Proof of life

I’m not sure when showing up online became so hard. Sharing used to come soo much more freely than it does for me these days…

I’ll explore that another time because there are a ton of reasons, and I’m trying to stay on task lol.

The task for today? Sharing!

Something I can’t do without showing up. And since I have a LOT I’ve been sitting on, I gotta push past the resistance, so get ready to see more of me!

But let’s back up a little because I can’t dive into 2024 without a mini update-

Unfortunately the end of 2023 did NOT set me up for the best start to the new year. I was sick for just about all of December 😩

Tests and such came back negative so I didn’t know what I had but in retrospect, I’m almost sure it was covid. These new variants don’t always show up on tests, and given that I STILL have a lingering cough all these weeks later, that was definitely no regular cold.

I started the year slowly getting my energy back, so most of January felt like a catch up. And I was feeling pretty overwhelmed with everything I want and need to do.

But little by little I’ve been making progress on things, and that feels great!

Speaking of which… I have several projects I’m working on and getting back in my design bag a little! I’m excited to share a new resource with you-

An updated Winter Lookbook with 10+ location ideas for indoor photos during the colder months! 

I created the original in late 2019/early 2020, then… covid. In an instant, indoor locations were just not a thing.

I mean they were to an extent, but not like pre-covid because a lot of public spaces were simply unavailable for use in that manner.

Fastforward a few years and although my personal shooting calendar has changed (it’s now closed for most of the winter season), I realized that this is still a really good resource for potential clients to get a visual of what their winter session could look like, and for photographers to expand their ideas for potential indoor locations.

So she’s been updated and brought back to life :)

Hopefully the lookbook gives you a little boost of inspiration and a few ideas for your winter sessions!

Let me know what you think after you check it out!

-Danni

2022 Recap | Part 2

Hey ya’ll hey. It’s time for another recap!

This time we’re looking back on Summer & Fall of 2022 🧡

ICYMI: here’s Part 1 of the 2022 recap

Fall tends to be the most popular season for photos and last year was no exception! The second half of 2022 was full of family and brand sessions, with a couple graduation and “just because” sessions as well.

The weather was AMAZING! We had so many beautiful sunny days and the most colorful fall season we’d seen in years!

The other thing that made me SUPER happy? How many familiar faces I got to see! I forgot the exact figure but I think 60% of my sessions were with repeat clients. That’s huge!

I love showing our history when I share photos of repeat clients, but since there were so many, I only did that with my family clients this time :)

Let’s get into it!

“I loved the streamlined process that started immediately after you booked. You can tell Danielle put a lot of time and effort into ensuring her clients are fully prepared for their shoot and confident that things will go well. I also appreciated the wardrobe support and input on ways to improve the overall look. There was clear direction throughout the shoot, which helped me not feel so awkward in front of the camera. She was well aware of the right angels and imperfections that I didn't want captured. The makeup artist that was provided was also amazing at her craft! I could go on and on, but overall experience was great and well worth it -- especially for someone who's really looking to elevate their overall brand.”

-Teaira Abston

“Working with D was dreamier than I could have imagined. You truly get what you pay for with her photography. She has an amazing workflow in place to make sure everything is aligned well before the day of your shoot. I'm such a last minute person, but she doesn't allow you to be with her reminders (I say this in the most positive way possible). On the day of the shoot, I just loved D's energy - it's calming but I could also tell when she was excited. As someone who doesn't feel super comfortable in front of the lens and usually feels insecure about photos of myself, she made me feel like a model.”

-Gina Psallidas

“Everything about my experience with DFinney Photography was flawless from beginning to end. The reminders, white glove customer service, and overall care made me feel extremely comfortable and respected as a client. I don't love photo sessions and made it clear upfront how awkward I could be and how uncomfortable these types of sessions made me feel. Danielle acknowledged my concerns and let me know that she'd help me to feel comfortable and confident. This support included assistance with selecting my final outfits and helping me to pose. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Danielle and am thrilled with my final photos!”

