which I also enjoy doing) but there is something very genuine and special about the shots that are taken without the subject being aware of, or at least not being “on” for. I think this ties into the reason why I started out taking street photos. Capturing people and environments in their element without pretension.

When I first arrived in LA in 2018, music event photography became my new love. Although different to street photography, in the sense that the artist/s, stage and atmosphere is curated; it also allowed me to capture subjects in their element, which again, is important in my work.

In saying that, I also acknowledge that I had to step outside of my comfort zone (which is that of the observer rather than director) in order for growth in my art. It came with a lot of challenges – not only in my own process but in collaborative efforts with others – and at times, I wondered if I should just stick to what I felt comfortable with and what I knew. But there is no growth in complacency. So despite my longing for comfort, shooting with others and under others has helped immensely in getting me where I currently am, and hopefully to where I am going. I believe that Photography is a lifelong journey – you learn something new every shoot. Even the most seasoned professionals can learn something if they are open to it.

Without a doubt, photography started out as a medium that helped me make sense of the worlds around me. I often feel like an outsider, but street photography helped me tap in and feel connected. Today, it has evolved beyond that, though at the core it remains the same – it is my means of connection.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I actually had my best friends visit when I first arrived to the city in 2018 – but now that I’ve been here longer, I think I could show them an even better time. We love to eat, so first stop would have to be Wadatsumi – a very authentic, Japanese restaurant in Torrance. The sashimi is the freshest I’ve ever had outside of Japan, and the rice… out of this world. Another place to eat would have to be the Mexican spot, Guelaguetza in K-town, which serves incredible Oaxacan fare. Their mole makes me say “OH MY GOODNESS!” Back in Australia (where my best friends are from), we are not spoiled by the vast varieties of Mexican cuisine, and so that stop would be a must. In terms of drinking – we’d have to hit up Perch, in DTLA. Gorgeous views, with cocktails that are on point! When it comes to things to do – music concerts would be top priority. I mean, there is no where else in the world that offers so many shows every day of the week. So I’d make sure we‘d catch some shows at places like the Hollywood Bowl, The Greek Theatre and Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the latter of which we could watch one of the outdoor screenings of classic movies put on by Cinespia.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I would like to shout out my partner and best friend, Jamil Pearson. Ever since we met, he has been my biggest cheerleader and supporter. He was the one who encouraged me to take my hobby to the next level in the first place. He believed it was possible to pivot my passion into a viable career. Having someone, even just one person, believe in you, is the most powerful thing in the world. So thank you Jamil, from the bottom of my heart.

I would also like to thank my therapist, Corina, who has helped me immensely in recent times. I cannot advocate enough for the importance of mental health support. My fitness trainer, Loui Pacheco, has also been instrumental to my mental and physical health over the past year. It is so important to have positive, healthy, support systems in place – particularly over the past few years and with the current state of the world.

Lastly – I would like to shout out John Hong from the incredible John & Joseph Photography Inc. He has been a fantastic mentor of sorts this year, and it has been refreshing to meet and work with someone who not only has a brilliant eye and expertise in the field, but who also is always very kind and helpful in his guidance. It is pivotal to have mentors in the field who encourage and uplift. So thank you for all your help, John!

Website: www.ayamac.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ayamacphoto

Image Credits
Personal photo taken by Aly Honoré. All other photos taken by Aya Mac.