Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Meet This Week's Judge: Danielle Awwad



This week, Danielle of Little Farm Photography is asking you to share your images of innocence. Learn about her journey, and enjoy her beautiful photos! 





1. Tell us about yourself…

I am a wife to an amazing man and mother to three beautiful children ages three, two and four months. My family is everything to me. Seriously they are my world! We live on a 91-acre hay farm that sits right outside of our small town in Michigan. We love country living and all it has to offer. 



2. What ignited your passion for photography, and what fuels it now?

My photography journey began after the birth of my first daughter. When she was about three months old I knew I wanted to learn how to take better images of her. I started shooting in manual from the beginning and learned a little along the way. When my daughter was about 12 months old I put my camera down once we learned of my son's complex heart issues. It was a time I lacked inspiration and had no desire to use my camera or be involved in any of my other hobbies for that matter.  During those months I took snap shots and that's about it. The moment my son was born something came over me. I had a big desire to learn everything I could about photography so I could preserve the memory of our family. My children, husband and life on our farm is what keeps fueling this passion. I love capturing our life one photograph at a time.



3. What’s in your camera bag right now, what do use the most? the least?

Canon 5D Markiii, 35mm, 70-200mm, 85mm, 100mm Macro, 135mm, 35mm Lensbaby
I use my 135 and 70-200 the most because during the spring, summer and fall we pretty much live outside. Now as the weather changes I will start to shift and use my 35mm and 85mm because we will be inside. To be honest I am a big lens changer. In a single day it is not uncommon for me to use all of my lenses. I use my Lensbaby the least right now. It is something I would like to work on over the winter.



4. What’s your dream project or shoot?

 I started a personal project called “Journey to a Mended Heart”. This is where I go to Congenital Heart Centers to photograph babies or children with heart defects while in the hospital. This project was inspired by my own son. I have documented his story in photographs and will share them with him when he is older. I am just now able to look at some of them without tears. It is a scary but incredible story to tell. By going in and documenting other children’s stories I am able to give their parents beautiful images of their own children on their journey to a mended heart. I hope to one day make this a large organization that will offer these services around the world. Expanding this project beyond me will not become a reality until all my children are grown, but I am thrilled to do this for families that are patients at Mott Children’s Hospital. 



 5. What is the biggest challenge you face as a photographer?

The biggest challenge I face is being to hard on myself. I am a perfectionist with an artistic twist. 



6. If you had $500 to spend on photography... How should you spend it? How do you wish you could spend it? How would you really spend it?

If I had $500.00 to spend I would invest in workshops. I am happy with the gear I have and don’t see me adding anything else to my bag. Well if I won the lottery I would love to have the 200mm but I don’t see that happening. 



7. Is there any one thing you wish someone had told you at the very beginning of your photography journey?

It’s all about the light! I never really understood how important it was to study light. Once I figured it out I was able to produce the images I always dreamed of. 






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