Today we’d like to introduce you to Destiny De Leon.
Hi Destiny, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My husband and I were asked to document a competition at our local CrossFit box in mid-2018. Prior to then we had been creating personal pictures & videos but hadn’t actually thought of it as a profession. Naturally, we accepted the job… and then had to run and buy an actual camera 😀
From there, we met quite a few people as we used our talents to document different events, from high school sports to concerts with Grammy award-winning artists. It didn’t take long for people to begin to ask us to provide photo and video at their weddings- and we quickly fell in love with it!
We enjoy telling the full story with an upscale documentary approach. We know the power of the small details because if it’s important to the couple it’s important to us! In 2021, we decided that something like this needed more of us. Our craft needs time to grow. Our couples deserve more of our attention. So, we made the big leap to both do this full-time and haven’t looked back!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all, and I really wouldn’t have it any other way. Each time we are faced with adversity, we learn deep-seated lessons that apply personally & professionally. We’ve had equipment break during a shoot, we’ve brought our kids to long events, we’ve lost friends due to an entrepreneur schedule, and that’s just a few surface issues. As an entrepreneur, some days it feels like everything is against us & there are no more minutes on the clock.
When we get down, we go back to our house mantra, “De Leon’s Don’t Give Up!” This is what pulls us through.
We learn to execute professionally no matter what equipment we have (or do not have), our kids learn to be polite & patient on-site (just don’t forget their snacks), we kept our beliefs strong, knowing that not everyone will understand why we continue to choose the hard road.
Family is #1, and our bond is strong. Because of this, we’re able to find and understand the importance of those seemingly small moments during an event like a wedding.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
A wedding day goes by in the blink of an eye. Most often, the bride and groom are so busy that remembering the small details of the day is almost impossible. That’s where we come in… Our specialty is not a photograph or a video; Our specialty is telling your story in such a way that you truly feel like you were there again.
What we’re most proud of in our profession is our lighting and posing. Becoming great at these two things takes time, dedication, and an amount of grit. We like to call it the ‘secret sauce’ of our work. This provides a unique variety for all our brides. While some situations call for being a fly on the wall, others call for looking like a magazine cover to hang over the mantle.
Each year we grow older, we cherish memories more & more. We apply this feeling to a wedding day. We want you to have the most well-rounded recollection of the happiest day of your life, all the way down to that tiny charm of Grandma hanging from your bouquet. We understand that the value of these memories is priceless, and we put in the effort to document it all. This is what sets us apart.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory was when my mom took us to a waterfall. We slid down so many times! It felt exactly like you’d imagine- wet, slippery, freezing. It was awesome! We played in that water for hours, and I’d love to take my own kids one day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.destinymarii.com
- Instagram: Destinymariiphotography
- Facebook: Destinymariiphotography
- Other: TikTok: Destinymariiphotography
Image Credits
Destiny Marii Photography
