Today we’d like to introduce you to Dakota Veenhuis.
Hi Dakota, 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?
My passion for photography began at a very young age. We travelled frequently to Canada where my grandparent’s lived. Both my Grandma and Papa were extremely creative individuals. Whether it be drawing pictures together or writing short stories on my Papa’s old typewriter… but the biggest thing they loved doing was capturing photos of us. We really only got to see them a few times a year so being able to capture these short lived moments meant a lot to them.
My Papa owned a simple point and shoot camera which I became obsessed with. I would take it and run around their house taking pictures of anything and everything. Even when it came time to take a family photo, I would fight to take the picture! I find this so funny because now looking back at these old photos, I’m not in very many because I made it clear I HAD to be the picture taker!
Since then, the meaning of a photo has became so much more than just your next Instagram post or Facebook profile picture. Over the years of learning more and more about photography, I have learned to love the ‘documentation’ style of photography.
I never really took photography as a career very seriously in the beginning. At 16, I actually remember being somewhat embarrassed going to get my very first DSLR because I had no clue what to look for in a camera or let alone ask for. I just knew I wanted something that was better than my point and shoot Canon that I had had since I was like, 12. I told the guy in Walmart how I wanted something for my brother because he enjoyed taking pictures. Now, my brother was not into photography, I was just too awkward to say it was for me. At this time, I bought my very first DSLR, which I don’t even remember what it was, I just know it cost $129 which was an arm and a leg for me at 16.
From this point on, I actually only used this camera for a few months and threw the camera in the back of my closet. I never touched a camera again until I was 19.
At 19, my family and I moved to Arizona where I met one of my greatest friends, Ashley. She worked for a modeling agency part-time and seeing her work sparked my inspiration back up. One day, I explained to her my passion and how I wanted to get back into photography. We came up with a grand idea to sneak out with her Mom’s Canon 5D Mark III and snap some photos. Looking back, it probably wasn’t the GREATEST idea but we definitely had some fun!
When I moved back to Saint Paul, Minnesota, I set out to buy myself a camera and really set standards for myself to learn about photography. I bought a Canon Rebel T6 and a 35mm lens. I would walk around for hours taking pictures of all the landscapes and city views downtown had to offer. I began having friends reach out to me wanting me to take pictures of them and let me tell you, I was so intimidated. I had never captured photos of people before and I was so nervous that I was going to screw up, even though these photos were done for free, I really thought expectations were high.
After that, my passion led me to loving taking pictures of couples and from there I found my niche in capturing those who are in love and those they love.
In 2020, I narrowed down my services and now specialize in capturing couples, weddings, and maternity sessions.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
One of the biggest struggles was when I first began my photography business. I feel like no matter what kind of creative you are, you experience imposter syndrome at some point. When I first began, I followed a variety of photographers and as much as I was feeling extremely inspired by them, I started feeling like my work was not good enough. The thoughts were so paralyzing. It would cause me to spiral where I would literally delete all of my Instagram posts because I didn’t feel as though my feed was “consistent enough” as other photographers.
Literally one day, I told myself that enough is enough. I loved the photos I was capturing so why was I comparing myself to others? My clients loved my photos and constantly booked me, so why was I taking down their beautiful images that I had captured because I was feeling bad?!
Since I put myself in check, I really set myself up for success and have had one of the best years in my business and of my life!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a couples, wedding, and maternity photographer based in Wisconsin. My style is warm, golden, and storytelling. I love making my photos filmy and adding grain to my photos because it adds so much emotion into something that is already so emotional.
While I love the photography part of my job, my real passion lies in the emotion my couples feel before, during and after their day. When I first started taking photography seriously, I really thought I was going to be a landscape photographer. But, the first time I photographed a friend and her hubby, things really started to fall into place in my heart. I knew that my passion still came from within my camera but it was no longer beautiful landscapes and buildings but instead, placing beautiful people in front of those beautiful landscapes and photographing their love.
I am my couple’s biggest cheerleader when it comes to having the wedding day of their dreams – because there’s no idea too crazy and nothing’s off limits!
Contact Info:
- Email: info@dakotalaynephotography.com
- Website: www.dakotalaynephotography.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/dakotalaynephotography
- Facebook: facebook.com/dakotalaynephotography
