Meet Priscilla Dasilva

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Priscilla Dasilva. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Priscilla below.

Priscilla, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My work ethic is deeply rooted in my family’s entrepreneurial legacy across two continents. Both my parents, my mother from Mexico and father from Brazil, showed me the power of entrepreneurship as freelancers. They instilled in me a fundamental belief: anything you want in life can be earned through dedication and hard work.
My mother, in particular, became my definition of resilience when, after my father left when I was eleven, she worked three jobs to provide for our family. Her unwavering determination showed me what true grit looks like.
This spirit of entrepreneurship runs even deeper in my family tree. My Mexican grandparents built their American dream by owning and operating a convenience store and apartment buildings, while my Brazilian grandparents managed a thriving sugar farm. Their success stories weren’t just family history – they were living lessons in perseverance.
Witnessing my family’s sacrifices and tireless work ethic has fueled my own ambition. Their journey has inspired me to pursue greatness, not just for myself, but to honor the opportunities they created through their hard work. Their legacy reminds me daily that success isn’t just inherited – it’s earned through dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment.

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?

As a documentary family photographer and videographer, I specialize in capturing life’s most authentic moments – the raw, unscripted, and beautiful realities of family life. My approach is deeply influenced by my background as a first-generation Mexican-Brazilian American, where I learned the profound importance of preserving family memories and stories.
What truly excites me about my work is the way it breaks from traditional photography. I don’t believe in rigid poses or forced smiles. Instead, I let genuine moments unfold naturally, capturing the real essence of each family’s unique dynamic. This approach stems from my eight years of experience in the film and production industry, where I worked on diverse projects ranging from Poo Pourri commercials to Fort Worth Zoo promotional videos and MAVS productions. While these experiences honed my technical skills, they also revealed my true passion: documenting authentic family stories.
What makes my work special is the intimate connection I develop with my clients. Each session transcends the typical photographer-client relationship, creating a space where families feel comfortable being their true selves. By the end of our time together, it often feels like we’ve known each other for years. This level of trust and comfort shows in the final product – photographs and videos that tell genuine stories, preserve real emotions, and capture those fleeting moments that might otherwise be lost to time.
My bilingual background allows me to connect with diverse families, bringing a unique cultural sensitivity to my work. I understand the nuances of family dynamics across different cultures, and this understanding helps me capture those subtle, meaningful interactions that make each family unique.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities that have been instrumental in my journey are resilience, positivity, and consistency. Let me break down why each has been crucial and how others can develop them:
Resilience has been my foundation. In creative industries, rejection and setbacks are inevitable. What matters isn’t how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up. I’ve learned that every ‘no’ brings you closer to a ‘yes,’ and every setback contains a lesson that makes you stronger. For those just starting, embrace challenges as growth opportunities rather than viewing them as failures.
Positivity isn’t just about maintaining a sunny disposition – it’s about maintaining perspective and finding opportunities in every situation. When I faced early struggles in my photography business, this mindset helped me pivot and adapt rather than give up. My advice? Train yourself to find the lesson or opportunity in every challenging situation. This doesn’t mean ignoring problems, but rather approaching them with a solution-focused mindset.
Consistency has been the true game-changer. The reality is simple: the only real difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is persistence. Success isn’t about being naturally gifted or lucky – it’s about showing up day after day, even when motivation is low or results aren’t immediate. To those early in their journey: establish daily habits that move you toward your goals, no matter how small. The most successful people I know aren’t necessarily the most talented – they’re the ones who keep pushing forward, learning from each failure, and refusing to give up.
Remember, the path to success is rarely linear. The most successful people I’ve met have often failed more times than others have even tried. Their secret? They view each failure as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block. So keep showing up, keep learning, and most importantly, keep going.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

My ideal clients are those who truly understand the priceless value of preserving family memories – particularly the everyday moments that often slip by unnoticed. They’re the memory-keepers of their families, often mothers who are always behind the camera instead of in front of it, ensuring everyone else’s moments are captured while rarely appearing in photos themselves.
These clients deeply appreciate the power of nostalgia and understand that life’s most precious moments are fleeting. They recognize that having not just photos, but also videos that capture their loved ones’ voices, laughter, and movements, creates an irreplaceable family treasure. They know that someday, these recordings will become their family’s most cherished possessions.
What sets my ideal clients apart is their preference for authenticity over perfection. They’re drawn to natural, candid moments rather than perfectly posed portraits. They want to see the real smiles, the genuine interactions, and the true personality of their family members shining through in every frame.
Most importantly, my ideal clients prioritize family above all else. They understand that annual family documentation isn’t just about creating beautiful images – it’s about preserving their family’s legacy, one moment at a time. They value the investment in professional documentation because they recognize that these captured moments become more precious with each passing year.

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