The editorial team of the Divine Nine News column at the New York Amsterdam News congratulates Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. on 63 years of Brotherhood and service. Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. was founded on September 19, 1963 at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.
What started as a passion became a business built around storytelling. For me, Malcolm Manning, photography has always been about more than creating something visually beautiful. It’s about preserving emotion, experiences, culture, and the moments that deserve to be remembered. From weddings and milestone celebrations to creative collaborations, businesses, and brands, I approach every project with authenticity and purpose.
I’m a Newark native, photographer, filmmaker, and founder of Air.MCM Photography. Growing up in Newark shaped my view of the world. I was surrounded by culture, creativity, individuality, and real human connection. Those experiences helped develop my creative eye and eventually led me to photography and film.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to see that work recognized in some incredible ways. One of the moments I’m most proud of was having my portrait photography work recognized through a viral retweet from Oprah Winfrey. Having someone with that level of cultural influence see and share my work and even offer me an opportunity to shoot a campaign for her magazine company, Oprah Daily, was surreal and remains one of those moments I’ll always remember.
My work has also been featured in The Star-Ledger and Black Bride, among other wedding and creative platforms. Those opportunities have been meaningful because they represent more than recognition — they reflect years of showing up, developing my craft, building relationships, and creating work that connects with people.
As I celebrate 10 years of Air.MCM Photography, what I’m celebrating most isn’t one feature, one client, or one accomplishment. Ten years of building. Ten years of learning, evolving, investing, taking risks, hearing “no,” figuring things out, and continuing to show up.
Building a creative, Black-owned business is a challenge that has given me an even greater appreciation for what longevity means. There are constant challenges that come with trying to establish yourself, compete, build credibility, create opportunities, and have your work valued appropriately. You have to learn how to navigate a constantly changing industry while also figuring out how to stay true to your vision. For me, staying on top has never meant believing that I’ve “made it.” It means continuing to evolve.
Photography and filmmaking have changed dramatically over the past decade. Technology and social media has changed, the way clients discover creatives has also changed. Through it all, I’ve had to grow alongside all of that while maintaining the foundation of what my company represents.
Malcolm Manning on location. (Photo courtesy of Malcolm Manning) 
Editorial beauty portraits of models captured by Malcolm Manning. (Photos courtesy of Malcolm Manning) 
A maternity portrait of an expectant mother wrapped in hanging fabric was captured by Malcolm Manning. (Photo courtesy of Malcolm Manning) 
Editorial beauty portraits of models captured by Malcolm Manning. (Photos courtesy of Malcolm Manning) 
Wedding portraits captured by Malcolm Manning. (Photo courtesy of Malcolm Manning) 
Wedding portraits captured by Malcolm Manning. (Photo courtesy of Malcolm Manning)
That evolution has pushed me beyond photography and deeper into filmmaking, visual storytelling, and creating more intentional experiences for my clients. I’ve continued investing in my equipment, my education, my craft, and my business because I believe longevity requires you to keep becoming better.
One of the biggest lessons these 10 years have taught me is that longevity is a creative skill, too.
It’s easy to create something once. The challenge is creating something that continues to matter years into the future.
I’m proud to be a Black entrepreneur from Newark who has been able to turn a creative passion into a business that has lasted a decade. I’m proud of the couples who trusted me with their wedding day, every business, creatives who collaborated with me, and every person who supported Air.MCM along the way. But, I don’t look at 10 years as the finish line. Instead, it is the foundation for what comes next.
The first 10 years were about building the foundation, finding my voice, developing my craft, and proving to myself that this could become something real.
The next 10 are about expanding the vision. I want Air.MCM to continue growing beyond photography into filmmaking, storytelling, and creative production while creating opportunities for other creatives and telling stories that deserve to be remembered. Ten years later, the mission remains simple: Create with purpose. Tell stories with intention. Capture moments that deserve to last.
Malcolm Manning, a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., was initiated into the Alpha Psi Chapter at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, during Spring 2017.
