Meet Danielle Lacey | Lifestyle Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Lacey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
Wow, the list might be endless but I’ll try to narrow it down to the most important!

The main thing that inspires me is light. Light can make you happy, sad, angry, scared, sexy, and strong. It can entice endless amounts of emotion and comes in ever form there is. Harsh light, soft light, natural light, artificial light, candlelight, moonlight, you name it. Light can create interesting shadows, tell a story, or make you want to know more. It is the first thing I notice each morning, even when I am not shooting. I want to FEEL when I am photographing, and light can bring me to tears and give me shivers at the same time. It’s basically magic.

Another thing that inspires me is fashion. Patterns, colors, shapes, movement.. Clothing is a big factor in what shapes the attitude of a shoot, so it is something I am addicted too. When I started photography I was creating conceptual fashion photography and thrifting the weirdest outfits. Fashion is an artform itself that inspires a lot of my shoots. I am constantly finding ways to build shoots around inspiring pieces of clothing.

The last thing, but probably the most important, that inspires me is people. We all have our own stories, and they are all worth telling. Being able to connect with people and make them feel joy is indescribable.

It just wouldn’t mean anything it if it weren’t for the people.

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 got started seriously in photography in 2010 when I was gifted an DSLR camera for my wedding. I had been painting for a few years, and taking photos felt like a fitting shift for me at the time. I started going to local thrift stores, joining Facebook groups to find models, and creating concepts in my head to shoot. Some photos will never see the light of day in those early years…

Taking pictures came naturally because I was always the one with the camera growing up, so it never fully hit me that this could be an actual long standing career. It was always just a creative outlet. Once I realized that I had people willing to pay me, I started to venture into family photography. The rest is truly history.

The journey of self employment is NEVER easy. I have made and will continue to make mistakes, and it’s a 24/7 kind of job…but creating a business out of nothing is still something I am so proud of. The confidence I have gained throughout this journey has made me so grateful. Learning to set boundaries, but always put humanity at the forefront of every decision I make is what sets me apart. I have never done things by the book, and I think it is well represented in my work and my attitude in each one of my relationships I build.

I am constantly trying to innovate, evolve, and do what’s least expected. Showing up for the long haul, not just the time slot booked, is an important aspect of my brand. I want my photographs to represent the moment, the people, or the environment so I don’t conform to the idea that we need to be one way to be successful. You can do that in so many ways. I do it on my own terms, and I work so incredibly hard to represent a brand of compassion and authenticity that even makes my craft secondary. At the end of the day, I can’t take this passion with me, so what I leave behind matters. The people matter.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve been in Clovis CA since I was 7 years old, and while I may seem like I am all go go go because I like to work, I thrive in the quiet. Some of the most fun experiences I’ve had in this place are times where I just sat still. Moments of deep conversation or new experiences. So, honestly, that’s what I would try to focus on. Things like garage sales, and antiquing are my idea of a good time. A good road trip to nowhere while I sing really badly with my favorite nostalgic music is also up there!

I guess I’ve always just been an old lady at heart…

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am sure so many people say their parents, and for me it’s not different. Growing up had friends whose parents constantly talked about education, college, and 9-5 jobs. And who could blame them, stability is great! But I was NEVER going to be on that path.

It probably stressed, and still stresses, my parents out. Photography is can be very lucrative and fulfilling, but it will forever be unpredictable by nature. I have to plan for everything because there is no “9 to 5” to lean on. However, never once did my parents pressure me to pursue anything other than my passions. And never once did they tell me I couldn’t do something big either. Because of their support, I’m a dreamer with an unwavering dedication to bring those dreams to reality.

My husband, Jesse, is a big factor in why I keep going. He has grounded me, but let me think outside the box at the same time for the last 12 years. The day I seriously picked up a camera he never questioned it. My success so far would never have been possible without that kind of support. Because let me tell you, sometimes I think miles outside that box.

As I have been building my career I realized how important education is in this industry! For a long time, I had no idea there was this world to photography where you can build communities and support systems and grow as an artist. So once I started investing in myself, that is when so much changed. That took my photography from hobby, to career!

I took a leap of faith about 4 years ago and signed up for my first conference/workshop called Evolve Workshops. I would say aside from my parents, that workshop has been the single biggest influence. The people I met, the information I learned, the perspective I got, was life changing to say the least. It was created to put a huge emphasis on community within the industry, and I think they trailblazed a lot of what we see today. I feel supported, and cheered on by so many women and men that I once saw as competition. Evolve deserves so much credit, and I try to go every year now because it’s become such a staple in my life. I even got a Tattoo on my arm to remind me…so there’s that.

Website: www.danilaceyphotographs.com

Instagram: @danilaceyphotographs

Other: @shoottheshitt (Styled events page I have created to further grow community within my area.)