Giveaway | Celebrating 5 Years! [CLOSED]

UPDATE 9/12: The winners chosen by the Random Number Generator are:

46: Maryam Roz and 33: Danielle Finney (No this is not me lol. But seriously what are the odds?!!)

Congratulations you two!! I can’t wait to work with you!!

And thanks SOOO MUCH to all who entered with their comment below. I really enjoyed reading these. Truly. Some were very touching and just really helped me to see just how far-reaching a little photography can be :) I am sooo thankful to all of you for your support and if we haven’t had a chance to work together yet, please don’t hesitate to reach out! I look forward to working with you all in the future :)

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You guys! I JUST realized something yesterday… Next week will be FIVE years since the unofficial start of DFinney Photography!!!

I was fired from my job just before my 22nd birthday in September 2009 and from there decided I’d give this thing a try… Thanks to Facebook’s handy timeline feature, I can look back on that exact moment :) 

Here are a few of my first client shoots from my humble beginnings in 2009:

Clearly I loved the sun, funky colored actions, photo effects, and didn’t have a great handle on color.

Fast-forward a few years and here we are! I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I’m happier than ever that it led me here :)

I’d say I have a better handle on color now lol. I still love the sun but I've found my style to be much cleaner now than it was a few years ago. Who knows what it will be 5 years from now :)

Over the weekend we reached 3k fans on instagram so I decided to do a little giveaway! If you’re on instagram and would like to enter for your chance to win, check out the post, take care of the 3 necessary steps, and you’re all set!

Once I put that up and realized we were getting ready to hit 5 years, I just knew we had to do a HUGE giveaway to say how thankful I am for your support over the years. So here it is!

DETAILS:
The winners can use the $250 towards ANY service offered- $250 off a mentor session, a standard portrait session, a wedding package,  a mini session ($250 covers the mini session fee + a complimentary 5x7 print), or if you’ve recently taken photos with me, the $250 can be put towards additional prints and products- whatever you’d like! This giveaway is for everyone :) 

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Simply leave a comment below and share how you learned of DFinney Photography!

*BONUS ENTRIES*

1. Share this blog post on your favorite social media platforms
2. Follow @ dfinneyphoto on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

That’s it!

The winners will be chosen at random from the comments left on this blog post. Results will be posted on September 12, so you have two weeks!

Thanks again for your support over these past 5 years and happy participating! :)

-Danni

Truthy Tuesday | Do YOUR Thing

Happy Tuesday!

If you’ve been keeping track, you’ll know I missed last week :( So that just means I’ll have two in a row for you this and next week!

This week I’ll be chatting with you guys about trusting your creative instincts.

I’m apart of a few photography groups on Facebook where photographers of all skill levels are members… Often I’ll see newer photographers post photos for critique and sometimes it just makes me cringe! Don’t get me wrong, constructive criticism is definitely awesome for improving your skill and technique with any craft, but it can also be discouraging. 

Art, by its essence, is subjective. This is something that a lot of creatives forget. I understand trying to master a specific technique and reaching out for assistance in that regard, but too much critique can stifle your creative instinct. How will you be able to discover what  YOU like if you’re constantly asking for critiques? It’s important to learn to be confident with your style (while still striving to improve) and understand that not everyone is going to like what you do. And that’s okay!

Especially is this the case when it comes to photography. Do you know how many different styles of photography there are? I don’t, but I know there a lot! Lol. I also know that they all don’t appeal to me, and that my work doesn’t appeal to everyone either. Someone who is more drawn to studio fashion photography may not be interested in my work- and that’s okay. Does that mean I need to change my work to suit them? Not at all :) It just means that I’m not for them.

Likewise with new photographers, it’s sooo important to find your creative voice. Otherwise your portfolio will be all over the place (which is how a lot of us get started anyway so no shame if that’s where you currently are :) In order to attract your ideal client though, your work should be a genuine reflection of you and what you like. That way, when someone is drawn to your work it’s because you both enjoy the same types of things.

It IS a process though, and definitely one that takes some time so don’t be too hard on yourself :)

I can’t wait to share what I have for next Tuesday! Be sure to check back in next week :)

‘Til next time,

-Danni

Danyelle | Alexandria, VA Lifestyle Photographer

Good Thursday evening lovelies!

I’m doing a rare evening post because it just can’t wait until tomorrow! Lol. I am so excited to share this with you guys that it had to be posted tonight :)

Paul Carrick Brunson of Oprah’s Lovetown, USA has just launched a brand new series on his site called the #GoodPeopleProject and I had the privilege of shooting the very first one! Thanks to Danielle Belton for the lovely recommendation :)

I won’t go into too much detail here, because I want you to check out her interview, but I will say that Stephanie (makeup), Bianca (styling), and I had such a great time working with Danyelle for this photo session! She has a wonderfully infectious personality that just makes YOU happy by being around her!

Take a look at her session below for a look at what I mean. I think these perfectly capture Danyelle’s beautiful personality :)

How cool is this wall?! Quite fitting :)

Interested in your own session? Email me and schedule yours today!

A Little Thursday Inspiration | Ash The Painter

It’s time again for our weekly installment of Thursday Inspiration!

