Today we’d like to introduce you to Debby Ditta.
Hi Debby, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
As a teenager, I was brokenhearted when I didn’t make the high school drill team. I had danced for many years prior to trying out, but I just didn’t make the cut. I had a class schedule that needed to be filled so I enrolled in the black and white photography class in my high school. Little did I know that my rejection from drill team would be the fuel I needed to launch my future career. I became so hungry for the creative outlet that Photography gave me that I continued to my education at Sam Houston State University. I earned my bachelors of science degree in photography and a minor and studio art.
In the early 2000s when I started my business, it was definitely a male dominant industry. This was also a time where I admired the newborn photography legend , Anne Geddes. She posed and photographed newborns in a way that had never been done before. She was the OG pioneer to Newborn Photography and I absolutely loved her work. There was nothing else like her, and she was my inspiration.
In the early 2000s, there was a huge boom of women photographers on the scene. Moms with a camera and serious skills and talent for Photography. We changed the demographic of professional photographers, because there was an influx of us women starting photography businesses. The public wanted, artistic photographs of their babies and we delivered. It was truly exciting to be part of this history in photography.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When you have your own business, there will always be struggles and challenges. I am an independent business owner, and if I don’t show up, no one else will. Even when I am facing personal struggles, I have to continue my work and remain professional.
You have to put on a smile for your clients, even though you might be broken inside. I recently became a single mom after my 22 year marriage ended. I was mourning on the inside while continuing to be a professional and show positivity to my clients. The art of photography became therapeutic for me as my heart slowly healed during my sessions. I found comfort in conversations with new parents, loving on their babies, and photographing some of the happiest moments of their lives, all while keeping a smile on my face. I want every client to have the best experience possible when they’re with me, and I strive to create family heirlooms that they will cherish for generations.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My organic style newborn sessions are baby led . And other words: I let the baby guide me into what is comfortable posing for them. When baby needs a break, we pause. There is no rush for good art. All babies in my studio will be warm, comfortable, and well fed during the session.
Something I’m known for is my close-up photography. I want each one of my clients to have professional close-ups of their baby’s features. Before the session even starts, I ask parents to send me pictures of their baby from the hospital so that I can look at their unique features and start planning the session from what the baby looks like. I use a vintage macro lens to capture all the close-ups of baby’s little features : tiny toes, peach fuzz on the ears, curly cowlicks, milk mustaches, long eyelashes, pouty lips… which are all the details that will soon change as they grow into a toddler.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Don’t compare yourself to other photographers because in reality … there is no competition other than yourself. You provide something unique and special that no one else can offer because of YOU.
There are so many talented photographers out there each one is better than the next. There are photographers who have better equipment, who have a bigger studio, who have a bigger client base, more bubbly personality, etc. but they aren’t you. No one else can see through your eyes perspective and capture the vision you see. Finally, whenever you feel rejection… use it as fuel to change your life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.debbyditta.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbydittaphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbydittaphotography
- Other: https://debbyditta.blogspot.com
