Feature Friday with DaniPress Photography!

Our 'night' challenge winner from last week has generously shared some more of her gorgeous work with us, as well as given us a peek into her camera bag!  Read on to find out more about Dani of DaniPress Photography!

1. Please tell us about yourself...

Hi! I’m Dani. I’m from Brooklyn, NY, and currently live outside Seattle, WA, with my husband, our sons, and dogs. 

2. Can you describe your style in 3 words? Why those words?
Open, detailed, rich

Open because a lot of my landscapes feature open spaces – some are a little closer, but I tend to go wide. My portraits often include the outdoors, too, so I guess they also can feel open.

Detailed because I spend a ton of time adjusting every little detail, and I like that when people look at my pictures, they can find things to notice.

Rich because I prefer clean edits, and bold colors, and I even try to make sure my black and whites hold more depth.

 


3. What sparked your passion for photography?
My dad is a photographer. And I grew up in a camera store that he owned. And his dad was a photographer. And so was his father, and possibly my great-great grandfather. So, it seems that I really had no choice. 

4. What's in your camera bag right now?
My babies: Canon 6D, 24-105 f/4L, 35 f/1.4L, 50 f/1.4, 85 f/1.8, and the queen,my 70-200 f/2.8. I also have two flashes in there. I recently had to trade up to a large camera bag.  

5. What is your dream shoot or project?
I’d love to do something in the US southwest. Mountains, red rock, blue sky, desert, you know? But also I want to see fog and rainforests and houses that look very different from what we have in the US, so maybe Asia. Right now I’m happy to explore and get what I can while before we leave WA.

6. What are some of the misconceptions you had about photography and photographers at the beginning of your photography journey? Have they changed, and - how?

I thought I should only take advice from people who’d studied photography in school. Or from big names. But so many self taught, less known photographers have something to teach me. 

7. What advice would you give to newbie photographers? What advice do you wish you'd been given at the very beginning?
I’m a tough love kind of gal, so... Listen to people who’ve been around. Stop being defensive and saying, “I like it like that” when a well meaning person is trying to help you. I’ve been that defensive person, and I got nowhere until I shut off that part of myself and really wanted to see what my critics were seeing. Also: don’t give up just because someone gives you a critique that makes you feel bad. It’s easy to feel bad and quit. Don’t take the easy road. Do the hard thing: Listen to the critique. Shut off the opinions. Hear the facts. I guarantee you’ll feel better if you continue on than if you give up.

Find more of Dani's gorgeous work here:

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