In a male dominated industry Asian female photographers are a rarity and the ones who work solo from taking the picture through to production even more so.

Arooj Hussain tells us how about her passion for photography and the struggles she faced setting-up her business.

Arooj has been photographing weddings for over three years having mastered the art from an established photographer.

Her impressive portfolio includes weddings from every denomination including Pakistani, Hindu and church events.

The youngest girl in a family of four understands not only does she have to capture a once in a lifetime moment but more importantly she needs to do justice to the beauty and vibrancy of the ceremonies.

The 27-year-old discovered her love for photography while she was undertaking a Graphic Design degree at Cumbria institute of Arts (Check).

Arooj, fell into photography accidentally, landed a place on the National diploma in Graphic design when Bradford College decided not to run the film course she applied for.

She said: “I didn’t even know what graphic design was.

“I wanted to work in TV or journalism because it was creative and hands on.

“But from day one I fell in love with graphic design and from the first project I knew photography was going to play an important part in my life and work.”

She borrowed her first camera, a Canon T70 which she still uses to this very day, from an aunt - this was the start of her love affair with the lens.

Her passion for weddings came about from the first one she covered for a friend whilst studying for her degree.

She said: “An English wedding was the first wedding I did and this made me realise how important the wedding day is in people’s lives.

“When I take my pictures it is just my work. It is about me and my subject and nothing else matters.

“I get lost when I take pictures and everything else disappears.

“You need to relate to the subject regardless of what culture they are from.

“My success comes from being a people’s person-someone who can interact with anyone.”

She also puts her success down to being a woman which allows her to understand how women think and what they want on one of the most important days of their lives.

She said: ““I know how picky women are and because I am a woman I understand a woman wants to look beautiful on her wedding day.

“The time the bride spends on her clothes, hair and makeup is the time I spend editing the pictures to make the pictures as close to perfections as I can get.

“Years from the wedding day it will be the woman who will look at the pictures and be critical of everything.”

There are other female Asian photographers in the industry but many work with husbands as a team and don’t offer the editing option, which she learnt on a Photoshop module on her degree.

Most of her work is through word of mouth via satisfied clients because she believes she understands the most fundamental aspect about weddings-they are about feelings, family and friends.

She said: It is about capturing the emotion of the day and the feeling regardless of what type of wedding it is.

“I can’t say I prefer one type of wedding over another because each is unique in its own way.

“English weddings are simple and relaxed affairs in complete contrast to the vibrancy and colour you get at Asian weddings.”

The business woman who set up her own business six months ago with the help of the GRID, which aims to connect would be entrepreneurs through mentoring and the sharing of resources including a pay-as-you go office service.

The organisation helped her get a foot on the business ladder helping her overcome set backs with obtaining finance and guidance.

She said: “I could not have made it this far without GRIP, a programme which helps new businesses.

“I have work displayed on their walls and through them have also done some corporate work.”

Looking to the future Arooj wants to expand her portfolio and diversify into corporate work.

She said: “I am expanding my portfolio everyday and do all types of photography not just weddings.

“Eventually I hope to move into documentary photography and travel around the world capturing pieces of history as it happens.”

Arooj has exhibited pictures taken on her travels including some in Pakistan both at the GRID offices at the Bantams Business Centre, Bradford City Football Club, Valley Parade Bradford and at local exhibitions.

Anyone wanting to see more examples of Arooj’s work can contact her via her email info@aroojhussain.com.