We recently connected with Deanna Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Deanna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
As a wedding and portrait photographer, the legacy I hope to build is one of genuine connection, timeless storytelling, and a deep respect for the fleeting moments that shape a life. I want my work to reflect not just the beauty of the day, but the soul of the people and relationships I have the honor of capturing.
After I’m gone, I hope people will say that I helped preserve their most cherished memories, that my photos brought them back to a feeling, a moment, or a love story worth remembering. I want to be remembered as someone who cared deeply about my clients, who saw their uniqueness and told their stories with authenticity, empathy, and artistry.
Ultimately, I hope my legacy is more than just images; I want it to be about the joy, comfort, and connection those images brought to others for generations to come.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’ve always loved photography and had a camera in hand most of my life but thought it was just a hobby kind of thing. I was finishing college in a completely different field when A Day to Adore Photography started kind of by accident. My little sister was getting married and was on a very tight budget. I was the one in the family with a nice camera, so I photographed her engagement photos and some bridal photos for her. It was just the bug I needed and things steamrolled from there into a full business
It’s been 15 years and I’ve never looked back
A Day to Adore Photography is based in Kansas City (I absolutely love traveling for any excuse). I specialize in capturing intentional, authentic love stories for couples and families who care more about meaning than trends.
Weddings are my specialty and I want my couples to know their wedding isn’t about staged perfection — it’s about celebrating their love with the people who matter most in ways that feel good and authentic to them (following traditions or not).
My process is all about getting to know my couples, and understanding what makes their relationship unique, and making sure their photos feel true to them. From the quiet moments to the laughter-filled celebrations, I focus on creating timeless images everyone will actually love and cherish.
I make sure the story is captured in a way that feels beautiful, genuine, and worth looking back on for years to come.
I am very involved in the preplanning process to make sure that we are creating a plan that allows everyone to be relaxed and actually enjoy the process of getting the photos taken. Whether it’s working with a wedding timeline or talking more with a family about the way that they act naturally together.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I moved my business to Kansas City 12 years ago and that meant starting completely over. I immediately jumped into marketing, my business through bridal fairs and networking events. I learned quickly the value of build strong partnerships with other vendors within the wedding industry. I also learned how important it is to show up over and over again as you’re getting to meet new people, it’s about building relationships on a deeper level with the people that you want to work with.
The phrase under promise and overdeliver can honestly not be said enough. I made sure that I was showing up for my clients and delivering amazing service for them. I also made sure that I was communicating with the other team members around each event and sharing photographs so that we could all grow our businesses i’m lucky to count so many of my industry friends as true friendships in my life because of the work that we’ve been able to together do over the last decade.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and a creative I think is the ability to constantly learn new information and processes that can better the craft that you are bringing to clients. I am a total workshop junkie, and keeping myself in a learner’s mindset helps me avoid burnout and stay inspired as I work within events. I love meeting with other creatives in the field of photography who are doing work different than my own. It’s inspiring to hear how they use the same medium in such different ways to achieve their goals.
I’m always looking for ways that I can improve my customer service experience and the way that I market my business as well. It’s kind of this unique combination of creativity and business, and how those two things can merge to create something truly sustainable for my own life and something that I feel serves people as they are going through big milestones in their own lives
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.adaytoadore.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/adaytoadore
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18AnHpYzTF/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-johnson-bb72a8100
Image Credits
@adaytoadore