Meet Danielle Muccillo | Lifestyle Style Photographer and Branding Photographer

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

Hi Danielle, what are you inspired by?
I have always been inspired by wanting to freeze a moment in time so that it’s memory can be relived long after it has passed. I treasure the photos that I have from my youth. Often times I will find myself looking at them and remembering the good times of when those photos were taken. I come from a large family and both of my parents have passed, however, I still have so many photos of them, and I truly treasure each and every one of them as they allow me to remember the special times that I shared with my parents, brothers, and sisters when we were all together. As a phototographer, I want the chance to do that for my clients. I want them to have pictures of their family so that they can freeze those memories for a lifetime.

Also, as I have started my journey down the professional photography path, I have truly been inspired by small bussiness owners. I really enjoy getting the opportunity to capture them and the work they have poured their heart and soul into. Branding photography has allowed me to help small business owners tell their story to the outside world. It allows these owners to set themselves apart from others that are in their field, as well as leave a lasting impression on the minds of the customers that they are trying to impress.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have just started down the path of professional photography. I have been a special education teacher for the last 17 years and a soccer coach for 8 years. Although I have been taking photos my whole life, I never really thought it was something that I could pursue as a career. However, over the last few years, my husband has come to recognize my passion for photography, and he has been my biggest supporter. He has been the one to point out that my photos are great and has encouraged me to pursue my passion. In all honesty, if it was not for him, I don’t think I would be doing this today.

As I begin to pursue this journey, I have loved every minute of it. I have come to meet some amazing families and small business owners. They have been my biggest cheerleaders and have continued to support and encouraged me as I begin to pursue this new career path. I am just so excited to see where photography will take me in the years to come.

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?
I would start out by taking her up to Page, hike Antelope Canyon, and catch the sunset at Horseshoe Bend. We would then make our way down to Sedona to get a hike in at Devils Bridge Trail, then of course a fun night out in Sedona at Dahl and Di Luca Ristorante. Before we head back to Phoenix, we would take a hike out to the Crack to do a little exploring and some cliff jumping. As we head back into town, we would grab dinner at Flower Child Resturant, a low key restaurant to grab dinner at. Our next day would be filled with shopping in Scottsdale at the Quarter and Kierland with a great dinner at my all time favorite restaurant, Dominick’s. On the last day that she is here, we would get one more hike in up to Tom’s Thumb. On our way back down, we would stop at my favorite brunch spot, Eggstasy, for some great food and a cocktail or two. Of course all of these memories would be captured on camera so that it would be a trip that we would never forget!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My friends and family for helping me to recognize that photography should not just be a hobby for me, but that I have the vision, work ethic, and creativity to be able to turn this into a business.

Instagram: @daniellemuccillophotography

Facebook: Danielle Muccillo Photography