-Lakeya Cherry

“The experience was great! The initial form and assessment really helped me to drill down on what I wanted for my photos. The photo session itself went really well, I felt encouraged throughout which helped me to relax and be natural. I felt seen, I felt heard and it is displayed in my pictures. Danielle overdelivered and I definitely plan to work with her again in the future.”

-Marvice Mazyck

“The whole experience was great! I appreciated how organized and detailed the process was. Danielle's talent and passion for her work is evident when you interact with her and in the final product. Our pictures turned out absolutely beautiful and I look forward to working with her again!”

-Candace Koman

“I decided to book with DFinney because I had never in my life seen pictures this beautiful of regular people. Danielle understands the black complexion and literally and figuratively put us in the best light. Amazing doesn't even capture the essence of my experience. Being in such a place of transition in my life and career I was so busy working and trying not to drown. This helped me stop, look at myself and be proud of where I am, even though I'm not yet where I want to be. Thank you for such a wonderful experience. I will certainly be back!”

-Aundrea Cline-Thomas

Putting this recap together was so much fun and it made me really excited for what we will create together this Summer & Fall!

The Q3 (Summer) Calendar just opened this week and at the time I’m writing this, there are about 4 dates remaining. Booking is done via waitlist so when you click the link below, you’ll receive an email with next steps 🧡

Thanks for checking out today’s post, I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and let me know what you thought of our recap!

-Danni

Life, lately | Truthy Tuesday... on a Thursday

It has taken me WEEKS to get this blog written and shared.

I’d jot down thoughts here and there, but getting them together in a cohesive format felt impossible!

A couple weeks ago, I sat down to try again with no distractions (okay there were a few lol). And while it still wasn’t easy, at least I got SOMETHING down. Then it sat for 2 weeks 🥴

Sharing that snippet to let you know how hard productivity (outside of direct client work) has felt lately...

My winter break ended just before the close of Q1 and I gotta be honest, I was not ready to get back in the swing of things. But honestly though, who really wants to go back to work after a break? 

This year (for what feels like the first time) I didn’t completely waste my time off. I’d been working on a few things and just needed a bit more time to gain my footing before things got rolling again. That didn’t happen. 

But that’s life, right? 

How often do you have the opportunity to get things JUST SO with zero distractions or life interruptions? If your answer to this is “well, actually… I can do that quite often”, good for you! The rest of us don’t know what that’s like lol.

Because I have a tendency to want to do the most, one of the (multi-part) things I’d been working on was making a greater effort to incorporate simple healthy habits into my daily life. Literally the basics- drinking more water, moving my body, eating more veggies and protein, less screen time, getting better sleep… you know, the things we don’t think about until we feel like trash 😓

Initially it felt a little too simple, but I stuck with it. And while I didn’t make much progress on outward facing projects like I wanted, I was SO proud of the personal progress I was making! I actually felt better and it was so nice to see how those small adjustments were making a difference.

Then… life.

I got thrown off and it has been such a struggle getting back on track. The silver lining here is that at least I don’t feel like I’m just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. I know what worked before and it’s just a matter of getting back in rhythm!

So that’s kind of where I am now. I haven’t been showing up much online because I really want to get back to how I was operating at the start of the year. Hopefully I can achieve a tad more balance and share more with you soon.

To switch gears a bit, I do want to share a couple things that have been really helpful to me lately. Maybe you may find one of them helpful as well 🧡

APRIL SHARES

1. As most of us know, health care in this country can be a real hassle to navigate at times… One thing I found immediately helpful earlier this year was LabCorp On Demand.
   
   Instead of waiting for a doctor to schedule your bloodwork or specialty test and explain the results, you can order your own and get fast (mine came back in less than 24 hours!) easy to understand results. Because this service is for patients, you don’t receive a list of numbers that the doctor needs to explain to you- your test results are explained in layman’s terms with helpful graphics. I really love that part because clear understanding is so empowering and gives you more ownership of your health.
   
