Each month I love to introduce you to creatives so you can get to know them, know their work, and continue to build community in this social media world we now live in. Today, I’m featuring Jenna Diprima who owns her photography business based out of a small, wonderful little town near the Triad in North Carolina, Mebane. We met because of my bestie and turns out that I go to church with some of her family. Small world. I actually had a chance to sit down with her for some coffee as I was passing through back in March, but with two toddlers, even when you venture to a playground, it can be difficult to carry on continuous conversation. Enjoy getting to know Jenna. Jenna – thank you for sharing some of your life and photography with us!
I did get the chance to sit down with you for coffee, but can you tell everyone else what is in your coffee cup?
My favorite thing to drink in the mornings is black coffee from a french press.
Most mornings I end up with coffee from my coffee maker though
because let’s be real, most mornings are rushed. 🙂
Why photography?
I have always loved photography. Ever since I was a little girl,
I’ve usually been the one taking pictures at family events and when I’m with friends.
I’ve also always loved fashion, design, and other visual art forms.
I got my first DSLR about 6 years ago and as friends and family began asking me
to take pictures for them,
I realized how much I loved photography and
that I wanted to make it more than just a hobby.
How does your belief in God play a role in your photography?
My belief in God plays into my role as a photographer in many ways.
First, I believe God created all things and He wants us to delight in the beauty
we find in the world and thank Him as the Giver of all good things.
Second, I believe God has blessed me with the gift of photography
and I should use it to love and serve others.
I want to go above and beyond to serve every client and to love them as Christ has loved me.
I also work hard to do the best I possibly can at every shoot and every wedding because,
ultimately, I am working as unto the Lord, and I want to glorify Him with my work!
How’d you get started photographing weddings?
I began second shooting for weddings a few years ago
and I realized how much I love it! I love working with couples
and I love capturing such a significant and happy day in their lives.
I also love the details and the beauty that goes into weddings.
You live in a small town. What’s the best perk to living in a small town?
I live in Mebane, NC.
I love living somewhere where you almost always
run into someone you know! I love the sense of community that small towns have.
I’ve actually always been more drawn to bigger cities.
But I love that Mebane is central to so many big cities (it’s less than 30 minutes from
Greensboro, Chapel Hill, and Durham).
How do you balance being a wife and a photographer?
Great question!
Balance is always something I’m striving for and something
I often feel like I’m struggling to achieve!
Specifically as it relates to marriage,
I try to make sure that my husband and I have at least one day or one evening
where we’re spending quality time together. As a wedding photographer,
I’m often away on nights and weekends and so I try to be careful not to
schedule too many nights or weekends back to back
so that we can have quality time together each week. In addition,
I’m trying to train my husband to become a second shooter for me!
I think shooting together would be so much fun and would be great for our marriage!
If you could photograph a wedding anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I would photograph a wedding in London or Oxford.
I studied abroad in London and that city holds a very special place in my heart.
I love the architecture, the history, and the beauty found in that city.
I didn’t grow up on homemade cookies. The closest we got were a couple of Christmas goodies I remember my Mom training me to bake and Publix cookies. Oreos were always my favorite and of course I was a Girl Scout so the peanut butter sandwich cookies were my favorite thin – now, it is the Thin Mints, hands down.
But, now, sometimes, I wake up thinking about chocolate chip cookies. Who knows? But, I woke up this morning thinking about cookies. It was raining. I have boys. Friends were coming over. No time to go to the store. This is how these amazing cookies started.
A new friend gave me some toffee on a recent trip to the Triangle. I had mini chips in the freezer. My mom always stocks my pantry full of pecans, and I had bars of chocolate in my baking stash.
These are the perfect chewy consistency. Nice and big but not too flat. I tweaked a recipe and it turned out great. I hope you enjoy!
Dark Chocolate Pecan Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: Cookies
Author: kd316
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 24-30
These chewy chunky toffee cookies will be a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Half cup each:
chopped toffee
mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
chopped milk chocolate
1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray baking sheets.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
Cream together the butter and the sugars.
Add eggs and vanilla.
Add in the dry ingredients and stir together.
Fold in the add-ins.
Do not over mix
I got 6 cookies per baking sheet – so these are pretty generous cookies.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Do not over bake.
Let cool for 1-2 minutes and remove to a cooling rack. If you let them stay on the baking sheets, the toffee will stick to the pan.
Since I’ve lived all around the South my entire life, I thought I would share with you just a few of my favorite places in each of the states I’ve lived in. This will definitely give you the travel bug – and I hope you can live it out to the fullest! Enjoy the Around-the-South tour and dream on this Sunday – that God would enable you to see more of the world He created!
Florida: The Sunshine State
Hontoon Island was a relatively new find for me. Traveled there last year. Your littles will love the little ferry ride over to the island. There are also good hiking and biking trails – but most of these trails aren’t conducive to strollers. Moss abounds!
If you are looking for a hole in the wall seafood restaurant – you need to come here. My Dad has ties to the owners and I love their fried grouper sandwich.
The best chicken and yellow rice and cuban bread – EVER. My first trip I remember to this Florida (chain) but staple, was in high school with my Spanish class after going to the Salvadore Dali museum. A must EAT!
And one of my favorite places in the city that I being an adult in – and one that I love and could retire in forever because I love it so – Barnacle Bills. Only thing you ever need to get there is the Datil Shrimp. Enough said.
I attended this private school most of my schooling years (except for half a year). I loved the principal then and my teachers. Some of the ministries I got to be a part of and friendships made still impact my life today.
The college I went to was in the heart of St. Augustine. College for me turned out to be different than I though mostly because we had no football team.
North Carolina: The Tarheel State
Oh, this could be a while. I love it here and consider it home more than any other place I’ve lived. Its where I fell in love with the Word, ministry, college students, the ocean, my husband, and where I became a momma for the first time.
I went to seminary here. The first time I saw the campus I knew I was going to love it there. Arrived on campus 4 months after my initial introduction.
I fell in love with missions, college students, and brooklyn tab while doing ministry at The Summit.
Had my first road trip with my husband and our first random stop was to one of the older cities. Loved it.
Kentucky: The Bluegrass State
I wasn’t here for a long time, and the seminary I worked for became home – and I loved the ability I had at the time to travel all the time and see people and things that I never would have otherwise.
Where I grew to love this ministry and all that is stands for. And Dr. Mohler spoke in our Sunday School this morning – and this ministry will have such a vital role in the church in the coming years (maybe even more so than before). Owen and Courtney – you and your teams have my prayers as they always have!
And how I fell in love with gospel centered preaching was by listening mostly to this man at this church.
Arkansas: The Natural State
I was here the briefest and made some really sweet friends. It is also where I fell in love with my second little boy!
ARWB – thank you Stephanie and Debbie and all of you other bloggers. Yall were a great community! Hopefully we will have that in GA soon!
Georgia: The Peach State
I’m growing to love this state more and more. I’ve always had ties to this state and now my husband and boys are here. Lovely combination
This is the church we get to be a part of. Thankful for faithful preaching each week.
This is the bestest place in the state for me. I’ve been going here since I was a kid and get to go with my family in 2 weeks.
Kernersville, NC: tucked in between Greensboro and Winston-Salem is this small town jewel that boasts of a pretty garden, some excellent food, and a quaint tea house. Enjoy the photos.
