Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Plasencia.
Hi Daniel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been drawn to cameras for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid growing up in the 90s in South Florida, I remember that my dad always had a camera with a huge telephoto lens. He would take it to professional hockey games and take photos of the players zooming around the hockey rink. He would then have the film developed and prints made and would ask the players to autograph the photos. Observing my dad’s creative process in this way planted the seed for what later would become my passion and life’s work: photography.
I went on a vacation with my family to Italy in 2005 and bought a small point-and-shoot camera to document the trip. While traveling, I was shooting right next to my dad, who had taught me the basics of exposure and composition. Years later, in 2012, I purchased my first DSLR camera and was hooked! I would walk around my neighborhood, taking photos of anything that interested me, whether a tree bathed in golden light, some graffiti, or just exciting shapes and shadows. I suddenly found everyday objects fascinating to photograph! This eventually inspired my love of street photography and walking around the city with my camera. Eventually, I asked my family and friends to pose for me while I took their portraits. It brought me such joy to capture those special moments for them. Although portrait photography was initially challenging for me, I wanted to dive deep in and learn everything there was to know about lighting, posing, and capturing the moment. I moved to Austin in January 2021. I took a weekend portrait photography course at Precision Camera University in Austin, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. In October 2021, Daniel Plasencia Photography was established, specializing in lifestyle portraits and professional headshots. Photography is my mission and life’s purpose today, and I can’t “picture” myself doing anything else (pun intended).
Let’s dig deeper into the story – has it been an easy path, and if not, what challenges have you overcome?
Like anything worthwhile, my journey hasn’t been a smooth road. I constantly struggle with self-doubt. Despite client and peer feedback having been overwhelmingly positive, my work isn’t good enough for me. Part of the reason for that is that I’m a perfectionist and constantly need my job to be perfect in my own eyes. Also, learning how to pose clients and interact with them was challenging for me early on. I’m an introvert by nature, so photographing people has made me come out of my shell and be more open with people to have them feel more comfortable with me and in front of the camera. Also, marketing myself on social media in today’s digital age has been challenging to keep up with. It is much more complex and time-consuming than the actual photography itself.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I specialize in lifestyle portrait photography for individuals, couples, and families. Lifestyle portraits differ from traditional portraits in that I seek to capture people as their authentic selves for the camera and in their natural environments. This also means I focus more on capturing candid interactions than rigidly posed photos. I also don’t overly pose my clients. I give them basic prompts or ideas and let them execute poses however they feel comfortable, making adjustments as necessary. Often, I’ll customize the shoot based on a client’s personality and maybe even have the session at their favorite location. I also offer studio portraits, but I don’t find that type of work as enjoyable as an outdoor shoot in nature or the city. I’m proud of my laid-back approach, natural editing style, and open client communication. A portrait session doesn’t have to be stressful. It should be a fun and memorable experience! I aim to allow my clients to be authentic and let their true personalities shine through. I bring that kind of fun and light-hearted energy to all my photoshoots.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I shot my first wedding in November 2023 without ever having a wedding before as a second photographer. That was a significant risk. A lot can go wrong with wedding photography. I was nervous, but I realized it wasn’t bad. It was an incredible learning experience for me; the couple were thrilled with their photos. By the way, full disclosure: they knew it was my first wedding before hiring me and were okay with it. I want to point that out! Ultimately, it’s essential to take risks. We can only truly step out of our comfort zone and grow if we take risks occasionally. However, the amount of risk one is comfortable with depends on each person.
Pricing:
- One-hour individual portrait, headshot, or graduation session starting at $250 includes a digital online gallery with 20 edited high-resolution images.
- A one-hour family portrait session for $350 includes a digital online gallery with 20 edited high-resolution images.
- One-hour engagement or couple’s session at $325 includes a digital online gallery with 20 edited high-resolution images.
- 30-minute outdoor mini-sessions starting at $195. Includes a digital online gallery with 10 edited high-resolution images.
- Embark on your wedding journey with our packages starting at $2,500. These packages include a digital online gallery with 500 edited high-resolution images. And the best part? They can be customized to perfectly suit your unique wedding day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dplasenciaphotography.com
- Instagram: @d.plasenciaphoto
