Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Zapata.
Hi Daniela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My parents once told my siblings and I not to mess with the digital camera without supervision when I was 8/9 years old. We were a little reckless, so I get it, but I snuck the camera away anyway and still remember all the silly photos we took. My siblings and I made silly home videos together too; I’m talking fully scripted production and dancing.
As I grew older, I found and became fascinated by my mom’s photo box. She had her young adulthood documented in that box and I was so grateful that the photos existed for me to see. Also around this time, I used the family’s digital camera to start making YouTube videos, and that’s how I first learned about editing and camera lighting.
Once I got to high school, I decided I wanted my own camera. I baked and sold brownies for $1 each until I had a little bit of cash saved up. It wasn’t enough, but my parents saw my efforts and helped me get a beginner DSLR. I documented so many cherished memories on that thing, and kept posting on my YouTube channel.
In college, I was still obsessed with taking photos and videos. I was an unofficial historian for the love of it, until one day, someone flat out asked me to take their graduation photos. It wasn’t a big deal back then (2017), but I had a good time doing it. When word spread and I started charging $20, I realized I was an entrepreneur. It was ADDICTING realizing that I could make money serving people in such a fun way. I’m not going to lie, I remember one person being dissatisfied and asking for a refund (the lessons started right away haha), but most of the time I felt good about it. Graduation photos turned into someone giving me a chance to do a family session, then a couple’s session, and so on and so forth until I got here!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not a smooth road. Throughout high school and college, I was dead set on becoming a doctor and school was my number one priority. However, I remember feeling like I had a calling to be a creative the whole time, and struggling with this thought through every science class in college. At my lowest point, I was not doing well in one particular class, and when my professor asked me why, I broke down and said that this doesn’t feel like what I was meant to do.
But I graduated! With a bachelor’s in French and neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University, and thank God I did. I did some post-baccalaureate courses at Oregon State University trying to find my place in the healthcare world and fell in love with kinesiology and physical therapy-related courses. I actually excelled and kept taking pictures on the side.
Then I had to actually go through PT school. And juggling both was hard. I was actually making income while in a full time graduate program and I was proud of myself but stressed. I had photoshoot deadlines and a new website to build, and my first few weddings to navigate while also learning how to do a whole new profession. I once again broke down during a tough time in the program and told a professor that I wasn’t sure why I was here because my photography business feels more genuine to me. But I graduated again! And once again, I’m glad I did. I get to do both now, on my own schedule, while creating my own income. The entrepreneur in me is thriving.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a proud Virginia wedding photographer based in Alexandria, Virginia. I am most proud of the way I use my people skills to connect with others, and my academic brain to manage and scale my business. I think what stands me apart is being the stubborn photographer who doesn’t want to quit her day job even though she could. But that means that I get to relate to people on so many bases. We chat about their back pain, their experience in grad school (I still photograph graduations), and their weddings of course. I genuinely love hearing people’s life stories and love stories!
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I think it was my first day in the gifted program in elementary school. I didn’t realize that I was being tested, but when I got in, my teacher quietly told me that I could “skip” class and go to the class for the “other kids”. I walked out of the boring lecture and into a classroom where nobody was sitting at their desks because they were all working on a project. I have a vivid memory of watching kids create a rollercoaster for a marble with household items. It was so cool. We had so many wonderful projects as part of that program, and I think that was the first time I felt my creative brain come alive.
Pricing:
- Wedding Photography Collections Average a $6,000 Investment
- Elopement Collections Average a $2,000 Investment
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.danielazapata.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielazapataphoto/
