Donna Shoots

I was a sophomore in college the day the towers fell. Almost two thousand miles away from New York, I called my mom to make sure she was alright. They left home early from work, to morn and process the events from that day. . . . I felt helpless and worried, that I was so far away. That people were just going about their day where I was like nothing terrible was happening. ... . . . I remember the next few days, bursting into tears at random, and not knowing what to do with my feelings. . . , I love and live in New York City. I’m a proud New Yorker. The most thing I’m proud about is how resilient we are. How we have this hard shell, yet are the first to lend you a shirt off of our back. . . .New Yorkers always got your back no matter what. I’ve always had a problem with the whole never forget thing. I read something earlier today that said #AlwaysRemember. . . . I like that better, Always remember the day that seemed the darkest, hope sprang forth, and we loved each other a little harder. We saw each other, we cried together, and prayed together. September 11th may have been one of the darkest days in our history, but September 12, and the weeks that followed were some the most moving. . . . We. saw. each. other. Not as us vs them, but you’re my brother or sister and I love you. . . . I so wish we as a nation could get back to those September 12 days. Loving each other no matter what we look like or where we come from. . . . Where were you the day the earth stood still?

Happy *almost* two month anniversary to these two! If I could sum up Courtney and Jim ‘s wedding in one word, that word would be "Love." Yeah, I know what you're thinking "Duh, Donna, weddings SHOULD be about love!"... When I say love I mean the kind of love that you KNOW two people were created to be with each other. I never believed in soulmates until I met these two. The love, care, and kindness that they show to each other, and EVERYONE around them is something I have never seen in any other human beings. The thing I love most about the both of them is how present they are. I love y'all and can't wait to see how your love and light changes the world! Have you ever had someone that you met, who changed the way you feel for the better? How, and what did they do? Let me know in the comments!

**Hey boos! its been a minute! Popping in, in between drowning in summer and trying to stay sane to get REAL VULNERABLE!** Raise your hand if you've ever thought you didn't look your best at the beach! (Raises hand) I've been there, and I'm telling you sis, don't value your body over your being!... If you're still on that body image struggle train, I've got SEVEN (thats right! Who's ya girl? ) tips to help you overcome and live ya best life! Click below to see how you can still soak up some of that beach goodness! http://www.donnashoots.com//7-ways-to-love-your-body-and-l

#MotivationMonday your art is not about how many people like your work... your art is about if your heart likes your work if your soul likes your work it's about how honest you are with yourself and you must never trade honesty for relatability -Rupi Kaur When I first started out in photography I took every job that came my way. I wanted to take on anything thing that people would ask of me and I wanted them to like my work. It was exhausting. I had to do some internal searching and ask myself what was my purpose with my art. I also had to protect my inner self and say no to things that didn’t align with my creativity. You see it’s not really about if people like your art. YOU have to like what you are creating. Let go of the inner critic and dig deep as to your why. Are you happy with what you create? If yes, then that’s all that matters. Yes, there are a lot of photographers. Yes, instagram is oversaturated with pretty feeds. Do I let that deter me? No. Why? Because they don’t do what I do. People hire me because they see something different in my work. Honest photography capturing people as their authentic self. I now, get to choose who and when I want to work. I set the tone and my business doesn’t run me. The result? Beautiful images for generations to cherish. Why? Because I love my work, and it shows. Tell me friends, what would you create if you were honest with yourself? Tell me below!

Tonight I’m feeling super grateful. Friday night I made the trek to Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab to hear six incredible women SLAYING IT in their business speak on balancing meaningful work and motherhood. Motherhood aint’ easy and neither is being a business owner. ... At times we may look at others and think, Dang, she has it all together. But the truth is, sometimes we are just hiding in our closet from our kids eating chocolate, trying to get a moment of peace. The panelists spoke about how when they started out sometimes it was out of necessity, or to fill a void in the market. I admired their courage and tenacity. The thing that set them apart from others is their consistency.. Yes, they struggled, Yes they felt inadequate at times, but they stuck with it. They persisted. They built something often times out of nothing. All of the panelists spoke about how honestly we don’t really have a balance of business and motherhood. They all spoke about how sometimes you’re just holding on for dear life and doing the best we can. I LOVED how honest and real they were with that. It's so hard to not compare our lives with someone else’s highlight reel. As I’m writing this post, My seven year old is throwing a temper tantrum because she’s overtired and just won’t do the sensible thing and just go to bed. I had an Ah-ha moment when the panelists were asked How do they quiet the inner critic? LaTonya Yvette explained that Who was she not to want what she was working towards? I deserve everything good, and deserve everything that I’m working for. I was like OKAYYYY BOO! Because honestly, I, You, We, ALL deserve everything we are working towards, and who are we NOT, to want it? I left their feeling so empowered by examples of mothers raising amazing children, thriving in their business, and just doing the damn thing! Over the next month or so, I’ll be sharing more stories of amazing mothers, and what motherhood looks like for different people. Are you a mama and a business owner? How do you find balance. Tell me in the comments below.

