CLOSE UP WITH DOTTY'S PHOTOGRAPHY

Dotty, let us know a little bit about your background in photography How did you get into t, and how long have you been doing t

I fell into photography by accident The art overall, really, but maybe it wasn t an accident My mom has always kept me heavily nvolved with doing th ngs Horseback riding, Fencing (YES! I can Fence! And a worthy opponent), Archery, and pretty much anything outdoors and art! It wasn't unt l watching enough of Amer ca's Next Top Model and getting a certificate from Santa Monica High School my senior year - which also served as a cert f cation in the edit ng field- that I decided I wanted to be a photographer Since early childhood, in some way, I was determined to be a neurologist, surgeon or in the WNBA Dance, art, and other life events would soon take me off course into a world I had no idea I was entering, and I slowly lost sight of what I wanted to be

Where are you currently located?

I am located in Los Angeles I travel frequently to New York

How would you describe your photography style?

My style is very up close and personal with a dash of angle It s been noticed by those around me and brought to my attention; my close-ups draw you nto what I'm shooting The eyes the shape of someone s face, the freckles, and the deta ls all bring it together

When captur ng the essence of people or events, what do you focus on?

When capturing events, I str ve to catch people off guard, genuinely enjoying the moment they are in I love what I call 'fly on the wall photography' When I'm shooting and don't have to use a flash unit I control entirely the candid moments of people enjoying the moment they are in, which brings me complete joy When shooting people I like to focus on what about them, mak ng them unique It could be their eyes or the shape of the r head There s something un que about every person I shoot, and I look for what t is to make it noticeable

What are some things you wish you knew before getting into photography?

I wish I had known how to market myself better when I got into photography I th nk there are so many great photographers and uniqueness in shooting, I just w sh I had my marketing down a l ttle better, something that catered to the un queness of what makes me a great photographer

As a photographer what are some of your rules when it comes to t me for someone to be photographed by you? Rules mmmm I think the only rule s don't tell me how to shoot lol, trust me I will f nd the shot Other than that, I love for people to feel comfortable w th me I know it can be so awkward in front of someone s lens you just met and now have to "fake" or get through the shoot The first outf t or 10-15 minutes of a shoot can be so awkward I l ke to break through the awkwardness and have t feel l ke two friends just having a good time, but making t FASH ON

What are some of your favor te ways to photograph people?

I don't know that I have a favorite way of photographing I just like to l ve in the moment with the team I am with I have grown to love shooting in doors w th controlled l ghts, but there is really nothing like shooting on a location raw and us ng the entire scene to take up space

Phoenicia, please tell me about how you and your husband met Take us back to that first date

Joseph and I met while serving in the A r Force Reserves! Joseph had just finished his active duty tour and we happened to join the reserves at the same time We started talking, noticed we had a lot in common, and became really good friends! We decided to carpool to and from San Diego and our friendship flourished into the amaz ng relationsh p we have today We were friends for a couple of years before we actually started dating

Our first official date was Disneyland for the holidays! Disney was a huge part of both of our childhoods and it is great to be able to revisit that connection t me and t me again every t me we find ourselves at Disneyland

How long were you both together before getting engaged? And long have you both been together in total?

Joseph and I have been together for about f ve years now! We were together three years before getting engaged Joseph proposed in Par s, France! Joseph planned an amazing, romantic proposal n a private venue with the Eiffel Tower right n front of us Red roses and rose petals were scattered creating a path to a neon s gn that read, “ W ll You Marry Me? A photographer also showed up wearing a large hat and sunglasses