Meet Catherine Della Ripa | Portrait Photographer & Owner of Della Ripa Photography

We had the good fortune of connecting with Catherine Della Ripa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Catherine, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I began the practice of photographing children and families when I had children of my own. As they grew I found myself with more and more time to devote to photographing other families and their children. I just fell in love with this process! Being able to capture the people that matter most to you in live is my passion! I have also expanded in my field to include personal branding, and styled headshot photography. I love telling the story of small businesses especially women entrepreneurs, through beautiful imagery.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
There are many photographers out there today running their businesses. It’s tempting to look at others and design your business model around what others are doing. I soon realized how important it was for me to set myself apart in my business. I needed to conduct my business in a way that, first and foremost, worked for me, but also provide my clients with a full service experience.

I take pride on providing my clients with amazing customer service and a unique experience. When someone inquires about a session with me, I like to get on the phone and have a good “old fashion” telephone conversation. I want to reach out and thank them for contacting me for your photography needs and talk about it. .

We discuss the the needs and wants for the photographs being taken, and what we want to do with them once they are edited and retouched. Wether that be in a custom design album, or a large portrait or a collection of portraits in their home. I want to help my clients every step of the way! My favorite part is meeting and reviewing the images with them and customizing collection that they absolutely love! It is so completely gratifying to me to see my clients reacting when they are viewing their images for the first time!

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?
My absolute favorite location to photograph whether it be families, high school seniors, or personal branding sessions, is the Malaga Cove Plaza in Palos Verdes Estates! Of course all the beautiful beaches we have in the South Bay are so good as well. Others favorite locations include Manhattan Beach pier, South Coast botanical gardens and Terranea Resort and Spa.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband has always been a great support to me and my business. He has provided me with the freedom to case my dreams of being a full time parent as well as a creative. This foundation along with resources like CreativeLive and the many professionals they feature on their site is how I’ve been able to sustain and grow my business. With CreativeLive I was able to tune in whenever I had extra time to get inspired and lean many awesome techniques. I currently participate in photography for the neighborhood publication “Stroll the Avenues” of Redondo Beach. This opportunity has provided me with so many great connections in my community. I have the pleasure of meeting and learning about the families and business in my area each month. It have been one of the amazing way i’ve been able to grow business.

Website: www.dellaripaphotography.com

Instagram: @dellaripa.photography

Linkedin: Della Ripa Photography

Twitter: Della Ripa Photography

Facebook: Della Ripa Photography

Image Credits
Lauren Pressey