Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Dahneke
Hi Alyssa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always enjoyed SEEING – the same way one enjoys eating a delicious meal or hearing beautiful music; sight is my favorite sense. As a child I remember looking at picture books for hours, admiring the colors and intricate details, or staring out the car window and noticing how the sunlight makes the trees glow, or how the sky is really a gradient and not just a solid blue. Naturally, photography always appealed to me, and as a young teenager getting into photography, I had a strange amount of confidence in my abilities; I was seeing beauty around me all the time, and all I had to do was capture it.
Throughout high school I was always taking pictures of anything that caught my eye and sharing those photos to Facebook. Eventually people asked me to take their pictures too, and I started my own portrait photography business which I’ve been running now for over 10 years. In that time, I also received my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from Brigham Young University. As a student, I worked for BYU Photo where I was trained to photograph in all kinds of scenarios, from science labs to sports games, professors’ headshots to collegiate events.
Since graduation I’ve continued to work full time as a freelance photographer shooting a variety of work: dancers, family portraits, high school seniors, weddings, headshots, corporate events, etc. I still love photographing the world around me, especially landscapes, my travels, and the beauty that catches my eye in everyday life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running my own business has certainly come with its challenges. It can be hard to set boundaries with clients and social media, or be honest with myself when I’m taking on too much work. I’m expecting a baby boy this coming spring(!) so my current challenge has been trying to shift gears away from bigger projects like events and weddings to focus on photography projects that really energize me, like working with dancers to create fine art dance portraits, and creating a shop on Etsy where I can sell some of my favorite landscape and travel photos. I’m not sure yet how my photography business will look once baby comes, but I’ve been wanting to get into the fine art photography space for a while now and hoping to go in that direction!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer, specializing in portraiture and fine art! My work is often bold and colorful. I strive to make all my photographs high quality and true-to-color. My objective when photographing and editing is to get my photos to match the magic of the moment, so that they look the way people remember, but as if they’re seeing it for the first time. I think my versatility as a photographer sets me apart – by shooting all kinds of work I’ve learned how to find the best frame in any scenario. My fine art photography often influences my portrait work and visa versa.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
AI of course is the hot topic I think in every industry, and it’s certainly had a huge influence in the photography community. I love how AI has made some of my work easier, especially when it comes to tricky photoshop jobs. I don’t love how AI has made things more fake and less real, like business headshots made from AI or adding things to images that weren’t there to begin with. Authenticity has always been really important to me as a photographer, and I know how damaging false images can be, especially on social media and for the younger generation. Despite AI being the fancy new thing, I don’t see it taking my job any time soon. People will always want real images of their family and loved ones, and there will always be an appreciation for true art!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alyssadahneke.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssadahneke/
