Hello, I'm Shirley D.
Sometimes I just want to take a moment of beauty and put it in my pocket. Knowing that it’s there turns it into a dream that I can always revisit. That’s how I approach my photography. I see the world as a creative - always have. It's embedded in my DNA. I make images where I feel a connection, as if my emotions are tethered to a scene, a structure, people, or a random object. The texture of a weathered wall. Light dancing through leaves. Conversations echoing across landscapes, during a rainstorm or a blanket of fog. Connections with people and cultures during travels. Discovery of hidden alleys and rugged backroads. These moments urging me, capture this. And I do. It’s my Zen. My work is spontaneous, unplanned, alive. Whatever stops me in my tracks and makes my heart giddy. When I shoot, I’m ecstatic, grounded, and fully present. Knowing that I’m contributing beauty to the world feels like magic. And with every image, I honor those who inspire me, mentors, artists across time, evolving talent, and the love and support of family and friends, some no longer with us. Each photograph is a dreamscape. My story to tell. Through my lens, I invite the viewer to step into a portal, a place to pause. To feel. To smile. To embrace the bittersweet. To notice the tiny details often overlooked. And, most importantly, to sense the honesty and perhaps the playfulness in the capture. I’m proud to be an award-winning creative photographer. My work has been showcased at CA101, the Orange County Fair, the San Diego Fair's international juried exhibitions, Covet Art Gallery, Newport Beach Art Show, Love & Aesthetics, and other venues. Hearing that my art resonates with others, that my pieces bring them peace, joy, a quiet sense of presence, or an undefined emotion, is the ultimate reward. And I’m so grateful to share this journey with you.