Daily Inspiration: Meet Dani Hammer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani Hammer

Hi Dani, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My photography journey started in a heartbreaking, but beautiful way. In 2017, I lost my second little girl, my 4th baby, just 4 months into pregnancy. I was never given the option to hold her, see her, or even get her little foot or handprints. I cried for months not having anything of her. I realized when I left the hospital empty handed, that I needed to do something meaningful so that no other parent ever felt this way. I researched Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and what all I would need to do and learn to become a volunteer photographer. I got straight to work on learning photography through a multitude of classes, workshops, and shadowing another local professional photographer. A year to the day from when my sweet baby girl, Aelyn Grace, was taken from me, I got my acceptance letter from Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. I started my business from the ground up because of her. She lit the fire under me that I needed to truly take photography seriously and provide for my family, and other families, through my business. Over the last (almost) 7 years, my business has grown immensely and I’ve had the honor of serving so many families through my business. My main focus is capturing my client’s stories, whatever that may look like for them. Every family is so unique and different, but every story is so incredibly beautiful and I absolutely love sharing my client’s stories through images.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not always been easy, but I’ve always managed to work through every bump in the road. In 2020, I got divorced and became a single mom to 4 young kids and my business truly gave me the capability to provide for them and keep us stable. It wasn’t easy continuing to work through that time, but making my own schedule and being able to work around all of their activities, games, performances, holidays, and birthdays has allowed me to be able to be so present to them and also be able to still work full time. 2 years ago, I had 2 major surgeries back to back on my spine and also unexpectedly went into septic shock. Even hospitalized and really sick, my love for photography remained the same. I still threw myself into my work and editing and was even able to capture my own journey and document that time and how far I came from that, through images I took in the hospital. I very much believe that it’s important to share my own story with my clients, so they can also feel comfortable telling theirs.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a professional photographer (storyteller). I specialize in lifestyle family photography. I also have my own in home studio in Spring Hill. I capture family, births, newborns, milestones, headshots, dream (composite sessions), sports, maternity, couples, engagement, weddings, elopement, themed minis, events, smash cakes… I love capturing all the special moments I can for my clients!

I have had my work shared on Good Morning America, Unscripted, published in multiple wedding magazines, and have been a finalist multiple years in a row for Best Local Photographer.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I love scoping out the photography groups on FB and learning new skills. I’m also all about the Creative Live workshops to learn more about my craft and how to deliver even better, higher quality work to my clients.

Pricing:

• $275/ 25 mins + 10 edited high resolution digital images
• $375/ 45 mins + 25 edited high resolution digital images
• $650/ 60 mins + 50 edited high resolution digital images

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.danijaydenphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danijaydenphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danijaydenphotography