Tell us about yourself and your photography.

I’m Diana (Dee/yana) — a Cleveland based wedding photographer who cares way more about who you are than how you look. I didn’t grow up planning to do weddings; I started by photographing people I cared about and realized how powerful it feels to truly see someone. Weddings hold joy, grief, anxiety, relief, and love all at once. My role is to witness that honestly.

Your ability to stay present is more important than any photo I could ever force you to take. When you are present, the images carry something deeper than appearance. They carry memory. My work exists to translate your experience into something you can feel long after the day has passed.

What’s important for couples to know about you before working together?

Feeling relaxed and seen will always matter more to me than your wedding appearing perfect. If you are nervous being photographed, then I have not yet done my job. My highest priority is helping you feel safe enough to be fully yourself.

My process involves talking about what feels real, not just what feels easy. Your wedding day can hold many emotions at once. You can feel joy and grief in the same breath. Nothing needs to be hidden or performed. Imperfections always tell the truest story.

You do not need to prove anything. You only need to be present

Where are you based — and do you travel for weddings?

I live in Cleveland and work everywhere that feels meaningful. I travel often — to the East Coast, across the country, and beyond because there’s something grounding about being a bit out of my comfort zone. Every new place invites a different kind of creativity, and I love chasing that.

How do you describe your photographic style?

My approach is rooted in photojournalism. I watch and listen more than I direct. I do not believe in constant posing because the most meaningful images happen when you are living, not performing.

When an image carries emotion, you will return to it differently. You will not just see it. You will feel it again.

Your guests, your environment, and the quiet in between moments matter deeply to me. They are part of the history of your love, and they deserve to be remembered.

What has been a memorable moment in your career?

My sweet bride Emma taught me presence.

It was around my eleventh year photographing weddings, and I still found myself quietly gripping the idea that things needed to go right. Even now, I notice that instinct rise in me sometimes. And each time, I practice letting it soften again.

It was a windy day in New York City. Emma and Mitch were walking to the bus stop on their way to the courthouse where they first met, about to be married in the simplest way. When we arrived, we realized they had forgotten their marriage license.

I felt my body tense instantly, as if I had failed them. As if the day had somehow broken.

But Emma was smiling. Fully there. Completely unfazed.

She wasn’t holding onto what was missing. She was inside what was still here.

They ended up signing a makeshift piece of paper later that day. It now lives framed in their home, not as a symbol of something going wrong, but as proof that nothing needed to be perfect to be meaningful. That presence was enough.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by honesty and unhidden emotion

A few things that bring me joy:

a home that feels lived in.
an outfit that doesn’t match but feels true.
shimmer and sparkle in unexpected places.
color that feels alive.
mother Earth and the way she holds everything without trying.

How would you describe your working style on a wedding day?

I do not hijack your day. I am there to support it.

I want you at your cocktail hour. I want you laughing with your friends. I want you fully inside your life as it is unfolding. You live your day. I document it.

I show up prepared, attentive, and grounded so you can let go. My role is to create space where you can fall in love not only with how your photos look, but with how your day truly was.

As the great John Dolan often says “I am a guest with a camera”

Do you shoot digital, film, or both?

Both digital and analog film. I weave 35mm and 120 film throughout your gallery, bringing a sense of nostalgia and depth.

Do you offer customizable packages?

Yes. I offer both half day and full day coverage. Your wedding is not approached as a series of hours, but as a complete story. I document the beginning, middle, and end so your gallery feels like an illustrated storybook, with no chapter missing.

Half day coverage begins at $5,400 and full day coverage begins at $7,400.

Who is your dream client?

Someone who shows up as themselves — uncomplicated, unfiltered, and unafraid of feeling deeply. That’s where the magic lives.

What advice would you give couples planning their wedding?

Find moments to genuinely be with each other. Let go of perfection, and trust the people you’ve chosen to be with you. Protect your presence above everything else.

The more you allow yourself to be inside your day, the more meaningful your photographs will become. Not because of how they look, but because of what they hold.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is to create something you can return to and feel again.