Rustic Romance Wedding // Style Shoot at the bluffs // Mentor Session // Wisconsin Wedding Photographer// Dani Stephenson Photography

When I started Photography I was like 11 and every since then I have been in love with photographs of any kind. I was the kid with the camera, then the teenager with a camera, then the college-age friend who always had photos of "that one time". It just grew and grew but it's been a long journey, sometimes draining, sometimes wonderful, sometimes frustrating. I don't claim to know everything about photography, in fact I swear I learn something new with every shoot so my journey is far from over.

Why do I offer mentor sessions? I found I love to teach when I started at Western Tech a few semesters before baby # 2 arrived teaching a camera & composition class. Teaching others was really fulfilling and simply fun. I paved a shortcut for some beginning in photography. It will always be a long journey for anyone in the industry but I want to help, I love to network, I love to share what I have learned and what I found works and doesn't work. And honestly, I had very little help along the way, so I want to be there for the beginners and give the help I wish I had got years ago. If I had this opportunity 5 years ago I would have jumped on it. Any interest in mentor sessions please Facebook or email me :)

Basically a mentor session is a day of talking shop, anything and everything photography from camera modes to logos to blogging to comparing yourself with others, to finding who you are to post processing. Abby and I talked and talked and I had a style shoot set up to get her out and shooting. It was a perfect day and I couldn't have been happier to spend it with Abby. 

Special Thanks to Shannon & David our models, and Wild Apples for the jaw-dropping bouquet and headpiece, they always go above and beyond for me and I highly recommend them for any occasion, tell them Dani sent you! 


So here's some from our shoot.... My sis is cute, and as stated above, (little more background) she has been modeling for me since she was 7...yes 7 years old when I used to make dresses out of white sheets (our grandparents owned a motel) and I would pose her and my cousins and snap shots with my Kodak 110, needless to say Grandma isn't surprised I do this today. She also was my first model when I decided to get real about photography again 5 years ago. Her support has gotten me a long way.  Oh Abby, my only hold back with you is I think your too pretty to be behind the camera! My take on photography is you can have money to buy equipment, or you can read every manual/book on Amazon, you can take every camera class, composition class, online class or workshops you can find but in the end you also have to *have something special* to succeed. You have to have more than money for equipment or read up on the latest this or that. You have to have more than skill, you need vision, strong convictions and an inner talent, craft or *eye* for photography.I think Abby has that something special inside her, keep up with her work here : ABBY CLEMENTS LOVE

Ode to the bouquet | Wisconsin Wedding Photographer| Brides Bouquet| Dani Stephenson Photography

Happy Monday! I'm throwing out some wedding inspiration today!


There is one tradition I feel has yet to be changed, tossed out or replaced and that's the brides bouquet. All of a sudden this is so important to me, I think its because I have been to enough weddings now to see the difference. When I got married I just hired the local florist at the grocery store (yes, sad) to do my flowers, I did care enough to give them a photo but they didn't turn out like I wanted. I regret that decision. I don't regret a lot of my wedding decisions, hardly any but that is one of them. I spent money on a bouquet I never want to see in photos. It did not go with my wedding and I paid for it? Why? I don't care what your bouquet is made out of, wood, ceramic, felt, brooches, paper....you will get a bouquet because its concrete tradition that has yet to be changed. So give it some thought. 

SO thankful it has yet to be changed because besides the dress, it's the one thing that I look for when I arrive at a wedding.It's the brides accessory! I want to see the brides vision in that bouquet. Don't skimp on it. Don't be cheap, skimp elsewhere. Besides, artifical silk or plastic flowers are just as expensive as buying a handful at walmart and wrapping them yourselves with twine. It's not all about the money, like most wedding details. It's about the thought and the vision.

Maybe some of these will boost your inspiration or help you see the difference.

Where is Spring? | Wisconsin Wedding Photographer | Dani Stephenson Photography

Spring has been pretty much awful around here. I have rescheduled the same maternity shoot 3x nows, that baby will be here before we get the photos taken, also rescheduled a sweet little mans 1 year pics 2x now. Ugh.

I have never been a big fan of spring anyway, I personally think getting another year older, damp, rainy, brown, blah-looking days and mud is just a bunch of ugly. I can't wait for GREEN grass and green trees again! I have mini-sessions coming next weekend (April 27th) and I have to say I am a little worried about the weather. Who would think the last weekend in April we would have snow on the ground? 

Big News! I'm taking on an intern this summer!!! and on May 4th I am having a mentor session with this FABULOUS someone and I am planning an AMAZING photo shoot for us! I can't wait to share my intern and this shoot but please PRAY FOR GORGEOUS WEATHER so this all comes together for us. 

The blog will soon be getting a facelift- just a few nips and tucks :)

May 18th, my first wedding of the year at The Enchanted Barn, can't wait to get back to the barn! 

Since I have nothing to show you from photos shoots (Thanks to mother nature) here's another image from my workshop at the Minneapolis Photo Center, Kay and Slade show newlywed bliss.

The Art & Business of Wedding Photography | Minneaplis Photo Center | Dani Stephenson Photography

One of my goals for the year is to attend a workshop or two. There are some really amazing workshops out there- really intense, inpiring and creative. I long to attend workshops much more than I get to. Some workshops are in Texas, California, Tennessee and cost $1500 +, worth it? yes. Definitley. But I can't justify that type of money when I have 2 children, car payments, house payments, a house that needs new siding etc..

