Meet Danielle Hughes | Photographer & Videographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Hughes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started my business when I was a Junior in High School. When I first started my business back in 2015, my original name was DH Productions. When I came up with this name, I was 15 going on 16 years old and had a vision from day one that couldn’t be changed by anyone (so I thought). However, when I got to college I tried to get an LLC and I couldn’t because someone already owned the name “DH Productions.” So I did what anyone else might have thought to do and breakdown the D and the H. Now my business name is Danielle Hughes Productions LLC.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Photography was my first love, it was not until I got to college that I was introduced to the world of Videography and video editing. Now they both have my heart and complete dedication. I have been blessed to work with some amazing individuals such as Kirk Franklin and G Herbo to name a couple. I got to where I am today because I never gave up on myself and I never gave up on my craft. The excitement that comes over me whenever I work on a new project is something that I would not trade for the world. The journey was and is no where near easy, but it is most definitely worth it. There were some days I did question whether or not I was good enough. I had my first celebrity event recording the Black Walk of Fame in Atlanta, GA and I found myself questioning myself and wondering if I even belonged in the room with so many legends. I had to reassure myself that if I did not belong in that room, I would not have been in that room. I have learned so many things along the way of my journey, one of them being that you cannot please everybody. Everyone will not like your work and that is okay. As long as you love the work and your client who you did the work for loves it then you’re good. I want the world to know that I am fully invested in my photography and videography brand. I love seeing the smiles on my client’s faces when they see their photos or videos. Capturing the essence of my client through photos or videos is the most rewarding thing. Everyone who works with me on a shoot says that they had a fun and amazing time. I always dreamt of waking everyday doing what I love for a living… I am doing just that and couldn’t be more grateful.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting ATL, I would start off by taking her to Ponce City Market. It’s a nice chill vibe, go on the rooftop have some drinks and play some games. After that I would take her to the Trap Music Museum because she always talks about it and I think she would really enjoy it. We would go eat at Cirque Daiquiri Bar, they have amazing food and drinks. While she’s there I would make sure to take her to the Aquarium, the selfie museum, sight seeing around the city, SkyView Atlanta, Cumberland Mall, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Park, and so much more. The night scene would consist of going to the hottest clubs in ATL. Lastly, you cannot come to ATL without seeing Tyler Perry Studios. I would just drive her past the building since the building is not open to the public at the moment because of COVID-19.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my mother. She has been a great support system since day 1. When others would talk down on me changing my major in college from Computer Science to Production Broadcasting, she always understood where I was coming from and never doubted me one bit. Before I started driving on my own, she would drop me off and pick me up when I would book gigs. It’s kind of funny, because looking back I remember telling her how embarrassed I used to be to have my mother dropping me off at a photography job. But now, those efforts are extremely appreciated. I was 16 and did not want my clients to think I was a baby. Then, she allowed me to use her car to go work with my clients. She did not have to share her car with me and she did. At one point in time, I would do studio photoshoots out of our house in the living room. She would help me set up for each client and take it down all while still reminding me, “You better not chip my paint off my walls.” Now, I have a studio I rent out. If it weren’t for the support of my mother, Danielle Hughes Productions LLC would not be where it is today, because she allowed me to be myself and do what I was passionate about.

Website: www.dhproductions.org

Instagram: www.instagram.com/_dhproductions

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-hughes-b03b1582/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/_thecamerawoman

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdL1QfVQztkeQC41GkZ3mZg