Daily Inspiration: Meet Mia Driesbach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Driesbach.

Hi Mia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Most people compare life to books as we all have different “chapters”, but my life has so many chapters I think it would be more appropriately compared to a collection of books rather than just one story. My life has been a series of ups and downs- as has all of our lives- to get me where I am today: a 23 year old photographer, wife, and new mom. Growing up I knew I always wanted to do something that had a “heartbeat” behind it, to live up to my middle name: Lev- which means “heart” in Hebrew.
I didn’t want to be sitting at a desk all day. Don’t get me wrong, desk jobs are an absolute necessity, I just knew that life wasn’t for me.
I grew up in a very unstable environment: divorced parents, a dad who was overseas and not very involved in my life, and a mom with severe mental illness, who was raising me alone. My story isn’t a brief one, but to try and keep it brief and relevant, I experienced a lot of hurdles very early on. These hurdles, hard as they were, are what inspired Mia Lev Photo.
As I mentioned before, my life was very unstable, and as I got older, I began to realize it. My mom could never really keep anything organized, and as a result, almost all of my childhood, that was documented be it on photo or video, was lost. I don’t have the option to walk down memory lane with physical reminders because there aren’t any. No yearbooks, no cringe photos to laugh at with my friends as we reminisce. I knew that, even though it seemed like a small thing, I wanted to play a part in people being able to relive their memories. I have always been creative, and I knew that whatever I did in life had to combine story/depth with art. Because of my childhood, I’ve always been good at really seeing people and deeply desire to make them feel seen. Photography felt like the perfect combination. I knew when I started that I didn’t want to just “take pictures”; I wanted to document real, raw life. Memories in the making. To notice and preserve the small things that so many of us blink and miss in 5, 10 years down the road. Creating beautiful artwork, yes, but documenting the heart as well, not just curating pretty pictures.
Now, I’m beyond blessed to be trusted by so many to document and preserve their most sacred moments: from first kisses at weddings to capturing new, tiny feet that just entered the world – I get to be a part in helping beautiful people share their stories. Helping pave memory lane for so many is such an incredible experience that I am thrilled to be a part of.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
This road certainly has not been easy. One of the hardest but most pivotal moments of my life was the year I turned 16. During my junior year of high school, my mom attempted to take her own life. This was my turning point; everything in my life flipped upside down. Crazy as it sounds, I believe it flipped for the better.
At the time, I didn’t tell anyone about how hard it had been at home. It was a very lonely time for me; I felt like I was living a double life, and it was my own fault for hiding, but I never truly felt “seen”. I was putting on this facade any time I was around people. Only one person was the exception: my small group leader from church. When everything happened with my mom, I had nowhere to go, and she was the only person I knew to call. She took me in and welcomed me into her family. For the first time I got to experience what “family” really meant, and I was given a safe place to grow.
As I began healing from my childhood, there were so many emotions I didn’t know how to deal with. So many blurry memories in my head that wouldn’t come into focus. Journaling and photography are what helped me process- they became my safe place. Photography got me out of the house and helped me gain new perspectives on life. Every angle, every lighting situation somehow blended into my healing journey and allowed me to see things from a different view. I came to love it and knew I wanted to use my camera to make others feel seen too. To help them embrace their story, whatever it might be, and not hide like I did. This is why I use a documentary-style approach in my photography. I don’t just pose to get the “perfect” photo, I’m obsessed with the perfectly imperfect. Instead of putting my camera away when the flower girl refuses to walk down the aisle, or the kids fall and get grass stains on their pants, I continue to shoot! I continue to document the real moments because that’s life! Of course, I love a good editorial portrait or creative headshot, but even in that, my goal is to encompass all facets of who or what I’m shooting. Every angle, every perfect imperfection. My bumpy road is what brought me to where I am, and I can now say I’m thankful for it. I honestly wouldn’t change a thing.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have been telling stories through photography for around 7 years now and started my business officially in 2021. I photograph everything from branding for small businesses to luxury weddings to families and so much in between. I would say my favorite things to document is love stories and editorial portraits. I enjoy turning every day things into artwork: the way a simple white dress means a thousand promises, the way eyes communicate more than words do, the tender touch of a mother’s hand, the tears from a groom as his bride approaches. I have always viewed life as one big movie. I think in scenes and soundtracks and I’m always romanticizing the little things. This is why I love for my photos to have a cinematic feel to them, a sort of tangible nostalgia. I love for my clients to get their gallery back and not just see their photos, but feel them: to remember what that moment felt like. Almost anyone can pick up a camera and snap a photo, heck we all have cameras on our smart phones now. But personally, I don’t think anything can replace a photographer. I strive to make my clients enjoy the photo taking process, to feel like they’re in their own personal movie. I want them to see the beauty in whatever story they’re telling. Whether it’s once in a lifetime wedding, an editorial shoot for a brand, or an easy going in-home session for a family- I am always thinking in terms of cinema. Focusing on how we can take the real, the raw, and communicate it artistically with authenticity. I absolutely love people and I love storytelling- I can’t think of a better job than helping people embrace their story and giving them something to help share it with the world.

What matters most to you?
I would say my faith and my family. Coming from a broken home with a lot of dysfunction, having a family of my own and getting to break generational cycles is such a privilege. I dreamt of the man I wanted to fall in love with and the family I would have one day to get me through all the heartache. God blessed me beyond what I could’ve imagined and now I have the most amazing husband, whose family has become my own, and a beautiful baby boy of our own. I wish there were words to describe the joy it gives me knowing my son will never have to experience what I did growing up, and I owe it all to God.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mialevphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16t8xMEUmU/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@miadriesbach?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Image Credits
Photographer (me): Mia Lev Photo
@mialevphoto
mialevphoto.com