Ahmad Ali and Huda Mahmud, owners of a wedding photography and video business: "We rebuilt our life here."

Fourteen years after they arrived in Canada, Ahmad Ali and Huda Mahmud smile and laugh as they talk about their life together here. They are quick to praise each other and gush over their three children. They finish each other’s sentences.
You can feel love in the room. It makes perfect sense that the couple operates a thriving wedding photography and video business.
But while their business Diamond Digital Production may seem like a dream come true, it was not part of their dream for a better life when they first arrived in Canada in 2005.
“Since I was 10-years-old, I always loved cameras and taking pictures, but I never thought I’d do it as a business,” says Ahmad.
“He dreamed to be an engineer when he came to Canada. That’s what he went to university for,” says Huda.
“But we rebuilt our life here,” says Ahmad, as Huda agrees and chimes in. “We are happy.” 
They arrived with a different plan. Originally from Iraq, Ahmad was a computer engineer and had experience as a university professor in Libya. Huda was trained in accounting and worked as a teacher.
They had another baby here.  During those early years, the couple took countless pictures and videos of their kids, and family vacations.
Ahmad did get work in computing and Huda in retail, but at the same time, the couple became more passionate about photography and videography.
Many parents take pictures of their kids, but Ahmad and Huda had something else – Ahmad’s comfort with technology. He could learn any editing software fast, and he did. He took some courses while Huda was home with the young kids, then he’d come home and teach her what he learned.  They started doing photography and videos for extended family and friends.
By the time Ahmad lost his job in 2009, they’d already slowly established themselves as a business.
And since then, Diamond Digital has photographed more than 300 weddings, which has Ahmad and Huda make friends and family across London. They also shoot photos and videos for several London agencies, including the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre, Access Centre, the London Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership, the Iraqi Community House and London Muslim Mosque.
It’s hard to believe they are newcomers. They have got to know so many families through their work. They’ve even done weddings for four siblings in the same family.
Ahmad says for their family, the biggest hurdle to overcome in Canada was language. They are grateful to the family who already lived in London when they arrived, and who helped them learn about the city – explaining things in Arabic when necessary.
“People need someone to guide them in a good direction,” says Huda.
Thankful for the way things have gone for their family, they try to spread the word about London as a welcoming community to raise children.
“We always advise our friends from Edmonton and Toronto to come here . . . It’s a family feeling in this city,” says Ahmad. “I tell them London is a good place for families and for kids,” says Huda. “You can have a better life here – safe for their family. And you can travel on the weekend – you want to go to Toronto? You can be there in two hours.” 

---