We recently had the chance to connect with Courtney Dimoff and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Courtney , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think that, because photography is so highly saturated with photographers, that us as individuals get sort of washed away with it all. We have to fight harder every day to stand out, but at the end of the day I am just a person with a passion and a love for life.
I see myself differently because I know with out a doubt that my clients are safe with me, they can trust me, they can feel comfortable with me. I have no judgements on them, and I only subscribe to want to make them happy. I care deeply about each and every client I meet and give them the same love and effort I would give a dear friend.
I don’t see people as just another paycheck. Although I hold my self to the standard of running a legitimate business so as not to let down my clients; from a personal stand point I try to see them for who they truly are and what they desire out of working with me because I want what ever I create with them to speak for the both of us.
I think because taking pictures in general is so accessible that people forget the importance of what that power holds. Our lives go by so quickly, moments missed that we will never get back. I take that very seriously. I take it very personally, that I have the power to capture you and your grandma’s last hug, you and a friends last laugh together, you and your child’s first steps or first word if I am on top of my game.
Anything can happen during the time you hire me and I have my camera in hand and because I build my perspective around what I feel matters most to you rather than what will make a great instagram post or what have you, It makes it a lot easier for me to catch these moments before they pass. Your life is your life, not a planned production, and I want to follow the flow of your life the best I can. I want every person I take photos of to be able to look back on those images and find a huge amount of joy every time. I want people to feel seen and heard. I want to be able to create a clear window of a moments passed so that you can relive it over and over again.
That ability means everything to me, this isn’t just a business – this is personal for me. I think human life is sacred and moments need to be frozen in time to help us find purpose as we move along. Your life matters so deeply to me, the second you choose to create with me and my goal is to make you proud.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hey there, My name is Courtney!
I am the Photographer for Courtney Stroup Photography.
I travel just about anywhere you want me to, but most of my work bounces between Pittsburgh to Cleveland.
I have been shooting since before 2011, but taking pictures of people specifically since 2014.
I have always had a love for photography, I have a deep emotional tie with the art of it. The power the camera holds, it inspires me endlessly to use that power to the best of my ability.
Growing up I wanted to be a photo journalist for National Geographic, and honestly if they randomly contacted me for a job I would still probably take it but my eyes have certainly shifted to focus more on the beautiful lives of those around me. I feel a sense of honor to be able to be apart of someones life for a moment in time and capture what matters most to them for awhile.
That love alone is what has continued to push me to do what I do.
I shoot events, weddings, portraits of all kinds, conceptual portraits, and nature.
I also have recently started a new concept where I take photos of my pet snails in fun scenarios. Whether they are walking through the Labyrinth, or riding four wheelers, or sledding in the snow, I have a picture for it. (And no the snails are never harmed in the making of these – I love them dearly.)
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My husband, I think, is the only person who has ever seen me as clearly as I see my self.
He is one of the biggest motivations for me in this passion of mine.
He has helped me so greatly in gathering everything I needed to do this to the best of my ability and has also taken on other weights in my life at times so that I could give more effort and love to photography.
I will for ever love and appreciate this human being, no matter where our lives lead us, for everything he has done for me.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me how to always find a way out. It taught me resiliency. I don’t give up easily no matter what all is thrown my way.
I feel that if I hadn’t suffered as much as I have in this life time, I wouldn’t be nearly as good at photography as I am.
The way I am able to work with people and the things I have able to take notice of and work around, those skills don’t come easily. I have had to work around chaotic matters and find resolutions for them in a matter of seconds in order to keep everything running smoothly. I have found my self sowing up a tear in a brides dress because I always carry a sowing kit on me just in case, to washing red wine out of a wedding dress as if it never happened because I knew what needed to be done and how soon it needed to be done, or even something more simple like having what I needed to help a camera shy child succeed because I asked the parent before hand what I could bring with me or do for them to make them more comfortable with me.
I have eyes set on what all could go wrong so that I can be as prepared as possible. When everyone else is panicking, I find my self being the one who stays calm and fixes the issue. On wedding days especially, I think that is SO important.
I also have fit that role of “therapist” for so many clients time and time again, to help them move on and let themselves live in the moment or find their peace again.
I am very in tune with your feelings, and I care deeply about how you feel in all of the chaos and how I can help make it better for you. It’s never just about the photos, the photo taking is a small part of everything I have built my self up to be able to do in order to be the best version of me that I can be for you.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
For the most part, yes.
On my personal accounts, I don’t hide much about my self from my views on life – politics – etc. I don’t hide my weird and quirky interests and hobbies like my love for snails or fungi, bugs in general and a lot of times as a client you may very well hear those weird loves of mine from my own mouth while we are shooting. Haha
If we come across a cool bug while shooting, I will probably have something to tell you about it in between photos, that’s just me – both online and off.
My personal accounts are easy to find for anyone who truly wants to get a better idea of who I am without chatting with me first but I am always happy to chat and get to know each other better too.
I care about business but I also deeply care about creating a safe and genuine space and the only way I can do that is by being honest with my own self for others. Some one has to break down that wall first.
I may post less personal things on my photography accounts simply because I want to keep sharing the work I love so much but I am through and through an open book.
There will always be tiny moments about myself that I won’t share with the online world but I think that’s everyone. I don’t find myself being online enough to share absolutely everything. I am a huge fan of living in the moment and less on my phone so in that way is where I may not share as much as I could online. I would rather take my camera places with me than my phone.
If anyone ever has a questions for me though, i’m happy to answer honestly. I am proud of the person I am and the feelings and motions of life that I go through so I am always open to share if others want me to with them.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people will notice me for my genuineness, my deep care for others, and the light that I had in my eyes every time I got to capture life and the world with my camera.
A large part of who I am is my camera, it’s an extension of me. It’s part of how I express love to others, it’s part of how I make others see how I see them, it’s part of how I remind others what they love so much about each other. It’s what helps me connect with the rest of the world.
I would hope that people would remember me for my endless fight to do what is right in this world, to fight towards what protects the most amount of people in this world – including animals.
I would hope that people remember me for being a safe space for them.
I would hope that people would remember me as the person who would happily wake up at 3 am to come help you stuck on the side of a road or the person that would save a wounded wild animal.
I would hope to be remembered for my care because how deeply I care about things is why I have done everything I have done so far in my life. It does not have to affect me directly, for me to care deeply about it and I think that’s a light that is dimming in this world that I hope comes back twice as strong as it once was.
I would hope that people would remember me for the times where I almost gave up photography, but continued because I wanted so badly to make others happy with what I had the ability to do. With out my life and appreciation for life – big and small – I don’t think I would still be doing photography.
I would hope that people would remember me for the knowledge I gave them, whether it was me teaching them photography tricks or about bugs and plant life or even current events and history. I would hope that people would remember me for everything I taught them because learning in my eyes is such a beautiful part about life it’s self.
I would hope that when people remember me, they would truly SEE me for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.courtneystroupphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymstroup_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CourtneyStroupPhotography
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@courtneymariedimoff
- Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@courtney.dimoff
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/courtneymdimoff.bsky.social
Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ladylavendar_/?hl=en
