Meet Dionne Johnson: The Photographer & Creative Director

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

Hi Dionne, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did …but people will never forget how you made them feel” (Maya Angelou). As a photographer, my job is more than snapping a picture. I capture moments. I highlight what is already there – their beauty!

I am a portrait photographer. A lot of my clients are not professional models. They are everyday people who, most times, are not comfortable with being in front of a camera. My goal is to make them feel comfortable and confident. I want my clients to walk away from their photo shoot feeling beautiful so when they look back at their final images, they will forever remember that feeling.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My passion for photography began at an early age (8 or 9 years old) and began to fully unfold upon attending Oakland University (MI), where I would rent the schools camera equipment to capture moments of my friends throughout the campus. At the time, photography was not considered to be the profession it is today. Photography was supposed to be “just a hobby”.

As my passion for the art grew, unfortunately my skills did not – I thought they would come naturally. As I graduated from disposable cameras to digital, I realized I didn’t know anything about photography. I knew I was a visionary – I could see the moment, capture the moment but no one knew all I did was “click a button”. As my digital cameras upgraded throughout the years, I became more intimidated by my passion. Fear and intimidation separated me from the very thing I loved and anxiety produced self-doubt.

As of today, my craft has evolved from “side hustle” to a full business – Divine Creations by D. Marie. I am learning to fuel my passion with the fears of “what if I fall” into “what if I fly”. I am owning my title; I am embracing the support; and I acknowledge that I am not just taking pictures, I am creating art.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Being that I am from Detroit, I have to say that Detroit holds a lot of history so in order to fully appreciate the city for what it is today, you would have to know where we came from. Detroit’s top 2 nick names are “Motown” and “Motor City” – the first stop would be a tour at the Motown Museum (known as Hitsville USA, recording company founded by Berry Gordy Jr) where you would learn the history of where the music label started and which artist stepped foot in that same building to record hit records. Then, I suggest heading over to The Henry Ford Museum, which contains historical exhibits ranging from the Wright Brothers bicycle shop to Rosa Parks bus.

I would also recommend checking out the Riverwalk, it’s kid friendly with a splash pad, carousel, volley ball nets and lounge areas by the water. (You can also see Canada across the river.) Next on the list would be Belle Isle, an island park surrounded by the Detroit River, where you can access the beach, go fishing, check out the Conservatory greenhouse and botanical garden or simply relax by the water. Lastly, I highly recommend Woodard Ave, in the downtown area. There are a lot of local shops, restaurants and bars to enjoy. There’s so much more on the list of things to see while in Detroit but the mentioned above is where to start!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I give credit to my support system, who consist of family and friends who has believed in me since the day I picked up my first camera. I am thankful for the business mentors I’ve encountered along my entrepreneurial journey, encouraging me to find my own path and to never give up on my goals. Lastly, I am forever grateful to my clients who trust in my vision and allows me to turn their beauty into art.

Website: www.bydmarie.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/dc.bydmarie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bydmarie3/