Meet Morgan Horvath of West Michigan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan Horvath

Hi Morgan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve only been into photography for a little over a year. It all started during COVID when I dabbled in it using my dogs as my models but never used manual settings. However, I discovered that I had a natural eye for photography. I’ve always been artistic – dancing since I was two and studied 2-D art in high school. Photography started when I inherited my grandfather’s camera after he passed away. My father thought my grandfather would want the camera because he has always supported my artistic ability. It was a Canon Rebel T3, and though it wasn’t anything special, I learned a lot from it.

From my senior year of high school to my first year of college, I started doing photography for people. In my first year at Alma College, I took photography classes and launched my business, Mo Marie. My photography professor, Lynzee Harrison, has been an enormous influence and inspiration. Additionally, my classmates in college have pushed my photography and creativity forward.

My college dance team, ADT, has also been instrumental in helping my photography business. My coaches have inspired and supported me and even invited me to accompany them to NDA nationals as their Media/Marketing Producer. This experience showed me how my skills could be used in different ways, and I’ve been able to take amazing photos of my fellow teammates.

Balancing college and running a business has been challenging but rewarding. As I look to the end of summer, I’m excited to have almost ten seniors booked for high school senior photo shoots. I’m incredibly grateful for my journey in photography and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

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?
Balancing the demands of being a college student and working full-time as a photographer has proven to be quite challenging. The frequent late nights, extensive travel, and long working hours take a toll. Juggling multiple jobs as a financially strapped college student adds to the stress. Fortunately, I am incredibly grateful for my supportive parents who do everything they can to help me pursue my passion.

Financial strain isn’t the only obstacle I face. There are times when my creativity seems to run dry, particularly during certain months, which can be incredibly frustrating for a photographer. When life is hectic and there are too many things competing for my attention, I find it difficult to carve out the time to be creative and find inspiration. It’s a constant battle to stay productive and creative when life is always in fast-forward mode.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for my dance and portrait photography. I am a dancer, so naturally, I am drawn to people of my own. Dance can be such a creative and intriguing thing to capture. Grabbing two different types of art and mushing them together can create something magical. Since I am a dancer, I know the terminology of moves and dance. I also know what poses are supposed to look like and be technique correct. That is something that sets me apart from other photographers. Because I can tell a dancer precisely what to do, and they instantly know what I am talking about. I also know how to capture peaks of action poses, and I know the prep dancers take, so I can take those photos when I take pictures of dance pieces. Having that extra knowledge gives me a massive upper hand.

Portraits are also another favorite work of mine. I love creating inner confidence in people that makes them smile at a picture of themselves. That is my overall goal as a photography, to make someone think that they are amazing and to have one photo of themselves that they LOVE! I always get to know the person before and during the session. I want to showcase the best of them in one photo. That sets me apart from others because I am invested in someone’s life and story. This is how you can create unique portraits that give a person a new them.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The most significant shift I see for myself in the industry is working with business, dance teams, and, hopefully, the National Dance Alliance (NDA). I also want to continue doing portraits for seniors and weddings. However, I want to get into the creative with the dance world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://morganmariephotography2023.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: Mo.Marie.Photography