This week I am thrilled to share with you guys an amazing painter that I discovered not quite a full year ago… but one that I’ve been in love with ever since: Ash the Painter!

Ashley aka Ash the Painter is based in Yakima, Washington and specializes in minimalistic, abstract, and ethnic art.

From her bio:
“My goal is to create my version of beauty: sometimes nappy, sometimes classy, sometimes stylish and all in between… One painting at a time, I hope to offer encouragement, inspiration, and of course a stylish masterpiece one can enjoy forever.”

That is precisely why I love her work. It is clean, colorful, and creative! I could look at some of her pieces all day- and do! Lol I ordered a few of her art prints and you should too! (no really, she’s actually having a really awesome sale currently :)

You can tell that each painting is made with love and that she really enjoys what she does, and that makes you enjoy her work all the more so :)

Here are a few of my faves!

Love this one! It was based off of a photo of Taren Guy. Super awesome!

*swoon*

I hope you enjoyed being introduced to Ash the Painter!

Want to find out more her work? Her website: http://www.ashthepainter.com/ and @ashthepainter on instagram, facebook, and twitter. Tell her DFinney Photography sent you! :)

Until next time!

-Danni

Artist Spotlight: Stephanie

So it’s been a few months since my last Artist Spotlight (sad face) but we’re finally back in action!

Today I’m so excited I get to feature my good friend and talented makeup artist Stephanie! Stephanie and I have known each other since we were children and we began working together professionally back in 2011. Her bubbly personality and infectious laugh are sure to bring a smile to your face and I can always trust her creative vision and talent to bring to life anything I may throw her way :)  

What is your name?
Stephanie Veronica

Where are you located?
DC/Maryland/Northern VA

What do you do?
I am a professional freelance makeup artist.

How long have you been a makeup artist?
I would love to say all my life, but I’ve been doing makeup professionally for 5 years.

How did you become interested in makeup and when did you know you wanted to be a makeup artist?
I’ve always been interested in art, no matter what the form. But when I was a child, I wanted to be a clown when I grew up. I used to sneak into my mother’s makeup, create the best clown face I possibly could and parade around the house! When I grew a little older, my clown aspirations died off but not my love of the power of transformation. I used makeup to transform myself to anything from an Indian Princess to a Geisha. It was always fun and an outlet for me to express my creativity. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20’s that I realize that I could turn my love of makeup art into a satisfying career.

Who are some of your influences/inspirations?
Like many of my peers, my makeup style is heavily influenced by Mr. Sam Fine. I love how he can take any face, and with a few strokes of his brush, create a masterpiece. He is the man behind many of the beauties that we have admired for years in Black Hollywood. I also have studied the work of Kevin Aucoin, Reggie Wells, Kevin James Bennett, Eve Pearl, and Scott Barnes. Even some of the newer hot artists of our generation such as Mario Dedivanovic, AJ Crimson, Mally Roncal, Renny Vasquez and Alexandra Butler have all inspired me better my artistry and reach further toward my goals as a makeup artist.

What has been your favorite project that you’ve worked on so far?
It’s so hard to pinpoint one project that I loved the best! Since I have been working with DFinney Photography I have been able to do makeup for some of the most amazing shoots. I really loved them all. I must say that the shoot for KISS Magazine was pretty cool though. Also, the makeovers at the “Beauty Is Not A Fad” natural hair event was fun to do.

What other types of creative work do you do?
Other than makeup, I love music. I play a few instruments… I haven’t picked up anything lately so needless to say I’m pretty rusty. LOL!

What inspires you?
I draw inspiration from everywhere! Whether it’s a flower outside my house, a piece of fabric, or on a aspiring artist on YouTube. I’m inspired by life.

What keeps you motivated?
Being around young people keeps me motivated. I have several young ladies that assist me from time to time and their hunger to learn about makeup and the industry is amazing to me. To see their drive and their vision as they plan out their career, pushes me to keep reaching for my goals. For someone to say that I’m their mentor or that they look up to me and what I do as an artist is an honor and it makes me want to give them even more to look up to.

Any advice to fellow creatives (in your industry or otherwise)?
My advice would be to follow your passion and don’t listen to negativity- that goes for anything in life. Be always open to learn new things and do your research. If you are watching a TV show or a movie and you like the makeup, look at the credits and look up the artists. You become great by learning from the greats.

Any other fun tidbits we should know about you?
Aside from makeup I am currently learning and educating others on nutrition and fitness as I continue on my own weight loss journey. I am still contemplating a lifestyle YouTube channel so stay on the watch for that.

Where can we find you online?
website: www.runwayreadybysteph.com 
facebook: www.facebook.com/runwayreadybysteph
twitter:  @MUA_MzSqueeks
instagram:  @Mz_Squeeks

I hope you guys enjoyed getting to know Stephanie a little better! To check out more of our work together, check out the “MAKEUP BY STEPHANIE” category over there on the right menu bar (or the tag below this post :) Please don’t hesitate to contact Stephanie if you’re interested in having her do your makeup for a photo session, event, special occasion, or just because!

‘Til next time!

-Danni