Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Lopez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dawn. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It’s not what you see, but how you look at it. – Unknown
Looking back at it now, I did not see this love of photography in my path, but it definitely saw me. I look back and I had a camera in my hand at age 1. Take a look at my life, and I have documented chapter after chapter through photos. My childhood home, friends, family, my children, their experiences, and everything in-between. I own boxes of printed memories.
Somewhere along the way, I wrapped my very being and worthiness up and around my kids’ lives. In an effort to be the best Mom I could be, I lost my individuality. Eventually, my girls were not depending on me, and I felt terribly lost. It was at this point in my life that I intentionally chose to do something for me, something that I loved and wanted to learn more about.
Now I have two almost grown girls, and that has given me the wonderful gift of hindsight, looking back and considering what memories I would love to have for a lifetime, the little moments and details that mean so much, that tell the big story of a perfectly imperfect, beautiful family. This is how I got started doing what I love, but it’s continued to grow, and grow into something I never, ever saw.
Childhood photography has filled my heart to the brim, and I can’t believe how I am able to bring my camera and my own childhood dreams and magical moments to help capture these moments for other families. All the little details. Newborn photography was a natural path for me to take, but again, I never saw it. I have a deep sense of how fleeting and important these first days of life are.
Life gets so busy and rushes past you. I get to freeze time, just for a moment, and give families memories for a lifetime. I am so happy to help create them.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There is so much valuable information out there about becoming a professional photographer. Information about what to do, how to do it, what not do, how to do it better, equipment, social media, it’s a constant learning experience.
It can be very overwhelming, you can feel like you’re failing. I want to be the best I can be, so I’ve struggled with being patient with my learning the art and understanding the business, listening to my heart first, and then applying the business aspect. It’s a struggle to be an artist at heart and run a business!
Dawn Lopez Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Right now, I specialize in a posed studio, newborn photography, and photograph bellies to babies, and a little bit of beyond. The beyond is birthday sessions and families of my newborn babies. My first newborn turned 5 this past Summer, and I have been so lucky to watch him grow from his Mama’s tummy to 5 years old and create those memories of him for his family. I think those continued business relationships that can turn into friendships have to be something I’m personally most proud of.
Professionally, I’m very excited and proud of the creation of my latest collaboration. The Baby Bundle. It’s a collaboration between a Home Lifestyle newborn photographer, Lauren Lawson, and a Posed Studio photographer, me. We can provide an experience no other photographers are offering, that I know of, and give our clients a bundle of 2 very different types of photography. Be Capturing beautiful memories of their baby’s first days. Creating a community versus competition is important to me.
Finding a photographer that shares your passion and professionalism is wonderful, and even more wonderful when they provide a different style of newborn photography that you. So excited to be able to offer this to my families!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Besides having the talent and ability to give back to others, my proudest career moment happened recently. I stepped out of my comfort zone and opened my own studio space in Watauga, Texas. I shared space and expenses before so this was a scary and exciting experience to go out on my own. I felt like I was setting a great example for my daughters, and that made me extremely proud as well.
Pricing:
- Newborn Sessions start at $400
- Milestones & Cake Smash Sessions start at $175
- Baby Bundle sessions start at $700
Contact Info:
- Address: 6707 Rufe Snow Drive, Suite 20
Watauga, Texas 76148 - Website: www.dawnlopezphotography.com
- Phone: 817-690-2168
- Instagram: @dawnlopezphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawnLopezPhotography/
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