BEHIND THE LENS
ABOUT ALYSSIA NICOLE PHOTOGRAPHY
What is with the ampersand in my logo?
I get that a lot... and the ampersand "&" stands for the word "AND" (obviously)... But "AND" also just happens to be my initials, Alyssia Nicole DiMatteo, A.N.D.
Why I chose to incorporate "&" into my photography business, had to do a lot with the representation of my initials, and the actual dictionary definition of the Ampersand. The true definition according to the Webster Dictionary is; "a character typically & standing for the word “and” ... Ampersand “&” can also represent a union. It symbolizes an attachment to something or someone or it can represent an endless journey or quest"
The Ampersand definition is exactly how I view my business. It is a union of me (Alyssia Nicole DiMatteo) and my clients. It symbolizes my attachment to photography; and it represents the passion I have for this endless journey.
People always ask how I got into photography, why I do it, and what it all means to me, so here it is:
Photography to me, is something that you feel..
Each photograph is a moment in time that is captured, but the true test of a photograph is capturing the feelings, emotions and raw moments... It's giving your clients little moments of history.
I still have the first "professional" camera I ever purchased- It was an old, pre-owned, entry level Nikon camera. So many of my friends that are professional photographers, were shocked that I was able to actually get good photos with what seemed to be the oldest Nikon Camera ever. But this is where I fell in love with photography. I had to really work for every single shot, I couldn't rely on my camera to get good lighting; so I had to create it. I couldn't just "pose" everyone and snap a couple quick pictures, because the odds of me getting the perfect picture in a couple quick snaps, were slim to none (And asking a group of people to stay in a pose for more than 5 seconds is mission impossible). So with my old, small but mighty, Nikon Camera, I began to appreciate the art form and all the fine details that go into a photoshoot. Before I knew it, I was jumping in with both feet.. and I just hit the ground running. I started booking clients, I purchased a new Nikon camera, and was literally "winging it" as I went along..
What I learned though, is that there is so much beauty in the raw and real moments. I found myself starting to gravitate more towards the "lifestyle" photography. I realized that I wanted to capture real laughs and real feelings... even if that meant real tears sometimes, because that's LIFE. Nothing is perfect all the time. For example, we all know that getting 2 adults, 3 kids and 2 dogs, to all sit still, with perfect smiles on their face in unrealistic.. so why capture something that's not REAL. Every photoshoot is going to be different, because I make sure I am capturing peoples' true personalities. I want to spark emotion when clients get their gallery of pictures. You should be able to not only see the pictures, but also feel them too.
I have made it my mission to provide people not only with a picture they can hang in their house, but also tiny memories that they can keep forever.
-Alyssia &
