Today we’d like to introduce you to Dayana.
Hi Dayana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began my photography journey in 2021, right after COVID, when so many people were being let go from their jobs. My boyfriend at the time gave me my first camera, a Sony a6000 and she got me through so much with clients then!
At first, I wanted to photograph anything and everything just to get my feet wet, but I was quickly drawn to maternity photography. I knew exactly how I wanted my images to look, so I taught myself Photoshop and spent quite a few hours learning how to bring what I envisioned to life even if that meant some questionable Photoshop work in the beginning, lol.
Five years later, here we are. I now photograph couples, weddings, and elopements in Houston and surrounding cities, as well as destinations like New York and San Francisco. My style gradually developed from maternity photography into something more intentional, romantic, and editorial, with a focus on thoughtful posing, movement, emotion, and creating images that feel personal to each couple.
Staying in business for five years has required a lot of learning, experimenting, and discovering what I do and don’t love. Even today, I’m still learning how to move forward and continue growing my business, but every lesson, failed attempt, and moment of trial and error has helped bring me to where I am now.
Today, I’m grateful to have built a six-figure photography business while creating work that feels true to me. I’m based in Houston, but photography has given me the opportunity to travel and inspired me to keep going beyond what I ever thought was possible when I first picked up that camera. it is still crazy to me that a camera can take you anywhere!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing is ever a completely smooth road. When I started, I was teaching myself everything from how to use my camera and what ISO was to what everyone tells you in the beginning: “You have to know the exposure triangle.” IYKYK, lol. At the same time, I was learning how to edit, price my work, create contracts, communicate with clients, create content, and run an actual business.
There were plenty of times when I made mistakes, doubted my work and myself, or wondered whether I was moving in the right direction. Even today, I have moments when things don’t feel as consistent or secure as they might with a traditional 9-to-5. But if you ask most business owners whether they would trade this life for a 9-to-5, they’ll probably tell you the uncertainty is still worth it.
One of my biggest struggles has been accepting that growth is not always consistent. Some seasons are extremely busy especially the holidays, which are a struggle of their own while others are much quieter. During my first holiday season, I worked quite literally every day and completely burned myself out. Never again, lol. Experiences like that teach you how important it is to prepare for the busy seasons, manage the slower ones, and create boundaries for yourself.
It’s also easy to compare your progress to what other photographers share online or feel like you constantly need to be creating, booking, and improving. Eventually, you have to realize that you are in your own lane. Your business depends on you, so you have to trust what you’re building and continue showing up for it.
I’ve also had to separate what I genuinely love from what I thought my work was supposed to look like. Developing my own style took time, and it continues to evolve as I do.
I’ve learned that the things we experience in our personal lives can deeply influence the way we photograph people. Heartbreak can change the way you see love and how you pose a couple because you begin viewing their connection from a different perspective. Losing a family member can suddenly make you understand why capturing a grandmother hugging her grandchildren matters so much. You begin noticing the smaller moments the ones you may not have recognized the importance of before. As you experience more of life, you bring more understanding and intention into your work, and little by little, you become a better photographer because of it.
There have been moments of burnout, failed ideas, and things I would approach completely differently now, but each one has taught me something valuable. The road hasn’t always been easy, but those experiences have made me more intentional about the work I create, the clients I serve, and the kind of business I want to continue building.
As you know, we’re big fans of Dayana Hernandez Photography . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Dayana Hernandez Photography is a Houston-based business specializing in couples, weddings, elopements, and elevated courthouse weddings. Although I began with maternity photography, my brand has evolved into intentional, romantic, and editorial imagery across every type of session I photograph.
My approach is very hands-on. I don’t expect clients to arrive knowing how to pose or what to do in front of the camera. I guide them through location planning, posing, movement, and all the little details that bring their images together. I get shy in front of the camera myself and appreciate direction when someone photographs me, so I understand when clients say they don’t know how to pose but that isn’t something they ever need to worry about with me.
I’m especially drawn to historic buildings, courthouses, libraries, museums, gardens, and locations with character, which is one reason I love traveling for work. My photography combines romance with dramatic light, shadows, movement, emotion, and black-and-white imagery. I loooove using shadows because I believe they can give a photograph so much depth and feeling. Not every image or setting calls for them, but when the light creates that opportunity, it’s one of my favorite things to incorporate.
I’m most proud that my brand has continued to evolve alongside me. What began with one camera in 2021 has grown into a six-figure business that has taken me throughout Houston and surrounding cities, as well as destinations like New York and San Francisco. I want people to know they don’t need a traditional wedding or extravagant setting to have beautiful photographs. A courthouse wedding, intimate elopement, or ordinary day with the person you love can be treated with just as much care and intention.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The best way to work with me is by submitting an inquiry or contacting me by email, which is always my preferred form of communication. I’ll get to an Instagram DM too it just may not be quite as fast, lol. I photograph couples, weddings, elopements, courthouse weddings, and other meaningful celebrations throughout Houston, but I’m always open to traveling wherever an idea takes us.
I also enjoy collaborating with clients who have a creative idea they want to bring to life, as well as wedding planners, venues, florists, designers, and other creatives who share a similar vision. People can support my work simply by following along, sharing it, and recommending Dayana Hernandez Photography through word of mouth. From there, everything else tends to come naturally.
Pricing:
- Elopement and courthouse wedding collections begin at $485
- Couples and portrait sessions begin at $485
- Wedding collections begin at $2,500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://msha.ke/dayanahernandezphotography?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleATcwg1wZG9mAmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp_diKs-QAsEum0eAM0iCJfDXfIFF0nkDd5UBLslOy0sHAndjDlC0Dwo-pFi3_aem_NPqEu1u__Czt6weabTDbFQ
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayanahernandezphotography?igsh=MW4zZXVhNmE1am51ag==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/192dpqwZcz/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@dayanahernandezphoto?_r=1&_t=ZT-98Yq1NctwwH
