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

JoAnna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

The risk I took in the photography world was being a modeling photographer that primarily loved capturing beautiful gowns.

I always knew I wanted to do portraits. Primarily of one individual. Which all started when I attended a photographer workshop where 1 model was hired to wear a huge wedding skirt with a very long train up in the mountains.

The view and elegant look among nature sent my heart soaring and from then on out I knew I wanted to capture not only models. But I wanted to capture models in anything dramatic.

And so cut to a few years later, I have acquired quite the “client closet” of nothing but elegant and dramatic gowns.

I think that’s what helps me stand out is that my photography consists of models wearing these beautiful long flow-y gowns in either nature or the city.

Taking this risk has allowed me to travel with this kind of art, to Las Vegas to San Francisco to Big Sur Beach, to Yosemite.

It was indeed a risk because I wasn’t sure if fashion models would want to pose in elegant gowns because these days there are so many more artistic pieces from fashion designers. But thankfully, a lot of positive feedback and risks from the models themselves have shown me that this was indeed the right risk. Because they also made the risk in choosing to trust me. 

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.

Yes. Other than my first name being JoAnna, lastname De Luna.  And I am from Phoenix, Arizona, born and raised.  And I knew I loved photography the second I was given a Crayola camera from my eldest sister at the age of 9.  And so then, my passion for taking pictures of anything and anyone began.

My passion started off as two very different types of fields that I was a bit torn about going into as the years progressed.

As a child, I wanted to be a photographer or some sort of artist.  I enjoyed expressing myself in that way.

And then as I got older, my heart also wanted to be a counselor.

So, oddly.  I was torn about being a Modeling & Portrait Photographer as well as a Counselor/ Guidance Counselor.

I had been wanting to go into both and if I’m honest, I still toggle back and forth about going to school to study Psychology in hopes of obtaining a degree in Counseling.

The artist’s side of photography was burning a little more.  The desire to travel to a gorgeous scenic place, with a very large gown in hand and a model right beside me always made me the most excited.

However, wanting to help people was another piece of my heart that I wanted to fulfill until it hit me, that surprisingly I was also able to fill that part in me that loves to offer counsel to a heart in need, only to a fashion model.

Fashion models in the modeling industry struggle and go through A LOT. Emotionally, mentally and physically. Especially when it comes to their appearance.

During each photo session almost with every model I have had, is a chance for me to speak life and counsel them if I see that they need it and if they want it. I get to show how beautiful they are and how brave they are for stepping in front of the camera which we all know is a very vulnerable and scary thing.

Words of affirmation is my primary love language so it’s been so fulfilling that I get to use that to each and every model that I get the pleasure of working with.

It is so beyond fulfilling that after every session, the model is not only happy with her pictures, but I also love being told how I made them feel during the session. How their insecurities and fears just melted away the second I started to remind them who they are.

That makes what I do, in capturing the beauty of these women all worth it. I love to provide a safe, peaceful and welcoming experience when a fashion model takes the risk when working with me.

I love to give a good experience.

So, to say that getting to do fashion photography all while still utilizing that “counseling” side of me both at the same time, is indeed my BIG dream come true.

How did you build your audience on social media?

How I grew my social media audience was to not only be engaging, but to be consistent and REAL.

Let me explain…

As stated previously, my love language is “Words of Affirmation.”

Every time I would share a few portraits from a photoshoot I had maybe that previous weekend, and the Monday finally came for me to share the pictures, I would use that opportunity to share insightful thoughts and encouraging thoughts for you to start out the week with.

I made sure to post something almost every single day. I tried to make my captions not only fun to read, encouraging words for that Monday morning, but I would share MY Monday struggles.

What that does is not only show everyone that I’m here to be your cheerleader, but that I also can use some cheers myself. I have found that the more real I showed myself to be, even if it was embarrassing and awkward to do so. I am also showing everyone that same space that they can also be themselves as well unashamed.

One of the rewarding things I’ve heard is that whenever I share a meaningful or deep encouraging caption. I get a lot of “I need to hear this!!” “It’s like you wrote this for me, thank you!!” “I needed to read these words, thank you so much!”

I try to be as authentic with everyone who chooses to follow me as much as I can.

So, my advice is to be consistent, be engaging but to honestly be yourself. Not everything has to be curated. All of us are always looking for a space where we don’t always have to pretend. It’s a breath of fresh air too when you can honestly be yourself without the fear of judgement.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The thing that I like to “preach” if you will, is to go after the very thing that sets your soul on fire.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve said that. Yes, it is to the people who need that reminder, but the thing I encourage people to do is that at the same time, I’m also telling myself to do it.

Being a creative is rewarding because art is subjective.

I can get 5 photographers together, and I can bring them 1 model. And all 5 can start taking pictures of this model all from different angles. Now even though they’re all taking pictures of the same model, I’m going to get back 5 different sets of photos.

Because each artist has their own artistic eye, whatever that art may be to them. It can be painting, sketching, writing, music, singing… the list goes on. The point is, we see art the way WE see art.  Everyone sees Art differently and it is such a beautiful thing when I get to see an artists point of view because almost always, it’s always different from mine. And I love to see that.

One of main things that I’ve seen in the photography industry is how a lot of people went from corporate America, to taking a chance in the arts because that is where their passion truly lies.

The amount of bravery it takes for one to step out of their comfort zone and to face probably backlash from so many. Family, friends, colleagues, etc.. is immeasurable because you’re finally doing what you love to do with or without the fear of others’ opinions.

That is the biggest thing today. Is to do the very thing that your heart has a passion for, regardless of what others may think. Life is short and everyone will always have an opinion. In which, that is their right. However, it is also your right not to listen if you choose not to; and you still have every right to go after what you enjoy doing.

If art is your passion, then go for it, don’t let anything or anyone stop you. If you’re afraid, then do it afraid. Like the rest of us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://goldgownsandpinkchucks.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldgownsandpinkchucks/

Image Credits
Stephanie Julianna Monica Franchela Brittnee Sabrina Courtney Winnie Carolyn Kiara