Self portrait 2018 Today is the last day of #NationalPoetryMonth . .... I’ve always admired poets, and how their words just seem to flow with ease. . . How they could know exactly what I was feeling and articulate it so well? . . Today I’ll share one of my favorites entitled won’t you celebrate with me by Lucille Clifton won't you celebrate with me what i have shaped into a kind of life? i had no model. born in babylon both nonwhite and woman what did i see to be except myself? i made it up here on this bridge between starshine and clay, my one hand holding tight my other hand; come celebrate with me that everyday something has tried to kill me and has failed. Do you have a favorite poem or poet? Lemme know the comments! heart reacts if you’re digging my headwrap Yasss!

Just in case you need a reminder. You are enough. . . . Over the last few weeks I’ve had some deep conversations with very dear friends. The common thread was feelings of inadequacy. I mean I get it, hell I’ve been there, and am still there at times. . .... . Can I tell you a little secret? In this moment you are enough. . . . Say it with me I Am Enough . . . That doesn’t mean that you are perfect of flawless. It means that you are adequate, capable, and worthy. It means you are who you were meant to be. . . . Society would have you think otherwise. You’re too this, too that. Not enough of this or that. . . Whatever. You’re amazing as is. . . So go and slay your week boos and remember you.are.enough.

Happy Earth Day! Over the weekend 30 NYC blocks were closed to cars to celebrate Earth Day. Broadway was closed from Times Square to Union Square. . .... . We took advantaged of the sun and semi warmth and strolled from 14th street subway station to the Union Square Greenmarket. It was so nice to be able to meander the streets freely. On my way I got stopped by Chanel 1 News. They interviewed me and I guess I got on! I don’t have cable, but one of my friends called to tell me. HAHAHA! . . . While at the Green Market, I pet all the dogs, and found some new additions to my plant family. So now I’m up to 30 houseplants. (With no intention of stopping) . . . I picked these babies up at Pet-AL Flowers. They are usually right across the street facing the Barnes & Noble. They have a wide variety of plants and flowers, and they have THE BEST prices! They even take debit/credit cards! . . . These beauties are called Asparagus Ferns, and a STEAL at Four dollars each! Super easy to grow, and most definitely a show stopper. Their leaves eventually sprawl and I love how they look as they mature. Their new home is in my office/studio with these hanging planters I snagged at JoAnn Fabric and Crafts for 70% off! . . . If you’re in NYC and would like to check out the market, they are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00am-6:00pm How did you celebrate Earth Day? Lemme know in the comments!

#SundayShare Instead of making New Year’s resolutions, or monthly goals, I like to break mine down by quarters. (So every three months I set a new goal) . .... . I feel this is more manageable for me. It’s just long enough where I don’t beat myself up if I don’t do it in 30 days. Also you get to have a mini party to celebrate and clap for your self every three months! (Who doesn’t love that?!) . . . For this past first quarter, one of my goals was to revamp my website. So on my website I put new work, FAQ, and so forth. . . . In addition to updating my website I did some photography for an author of a children’s book that will come out this Fall (fingers crossed) more details on that later this year. It was super fun, challenging, and exciting learning the ins an out of the publishing world. . . . So tell me friends: how do you set goals for yourself? Tell me something you’ve accomplished this year! It can be big or small. See more

It’s been rainy and more cold than I would like here in NYC. But guess what? Everything can’t be in bloom all the time. Just like the seasons, we need to rest and recharge. . . When I’m feeling in a funk sometimes I like to take a walk around the city. The noise and bustle breathe life back into me. .... . If a walk isn’t an option that day, I LOVE cuddling up with a good book and some hibiscus tea. . . If you agree tell me in the comments something that you do to rest and recharge. See more

Hey boos! It's been a minute! Six months to be exact During my hiatus, I was working on some exciting projects and I can’t wait to show you more! I know there are a lot of you here that are new so let me introduce myself, or reintroduce myself to some of you. ... My name is Donna, and I was born to move the world to action. I believe in the power of laughter, and lipstick. Most days I’m overly caffeinated, and most likely running late because I can’t remember where I put my keys. I’m not perfect by any means, but I’m ambitious and centered. I’m living in my dream city and living my best life working as a photographer in New York City. I believe in authentic and honest photography. I love to show people who they truly are. The thing I love best about my job is connecting with people. I love to watch people transform with each frame. They may start out apprehensively, but by the end of our time they’ve come into their own. But for now, I’ll leave you with three things you may not know about me: I’m a bit of a nerd with a mischievous side. I’m known for sneaking into places where I have no invite or business being. I once set off an alarm in The Louvre and ran from some French guards. ( Haven’t been back to Paris since). Recently, I snuck into NYC fashion week. That was pretty fun, and I’ll tell you more about that another time. I’m an extreme lover of houseplants. I can’t seem to stop buying them, but they make me happy. I love bringing the outdoors inside. Summers in New York City aren’t very long. I love that I’m creating my own little Central Park indoors. I’ve become sort of an activist this last year. I’ve been able to speak at different events this year regarding different social issues, and how they affect marginalized groups. This year, I’m aiming to marry some of my work, to help shed light on things that get swept under the rug. I told you I was born to move the world to action. Not just that, but to set it ablaze. So that's it for now! My goal is to provide content that makes you think. Gives you hope, and inspires you to find the magic in your everyday. Here there is always a place for you. I love you, I see you, I honor you. Tell me in the comments something I don’t know about you! What do you feel you were born to do? Or you can just tell me a random fact that's cool too!