Photographer turns hobby into career by capturing meaningful moments

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They say that a photo is worth a thousand words, and on a day like your wedding day you no doubt want enough captured memories to write a novel, but who do you trust with a responsibility like that? Someone who can blend into the fray of a busy wedding and sneak images of all the important, little moments.

Adriana of Adriana Denise Photography, a Jacksonville resident, picked up a camera about 10 years ago and has not been able to put it down since. In the years since she first began photography, she has captured breathtaking images of hundreds of people, newlyweds and couples included, at dozens of different locations both in Florida and around the country.

What began as a hobby quickly turned into a career choice. At first she began shooting with families, moving on to couples and eventually graduating to weddings.

In 2018, Adriana turned her hobby into a full-time gig, dedicating time and patience into starting social media pages in an attempt to better sell her brand as a photographer and show prospective clients a glimpse into her world.

Besides weddings, Adriana loves to photograph styled shoots, where she gathers models and partners with other local businesses to create posed images. This benefits not only the local businesses, such as flower shops and dress boutiques, but it also allows her to feed her more creative side.

It was at a styled shoot that Adriana met local celebrity Lane Pittman, aka the “Florida Man,” and his fiance Rachel. After an incredible shoot, the couple asked Adriana to photograph their actual wedding, which took place at the Fountain of Youth towards the end of 2020.

In terms of how Adriana composes a memorable photo, she said it all depends on the couple and the specific location. She plans out the locations ahead of time but has to wait until she gets behind the camera to really know what she is looking for. She prefers to capture love, not so much location.

“I use the location to my advantage, but it is not the highlight,” she said, “because my highlight is the couple.”

After capturing over 50 weddings since 2018 alone, Adriana confessed that shooting engagements still remains one of her favorite things to do.

“They are in love, they are super happy. It is so much easier to document the love between two people,” she said. “I am all about capturing moments.”

With the 2021-2022 wedding season picking up traction again in wedding bookings, Adriana remains grateful that she is able to make something she loves, something that began as a hobby, part of her full-time career.

“Being the one to capture a memory that lasts forever,” Adriana said, “is an honor.”