   In my case, I was able to gain a better understanding of some key numbers and start making changes to better my health almost immediately.
   

2. BetterSleep has been the single most helpful app for me over the past few months. If you are like me and need white noise to fall asleep, this app is a game changer.
   
   We got white noise, green noise, brown noise, pink noise… rain, thunder, wind, trotting horses, city sounds, forest sounds, birds, frogs, cicadas, drums, bamboo chimes… you name it! I absolutely could have kept going but you get the point lol.
   
   In addition to an extensive sound library, there are also a host of musical options, stories, and guided meditations to help you sleep, relax, meditate, or focus.
   
   Oh! I almost forgot- my favorite feature is that you can layer sounds and create your own soundscape! I can’t say enough good things about BetterSleep. Definitely give it a try and see if it works for you!

I hope to get back to sharing more regularly, but life is so busy these days, I’m grateful to share what I can when I can 🥲 I would LOVE to hear from you if any of this resonated or was helpful 🧡

I hope you have a beautiful week!

-Danni

2022 Recap | Part 1

Before we get too deep into the new year, I have to give my 2022 clients some shine!

I didn’t get a chance to do many client features in real time last year, so I’m going to do a two part recap and eventually share some full galleries as well; there are just too many gems to sit on a hard drive somewhere!

The first half of 2022 was FULL of brand sessions! There were a few family and graduation sessions sprinkled in as well, but we had such a great time creating together 🧡

“My experience with DFinney Photography was just that- a whole entire experience! Her process has both finesse and years of experience woven all throughout. She gives advice on everything from how selecting the proper undergarments can affect your photos, to reminders on not forgetting to eat the morning of so that your energy stays up! She really has come across almost every scenario and in turn, uses what she's learned to help better her client's experience. Until you are a client, you only see the finished product, but once you book, you truly understand that her consistent high quality photos are no accident.”

-Vanessa Atuboyedia

“From start to finish, the process is fun, organized, exciting, and professional. Danielle is welcoming and reassuring. Her help was priceless and necessary for my outfit selection, and at the shoot, she even gave me tips for styling my hair for the best on-camera "lewks." The makeup artist was friendly and talented and did a great job. The shoot itself was playful and easygoing and we really had a ball. Above all else, the photos are amazing! I've been in public relations for over 20 years and I book a LOT of photographers for clients, usually accompanying them to shoots. This was the most fun, calm, organized, professional shoot I've ever been on and the best part was that it was for ME. I can't say enough good things about my DFinney Photography experience!”

-LiRon Anderson-Bell

“Danielle’s images are clean, crisp and timeless- exactly what I wanted for my branding. I have my own insecurities about being in front of the camera, and even though I tell my clients to relax, I have the same feelings that they do. Danielle helped keep me calm, gave me clear instructions, and just made the experience just amazing. I trusted her completely.”

-Samantha Davis

“I knew that I wanted a Black women to capture my 50th Birthday milestone because it's was important to have someone safe to capture this very special life event, and I knew DFinney would be the perfect match. I had the BEST experience. I felt cared for and valued.”

-Racquel Bruton

“I never felt like I photographed well partly because I'm a little shy and awkward...lol. But working with DFinney was easy, fun, and relaxing. She put me at ease from the very beginning and I enjoyed every moment of the experience.”

-Melissa DeShields

“Danielle was fantastic and very personable to work with! I was nervous about having to pose and look professional, but Danielle did a great job of helping me feel at ease by making everything very natural, giving good prompts, and engaging me in conversation.”

-Hannah Wang

“I found my experience with DFinney Photography to be absolutely amazing, from start to finish! The level of detail and communication was not only thorough, but it relaxed me about the process as well. It is abundantly clear that Danielle put time and thought into her client experience. During the session itself, Danielle impressed me with her ability to bring my natural light and confidence out. She encouraged me to simply be myself and more importantly, ENJOY myself. I felt beautiful and Danielle brought that confidence out in the most magical way.”

