I almost can't comprehend that in 2024 we long for connection and belonging when the world has never had the ability to be as connected as it is now. Strangers feel like friends, yet friends can become strangers, all because of technology and social media. Make it make sense!
I don't want that to be how our relationship feels! I want to know you and connect with you and create with you. But, I know that we need to get to know each other first so that we can connect and create together.
I hope you enjoy getting to learn about some pieces of me.
Hey, I'm Deirdre
And I'm the owner of this house.
I feel like the hardest part about getting to know me is my name. My name is clearly Deirdre, but how it sounds and how it's spelled are not the same. My name is pronounced day-druh, even though it looks like deer-duh. My name has been said right one time in my life on someone's first try, and I think I'll always remember that moment because it will probably never happen again.
A lot of times people will say that my name fits me perfectly. It's a sweet compliment, but sometimes it confuses me because my name is unique and complicated. I guess that means I can be unique and complicated though. But I'll take being complicated over being boring any day. Plus, I think my name is pretty cool.
Growing Up
I am a southern Utah girl, born and raised. I get all 4 seasons, lots of soda shops, and a wide variety of scenery, from red rocks to evergreens to snow-covered mountains. I miss the days when I didn't hate snow because winter is a lot longer now that I hate snow. Luckily, about an hour from me is warm year round. The red rocks that make up southern Utah are a popular feature, so I included some of my favorite photos I've taken in these beautiful red rocks.
I've got 2 brothers that have given me a run for my money since we figured out how to get on each other's nerves. They're the best brothers around, though.
Sports have always been a big part of my life. Growing up I think I tried every sport I could: softball, volleyball, swimming, soccer, tennis, basketball-- you name it and I probably tried it. I also danced for almost 10 years and tried out cheer for a few months. My all-time favorite is basketball, and it still is. In high school I played basketball, soccer, and threw shot put and discus.
Since I remember I've always loved a good social event and being around people. I definitely still am that way and love that about myself.
Finding Myself Creatively
In high school I was on the yearbook staff. Right as the initial quarantine in 2020 began, I asked my yearbook teacher if I could take a camera home for the summer to learn how to use it. Thankfully he let me because that summer was when I started to find myself creatively.
My favorite thing to do quickly became taking photos. My friends were all good sports and enjoyed the process, so luckily they were always willing to be my model as circumstances allowed. Some of my favorite memories were those photoshoots.
There's this certain feeling that you get when you take a photo that speaks to you. It feels like when you start to understand a difficult concept at school or finally put all the pieces together about a story. It's a feeling photographers chase. I've been chasing that feeling since I was 17.
What My Creative Voice Looks Like Now
I love the concept of creativity because it's so individual. And there's not a right or wrong with creativity either, which I think is why it's always been such an outlet for me. I'm a perfectionist by nature, so I definitely need an outlet that I don't feel the need to be perfect at.
I really enjoy graphic design, decorating, and marketing, but my absolute favorite creative outlet is taking photos.
I've been a photographer for over 4 years now, so I know for sure what my favorite things are to shoot. Here's a list:
Senior Photos - my absolute favorite thing to shoot! I love how individual they are and how they can be super creative and unique.
Athletics - are we surprised? I love shooting games, but even more than that I love taking team photos. Athletic team photos basically combine my 2 favorite things- portrait photography and sports!
Weddings - getting to document the biggest day of peoples lives is one of the most special things in the world! I love how genuinely happy people are at weddings, and I love even more getting to document it.
A Sense of Community
I love how photos create a community. Whether the community be with clients, photographers, or photography admirers, I just love it.
No matter if someone is a professional photographer or can't tell a bad photo from a good one, everyone knows when a photo means something to them. And I truly love that. It's a big motivator to me to keep creating.
One of my favorite things in life is finding connections I have with others and the community that creates. I'm so grateful for the photography community I've been able to be a part of so far, and am so excited to my community grow.
If you like photos that are natural, authentic, and casual with a modern flare, we need to connect. I'm so over orange photos and awkward poses and every photographer doing the same thing (especially in Utah). Let's be real here, if you've made it this far in the post, you're connected to the collective. My socials are below :)
Let's create together.
