Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani White.
Hi Dani, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story is pretty simple. I did an internship with a photographer in 2005 when I was just a senior in high school and have never really put the camera down since. I went to college and graduated with a fine arts degree and while my concentration was in painting, photography has always been a great love of mine and telling stories has come easy for me. I started my business right after college and have not stopped since. I have been in business for 16 years now.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I married my high school sweetheart, as soon as I graduated college. Soon after starting my business, we started a family and have been focused on balancing my life and business. It’s always been very important to me that both of those things are successful at the same time without burning myself out. The truth is, raising children has made my progress very slow, but it has been worth it. Photography has always been a bit of a saturated market and that is an interesting challenge to overcome. It took me a long time to not value high volume, but turn my focus to intentional quality. That change of focus and made my job become a passion rather than a challenged to overcome over and over again.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I always joked that painting was my first love and then came photography, but photography has always been just as present in my life as the paintbrush. I just get to use real life subjects and light to create with.
I have been shooting weddings for 16 years. I have been doing this long enough to see how trends come and go. When I started in 2011, I remember the tilted angle in the multimedia color selection being what Bride and grooms asked for. We now look back at those trends and snicker because of how outdated and silly that look is. Sure enough, the tilted angle is back, (but not so much selective color). I also have the privilege of looking at my work back then and comparing it to now. Some trends definitely came and went in my own work, but I can also see how I grew in understanding what lasts. Hindsight is a valuable thing.
The good news is that artists can be themselves and there’s always a market for that. The greatest way I have grown is to figure out what kind of artist I wanted to be to stick with that. There is a lot of grace for growth!
What matters most to you?
Personally, what matters to me most has always been a realistic work life balance. Home takes up a lot of my time and I want space for that and my business has provided that in my daily life. I love that my job allows me to serve my couples in a unique way while also getting kids to practice.
In my business, what matters to me most is creating work that intentionally lasts past the lifetime of my couple. I want to capture the way a couple felt on their wedding day not just what it looks like. I want them to walk away with memories not just photos.
Pricing:
- Most of my couples spend 7 to 10 K in wedding photography
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.daniwhitephotography.com
- Instagram: @daniwhitephotography
