About GVD Photography

A Passion Project

I began taking photographs around the age of 13. Both of my parents worked full time and I spent every summer from infancy to 15 in some form of day care to keep me occupied. It was on that 12th summer- I have a fall birthday- that I decided to enroll in the camp's "photography class." We spent a week learning framing, composition, and the rule of thirds before taking a trip to a local cemetery to practice what we'd learned. Sounds a bit morbid now, but back then I thought it was so cool, and honestly- it was. You never realize how many textures and colors are in the world until you're staring at your 20th headstone and you have three hours to kill (no pun intended). From that week on I was hooked, and 2 years later I begged my parents to buy me a Cannon Rebel T5 for Christmas. It was my first DSLR camera and I still use it today. I began GVD Photography in November of 2020 after months of quarantine lockdown. I was worried no one would want to have their picture taken after months of being shut in, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Quarantine forced people to look in again, away from their jobs and commitments, to their families and hobbies. There was this new found joy in the simple connections we share with those around us. Since I began the business I have taken photos on a part time- freelance basis while finsihing school (Salisbury University Fall Class of 2021) and starting my first professional job. GVD Photography has always been a passion project and I hope to share some of that joy with you.-Gillian Van DittaFounder and Camera Woman