About Donnell

On a personal note, I’m married to the love of my life, so it’s not hard to feel the love and joy of a couple planning their special day. One of my favorite pictures to capture is the pure emotion between the bride and groom after they have said their vows.
 
And you know what? I’m still loving every minute of this married journey with my wonderful wife Tiffany by my side.
 
My work has been featured in Weddings Magazine, Essence, Weddingwire, B Collective Magazine, Modern Weddings, Black Bride, Southern Noir Weddings, The Coordinated Bride, , The Bridal Guide, Huffington Post Weddings, and many more. Voted Top 25 Raleigh Wedding Photographers by Expertise.com for 2015-2021. I’m so glad you are here with us. Welcome!

Bringing My Own Experience of Saying “I Do”

Several years ago, one of my best friends brought me into the wedding industry. He introduced me to some of the best wedding photographers in the Raleigh-Durham area.
 
I spent a lot of time studying and perfecting my craft under these great mentors. For a while, I worked only as a second shooter. Meanwhile, I kept attending photography workshops with some of the best wedding photographers in the industry. Only then, I began to photograph my own weddings. Over the years, my talent to use light and photograph raw emotion has set my photography apart.
 
My approach is photojournalistic. I like to be behind the scenes capturing those candid moments during a wedding. Every wedding is different and deserves to be captured in a unique fashion. My ability to make adjustments during a wedding is what allows me to capture your most important moments.

From Videography to Photography

Opportunity knocks when you least expect it. Sometimes one small choice to jump in and be a part of something grows into a much larger passion. I certainly didn’t know I was about to get into photography when I took my first steps toward it.

As a 12-year-old, I chose to jump in and help in my church’s Media Department. I worked as a grip for one of the mobile camera operators. A grip ensures all the lighting, cables, and various other items are in place so that cameraman can quickly take the required video footage.

I spent countless hours studying the technical aspects of the camera. Finally I had the chance to operate a camera on my own, an exciting moment for me. After several years of operating the camera, I took on the role director during some telecasts.

It was very empowering to direct, and it eventually led me to work with a program called Post 5 with WRAL . We created documentaries on important topics in the Raleigh-Durham area.

How Did I Get into Photography?