Meet Samantha D’Anna | Professional Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha D’Anna and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, why did you pursue a creative career?
After high school I went to college with the thought that I would major in liberal arts. It seemed like a safe bet since I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I knew at that point that I loved photography but didn’t think much of it. Then after a few years passed with about 3 changes of what I was going to major in I decided to stop. The only thing I kept coming back to was photography, but how could I make that work as a job? Well, I found some certificate programs through UNM and decided to go for it. I loved the idea of following my heart and seeing where it took me. I had my doubts along the way, and so did my family, but my love for photography always pushed through and got me to where I am today. I decided to pursue photography because it really was the only thing I loved and knew I was good when I was 20, and the idea of doing what I love for a living trumped everything else.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I would say my photography style is candid, fun and happy. I really like to incorporate nature into my sessions and you will find that I take a lot of photos from far away so that the scenery is included. My dream is to get to the point where I am only shooting weddings and elopements and traveling all around the world to do so. When I started around 10 years ago I would have never through I would get to the point I am at today, traveling around taking beautiful photos of families and couples. I can’t wait to see where I am at in another 10 years. Photography is a saturated market so it can be super hard to get clients and make a living at it. I have always strived to be myself, have my own style and create for myself. Its easy to try and compare yourself to other and to get down on yourself because you see other photographers living your dream, but you have to realize they were where I am at now at some point too. It just takes time and hard work, which I am willing to give.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Los Alamos, NM and it’s a pretty small town. You only get to it if you are trying to, it’s not somewhere you just pass through on your way to somewhere else, which makes it a bit different than most places. Los Alamos is amazing for hiking and getting outdoors. We have an amazing ski hill, mountain biking trails, off roading trails and an abundance of hiking trails. We have two breweries to visit and a handful of amazing restaurants, Blue Window Bistro being my favorite. Santa Fe is only about 40 minutes away and that is where I would recommend spending a lot of time. Meow wolf is a fun art experience in town, and Coyote Cantina is my favorite place to eat. Take some time to walk around the plaza and go into some shops. If you’re into seeing the beauty of NM I would take a drive through the Jemez Mountains. Make sure to visit the Jemez Hot Springs and the Jemez Mountain Brewhouse. Some other favorite scenic spots in NM are White Sands, Chama and Abiquiu.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have always made it a point to surround myself with like-minded people who love and support each other in this art, so my list of people is super long, but I will go ahead and pick the first one that came to mind. I have to shout out my good friend Chad Braithwaite of Faces Photography who is based in SLC. He started hosting Photography workshops about 5 years ago and they have really helped me excel in my career. He would bring super well known and knowledgeable photographers to talk and teach classes. They would cover things like wording on your website, attracting your ideal client, taxes, editing and so much more. Everyone at the workshops was supportive and willing to help and answer any questions. This made for a super safe and fun environment where I could ask anything and get real, helpful answers.

Website: http://www.samanthadannaphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthadannaphotography/

Image Credits
All images were taken by me, Samantha D’Anna Photography