Today we’d like to introduce you to Dayna Renee De La Cruz.
Dayna Renee, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started photography as a hobby only after high school and never really thought it would be something I would pursue professionally. Eventually, friends and family started asking me to shoot a birthday or family photos for them leading me to shoot a little bit of everything until I found what my favorite types of shoots were which ended up being engagements and weddings. I started investing in learning, workshops, helping others with their sessions so I could learn more and here I am. Shooting crazy in love couples, mommy’s to be, and killer boudoir sessions.
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?
Not at all. I don’t think if you ask anyone who is following a path to being an entrepreneur or creative is going to say it has been an easy journey. You go from the man I love my work to hating it and then back to loving it all in the same day. I think it is a part of breaking yourself and recreating yourself constantly to find your style. Exposing your weaknesses and not letting that get you down because there is always something to learn. It is very easy to get caught up in the comparison game especially with the facade social media can portray other peoples lives to be. There is a lot that goes on behind being a small business owner, you are your own CEO, accountant, HR, editor, social media manager, marketing, director, and therapist haha the list goes on. There are plenty of people who do not want to help you or answer questions you might have because you are in the same industry so it can get tough.
There are plenty of times you want to quit, but you have to keep going if you want to reach your goals. My advice to anyone starting their photography journey will be to as corny as it sounds, just go for it and most importantly VALUE YOUR WORK. If you don’t value it, other people won’t either and you will get discouraged early on. If you have a question just ask and if they don’t answer ask someone else! If you want to shoot weddings or families or whatever reach out to people and see if anyone will collaborate with you. We all start somewhere and one closed door is not the end.
what should we know about Dayna Renee Photo? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am absolutely in love with anything related to love so engagements and weddings as well as instilling confidence in women! So boudoir and maternity easily fall into sessions that make me happy. It’s an insanely fun experience getting to know my clients love story and the journey that built their relationships. I am an extroverted introvert so I tend to want to connect on a deeper level with people in general. I feel in my sessions I capture my couples as they are. I never want to make them feel that they were not themselves during their session. I want them to look back and see how goofy they are, how amazing their love is, and not see a just a pretty pose. I don’t necessarily seek pretty, I seek emotion and I get so excited when I am able to get them to connect with each other in front of a camera capturing those moments.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
Hell yeah! All of them… I think when you grow up as a little girl society tries to instill this mindset that being meek is the way to be. A mindset to wait for your chance quietly and someone will notice your hard work eventually or to be safe. With so much awareness being brought to the challenges women face, it puts the spotlight on us to shine and really showcase our talent. You see women taking risks, opening businesses, using their voice, and moving forward in spite of those challenges.
In my field in particular where I capture moments through my photography, there are times I feel I can connect more as women especially being a new mother myself. For example, sessions for expecting mothers, new mothers or boudoir shoots are sessions whereas women, you have this freedom to be so in tune with yourself. Sometimes, you feel for whatever reason you are not your prettiest or confident, but it is in these sessions I especially motivate women to tap into their inner Beyonce and work it! Through my clients, I am reminded of how amazing our existence is- how our bodies can be so powerful, go through so much, and still be beautiful! It is a priceless experience that my clients not only trust me to capture these chapters but also help me on my journey to confidence and loving oneself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dayna-renee.com
- Email: hello@dayna-renee.com
- Instagram: daynareneephoto
Image Credit:
Shaila Denise Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
