About me

Hi, I’m Danielle Donders, but my friends call me Dani, and the Internet calls me DaniGirl.

I’ve been interested in photography my whole life. I’ve taken courses on photography at Algonquin College and the School of Photographic Arts Ottawa (SPAO), but I really think experience is the best teacher. I never go anywhere without my camera, and I’ve been taking a photo a day (“Project 365″) for three years now, simply because searching out and capturing a perfect moment in a photograph truly makes my heart sing.

I also have more than 250 images available for license through Getty Images, and I’ve had photographs used by publications from the the Manotick Messenger and Ottawa Magazine to Macleans and the Wall Street Journal.

As the mom to three busy little boys, I’ve developed a special love over the last few years for working with children and families. Kids grow up so fast, and sometimes we’re so busy living our lives that it’s easy to forget how much things can change in just a few weeks or months. That’s why I’m passionate about capturing and preserving those precious family moments. Blink and they’ll be gone!

I used to bring my kids to the portrait studios in the department stores and grocery stores, and while they were always okay pictures, they never seemed to be “us” — they seemed like someone’s attempt to force us into a cookie-cutter version of what a family portrait should look like. That’s the exact opposite of what I want my portraits to be: a family portrait should showcase your family’s unique personality. The portrait should tell the story of your family at a given time and place.

If you’d like to know more about me, you can check out my blog, Postcards from the Mothership. Better yet, drop me a note; I’d love to say hello and talk about how we can work together to capture your family’s unique personality in a custom family photography session!