-Cherise Bernard

“My experience was great! From start to finish, her communication was everything and you can tell this is her passion. She over delivered. I have been telling so many people about Danielle. This was my favorite photo shoot thus far!”

-Lacresia Williams

“Danielle has a vision and just gets it every time! Sometimes I don’t know exactly what I want to get out of each shot but when I see the end results I’m beyond pleased!! I’ll continue to use DFinney Photography to capture all of my special moments.”

-April Van Overbeek

You see all these beautiful people! 😍

It was such a joy to create with them, and I’d love the opportunity to bring your photos to life too!

Books for Q1 are closed, but priority access for Q2 (Spring) opens on February 28!

Booking is done via waitlist so when you click the link above, you’ll receive an email with next steps 🧡

Thanks for checking out today’s post, I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and let me know what you thought of our recap!

-Danni

Do I need a Deluxe Brand session?

The short answer: maybe.

If you are looking to do a full brand launch, a full rebrand, or just want a ton of photos 😅, then yep- the Deluxe Brand session is just what you need!

But… you know what I realized? I don’t think I’ve ever shared what a full Deluxe Brand session looks like! Today, that changes :)

Let’s take a look at a Deluxe Brand session from last fall with my client Samara ❤️

For a quick background- Samara has been a mental health professional for nearly 20 years! Her private practice opened in 2005 and since then, she has helped many to gain clarity, move forward with confidence, and she’s also poured into various organizations as a consultant, coach, and facilitator. Her new brand, Full Grown, was created specifically to empower black women over 40 to live boldly so we needed photos to convey the full scope of what that means!

Samara booked the Deluxe Brand session because this was going to be a full brand launch. The vision was to capture the black girl magic of fully grown, mature women. To show internal joy, fulfillment, wisdom, and the essence of them living their best life.

So how did we bring the vision to life? Check out her full proof gallery below! You’ll also be able to see which images Samara selected for her final gallery as well.

Disclaimer: Although no password is required to access this gallery, all client proof galleries are password protected.

Once Samara’s final gallery selections were retouched, her images went right to work! Check out her website! Note: Although you can view the site on mobile, you'll get the full experience on a desktop or laptop :)

Samara worked with The Chloe Brand for brand development and she did such a beautiful job incorporating the final photos into her design. Here are just a few additional graphics she created for instagram!

Ya’ll. It made me sooo happy to see everything come together so beautifully!

But let’s be honest, how I feel about it isn’t important lol. Check out Samara’s feedback re: her DFinney Experience:

“Where do I begin? Everything about my experience was above and beyond. I’ve worked with several photographers throughout my 18 years as an entrepreneur and never have I’ve been able to see how the systems are in place to ensure a successful shoot. Danielle has literally thought about everything and it gives you a sense of comfort in knowing that she’s already a step ahead of you in helping you to make key decisions to improve the outcome of the shoot.

On the day of the shoot I was so so at ease in her presence; I loved how she made sure that she was getting the shot her eye envisioned, and the result was absolutely amazing. She did such a good job with the photos that was compelled to purchase double of what I originally expected to buy. I’m just glad that I had the coin to invest in my own brand because her pictures knocked it out of the park!

I can honestly say that there was not one aspect of this experience that I would change. DFinney even welcomed to my two longtime best friends into the shoot to make sure that we could capture group dynamics that really fit with Full Grown’s brand. Thank you DFinney for everything that you do to help entrepreneurs, families and women feel beautiful and well represented visually.”

-Samara Stone

I was BEAMING after receiving her feedback! It really makes my heart happy when my clients enjoy themselves DURING the process, not just when they receive their final photos 🥰

So what does this mean for you? Well, if you’re in need (or want :) or new brand photos, you have the option of booking a Mini, Signature, or Deluxe session! BUT I have just 2 remaining dates for the year 😳 and my books will be closed for the start of 2023 (Jan and most of Feb).

Booking is done via waitlist so when you click the link above, you’ll receive an email with next steps 🧡

If you enjoyed today’s post, leave me a comment! I’d love to hear from you :)

-Danni