Meet Hannah Denson | Photographer

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

Hi Hannah, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance is something I have to make a conscious effort of all the time. I have always been someone who says yes to everything, even if I know I have absolutely stretched myself. I used to function on a maximum of 4 hours of sleep a night just to work four jobs and get my degree (luckily one of those jobs gave me unlimited coffee). As fun as that was and as proud of myself for getting it done as I am, that is not a long term way to live. The past two years or so, my focus has been to prioritize the important people in my life because as much as I absolutely love my job- setting work hour boundaries to nourish friendships has kept my work brain healthier and prevented a lot of burnout. Developing a structured plan for work and even scheduling in rest times for yourself can be such a game changer. I’m not saying I don’t still answer out of office hour or priority messages when I see them, but I work hard to be present and not let that obstruct from quality time outside of work.

At the end of the day, a healthy balance keeps your wheels turning and produces much more quality work and a more energized you! It just takes some learning on how to take a beat and prioritize while ensuring you are also still consistent on deadlines- which also means to start setting practical deadlines.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always loved photography and videography. Behind 90% of my home videos from the 90’s/early 2000’s, I was the one holding the camera or caught on video messing with a new digital camera. I can’t remember a time I wasn’t learning about new skills. The creative eye came easy for me because it was something that I have always been excited to grow and develop in. However, converting to a business model of course, has come with challenges. It’s a whole different world and requires a lot more development, practice, upgrades, marketing, and creativity to set myself apart in a very saturated industry.

I have learned so much on the journey. One of the most important things to know is that most of your clients have chosen you for *you*. I try and make my client experience as customized as possible whether that is playing their favorite songs during the session, grabbing drinks beforehand to calm their nerves, discussing style concepts, and everything in between- but what first brings those clients in is typically work they have seen already or a recommendation from a friend’s experience. I try to keep my brand consistent in color/style with unique lighting and special effects to bring the emotion I intend to convey. When clients come to me, I let them know that and ensure we are a fit for each other because I want them to have the experience they expect. I also stay on brand with a very non-serious attitude. I will organize and get your people doing what they should be at your wedding, but I also will dance with you on the dance floor, let you tackle each other, and be real weird like I am not there while I capture your moment.

I will *literally* climb mountains for my clients and I’ll try any wild idea they may have. I do think that is a huge factor in what sets me apart. I think everyone has an idea in their head of what they want to hang in their home, set their profile picture to, or use on their business card and just like choosing a tattoo artist based on their personal style, all that matters is making sure the client finds the artist that can create that.

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.
Nashville is one of the most trending places to visit right now so I would definitely have endless things to show them! Here would be a rough week long fall weather itinerary if they have never been here before and have the energy to bounce around as well as plan to spend most of their trip budget on food and drinks:

Monday: Grab coffee at Dose or Three Brothers and walk around Centennial park and the Parthenon with my pups. Lunch at Brewhouse West. Burgers for dinner at Jack Brown’s and catch trivia.

Tuesday: Fido’s in Hillsboro for breakfast and coffee and then take a walk around that very cute part of town. Of course, let them use all the mural photo ops too. Play some volleyball with friends either at the park or at Sand Bar and grab food at Avo. End with unique pizza and craft brews with a view at the beautiful outside space behind Tailgate Brewery HQ on Charlotte Pike.

Wednesday: Natura Cafe inside of the Dream Hotel- you can send a picture from your phone to them and they will make custom latte art with it! Walk around Printer’s Alley and the rest of the area, checkout the library and courtyard, grab lunch at either Princes Hot Chicken or Hattie B’s and hit some happy hours on rooftops. End the night going to watch one of my favorite local musicians Tory Grace or Josh Furse perform where we’ll also grab dinner and drinks.

Thursday: Milk and Honey for an amazing breakfast and coffee in the Gulch. Walk around that area for a bit and grab lunch at Burger Republic or the Pub. Catch the sunset at L27 rooftop in the LA Jackson. Go to a Preds game if there is one. Let them have their Broadway moment after and make sure to do some karaoke.

Friday: EggHill for a quick breakfast sandwich. Head to 12th Ave S to walk around, shop, and have ice cream at Jeni’s. Head to Spicy Bois Cajun food in East for late lunch. Then head to chopper for a unique drink experience- The ambiance is 10/10, drinks are served in fun custom tiki mugs, they have an amazing taco truck, and they even have a drink that they light on fire for some extra fun. If there’s time, catch a comedy show at Zanies.

Saturday: Brunch at Hampton Social. Go to a Farmer’s Market and then have a speakeasy day, find as many as possible. Go to Pins Mechanical Room for games and boutique bowling. My visitor would likely want to see more night life so we’d head back to west and hang out in midtown on the strip. Of course, end the night at a street dog cart.

Sunday: Brunch at Germantown Cafe for Bottomless Mimosas, walk around germantown and stroll into whatever shopping, coffee, or breweries we see. Probably end by hanging out at Sonny’s for some outdoor games and live music.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am lucky to have so many people to shoutout to for my growth and success! There are so many people I’d love to call out by name but that would be a novel so I’ll condense as much as I can. My parents supported my talents young, scrounging up all the resources to give me opportunity as a child to challenge my skills. I had such special mentors and photographers to look up to from Shea, an artist I looked up to at the beginning who sadly passed away, to Heather, who gave me a shot at second shooting my first wedding at just 16, and my friend Jon who sold me my first professional camera and let me shadow him until I was confident when I first launched my business. And lastly, my close friends and inspirations: Shelby, my best friend who passed away from cancer when we were so young- you will always be my why, my first model; Katie, at this point my sister, who has been a huge support from the beginning trusting me to capture so many family and now business moments; my friends in entertainment, roommates, brothers, colleagues, professors, clients, and anyone who has supported, shared my work, and trusted me with their biggest moments- I am so thankful for all of you.

Website: www.hdphotography.org

Instagram: @realhdphotography

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-denson-935580105/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realHDphotography

Image Credits
HD Photography