Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dania Calvillo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dania , thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?
I think everyone at some level has been shut down by someone else at some point in their life. I’ve learned that how I react to nay-sayers can make this journey easier or harder. I try not to take it personal. I go back to the thought that they’re the problem and are just projecting themselves onto me. I also use that energy as motivation. There have been many times where I have been in a situation where I get to prove to myself that I was right along. Telling myself I can do it, regardless of what people think. There is a level of satisfaction that comes with accomplishing your goals. Specially, the ones that people really didn’t believe in.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Currently I’m definitely living out a dream of being my own boss. It’s kind of a big deal creating employment for yourself. I don’t consider myself a business person necessarily. I’m definitely an artist at heart. Photography has changed me. It gave me purpose in certain areas of my life. Life has not been smooth as I’m sure it’s not for many. I believe that working hard on anything will get you what you want. In my Mexican culture we pride ourselves on being hardworking people. That’s why I feel like it’s in my blood. I started this journey as a dreamer. Like the legal term referring to DACA. I was an undocumented student with huge dreams, who honestly just never gave up regardless of how hard life situations got. I strongly believe my struggles built the character I have today. I now have the thick skin required to build from nothing a photography business that fits my needs. Recently, I have decided to take my business in a new direction. This being a huge change where I will rebrand and change my business name from Five Oceano Photography to Dania Calvillo Photography. Mainly this change come from the new direction in where my business is headed which is a more artistic approach. This approach is of course centered on me the artist being the brand. I feel like this will bring more of me into my work. Photography can be a very personal art form. It feels like my work and myself personally have evolved so much that it’s time for the brand/business to do so as well. I hope that the name change will make it easier to connect my photographs to me. I will also now accept more wedding clients to my business. Before I would limit the amount of weddings I would work on a year. This year I will explore more in depth on this side of photography and I’m so excited.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three skills that have been most impactful for me in this journey have been my ability to go with the flow, work good under pressure , and know how to understand people. Being a business owner, you will learn that things are not always so smooth. So, naturally having the ability to go with the flow and handle those high-pressure situations are key to my success. As a photographer I feel that my ability to understand people on a deeper level is why clients constantly want to keep me as their photographer long term. Some advice I would give other photographers looking to start out would be to get to know what type of photographer you are early on. This doesn’t always mean only choosing a style of photography. This means learning your work style, how you want to communicate with your clients, knowing your strengths, and your weaknesses. Working on those weaknesses and always keep practicing your craft.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
As I get further in my photography career, I’ve definitely learned what my ideal client looks like for me. Some main characteristics for my ideal client would be people who are laid-back and are ok with going with the flow. Someone who wants an artistic, real, and genuine photography experience. Someone who doesn’t want to get posed, but instead guided into connections or movements. People who want the photography experience to be meaningful as much as they want beautiful photos. Of course, the clients are here to have fun after all.
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