But luckily I found a nearby class/workshop that was affordable and led by one of my very very favorite wedding photographers, Emily Steffen. How lucky am I? VERY. 

I knew I would find inspiration and take something away from the class. I was right. We talked about things I know -but that I don't do. Style, target clients, branding, workflow, the experience I give (or don't give) and basically who I am as a photographer. 

I have been shooting sessions and weddings for about 5 years now. Here's the thing- two things happened this year. #1 my accountant said to me, "Dani- you have been in business for 5 years now, every year it grows- it's time to own up to it" and this workshop. These two things finally CLICKED in my thick candy coated shell of a head. I own a business. I am a business owner. I am a business owner. I am a business owner. WHAT AM I DOING?!...or not doing for that matter.I have an answer for that, I am not owning up to this, I am not calling myself a Photographer because I feel I am a part-timer or hobbyist and that title is lost with 48 photographers in a 50 mile radius from my house. My husband will introduce to me to someone and they will say "oh- the photographer" you know what I say? "oh- no- not really I just do some weddings part time". Another reason I don't own it is because (not my quote) "a lot of photographers think they rule the world". That kind of presence is such and eye roll to me. And lastly, and most importantly the real reason I am not owning up to this is because I don't believe it. I don't believe what it is, what it can be or what it could be. I'm literally riding the wave.  

Driving home from the class with Theresa, (my bud, my fellow wino, my bike taxi partner and just as bad with directions as I, we sort of got lost and were 10 minutes late for class because we are too cool for GPS (SORRY EMILY!)). I developed a list of goals, all to be done before or very near when my weddings season begins (May 18) These small little changes can make a big impact and a great start for me to OWN IT. 

Please enjoy a few images from my class.
Before class- before we were late (or added reason) parking garage photos>>

Models getting ready in an amazing window lit studio-room

I finally got to try the pancake lens! I loved it- nice and sharp- here's an example

Absolutley gorgeous styling

What it's like to shoot at a workshop with a room full of photographers

But of course everyone was wonderful and we all took turns

Emily is an inspiration, she is really funny, a great teacher and amazingly talented but very down to earth and easy to hang out with and most of all eager to help. Moral of the story- I think what I took away from this experience is something deeper. Something maybe something I knew but never did? Maybe a fear I need to overcome? 

I am very inpsired (business-wise) right now. When I came in the door first thing I told my husband "I have some things I need to work on". He laughed and said "uh-oh- I take that you learned a thing or two" I said "definitley". 

 Thank you Emily Steffen- Our models Slade and Kay-stylist Jonnie & Dottie and the Minneapolis Photo Center for such a great weekend!!

Tyler + Melanie full of life Old Market L.o.v.e. Session | Omaha Nebraska Photographer | Omaha Old Market Engagement Photographer

Last weekend over Easter my family and I took a spring break out to Omaha for a visit. Have you been to Omaha? If it doesn't sound like a cool place to visit or doesn't seem like a getaway destination then let me tell you...you have not seen Omaha. Which is why I was so pumped to meet up with Mel and Tyler downtown over the weekend. I knew I wanted to shoot at The Old Market, it's seriously my favorite place ever. I want to move there. Amazing boutique shopping, food, bars, wine bars, cigar bars, book stores, vintage stores, antique stores, cafe's, all with outdoor dining patios, live music on each street corner, horse and carriage rides, parks, bridges, cityscapes. Ahhh...so much culture and art. I want to move there...did I say that already? (Click here for more info or google Omaha Old Market photos)

Another reason I was excited about this session is Mel & Tyler both have such great style. I knew I would be inspired by them and the backdrop of the old market. I was not let down. I was SO inspired, I had a vision before I started and this couple took it to the next level. They have never had their photos taken before, ever. So, no- they are not professional models. They are simply just this adorable all the time. This is why connection is so important to me, there was no posing or set ups, they just were themselves, laughing and chasing and having fun, my job was to put them in the right lighting situation and to capture the right moments.The result is genuinely Mel and Tyler and even better- very much me.In my last post I wrote about being myself and not cliche or going with the crowd, and for some reason I didn't care about any of that, the thought never crossed my mind until I started putting my blog together, its as if I was out of town so was my photography and all the hang ups that come with it. I didn't think of anything, I was in the moment, totally aware and  carried away by these two and the streets of Omaha. 

So we meet up at Billy Froggs Bar and have a beer (OMG- new fav beer is Boulevard can I get it in Wisco?) and set out for the shoot, no itinerary, no plan, no starting or stopping point. Just come what may.

Sweetest plank ever

Sorry Ty- thought I better leave out the one of you behind Mel for the blog!

Mel is so fun, so full of life

We also got to visit Donuthill, Tyler and his friends "project" they hand built and funded this indoor skate ramp themselves. This is Tyler's center. You can tell how much it means to him. I didn't do this place justice, I think you would need to be a videographer to really capture this place and Tyler in action. He is CRAZY but cool. Here's a few pics I wanted to share, if your interested you really need to see the wbsite with youtube videos of some of the crazyness. Check it out here: http://donuthill.com/

HUGE bear hug and Thanks to Mel and Tyler for being so so cool and beyond fun. I cannot WAIT to get back to Omaha soon!