Daily Inspiration: Meet Diane Huynh

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Huynh.

Hi Diane, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
There’s a couple of parts to how I got where I am today, so hope you can bear with me! Ever since I moved to Orange County in 2013, I have been exploring the places and foods this county has to offer. And because there is SO much to OC, I wanted to share these experiences with everyone. My main Instagram account was for sharing the locations my friends and I would find! We loved exploring new spots for photoshoots and it became a part of how we spent quality time with each other. Whenever a hot & new food place caught my eye on social media, I would grab a friend, go check it out and share about it on social media. I even had a separate lowkey account where I posted the foods I tried but it wasn’t very active (partially because I would forget about it). For all of these adventures, I would take photos with my phone or my friend would take a photo on their camera.

Eventually, I wanted to take better quality photos, but I couldn’t get myself to purchase a camera – I didn’t really want to spend hundreds and I feared it would collect dust after a few months. My boyfriend, Edward, kindly gifted me a camera for my birthday in 2018 because he believed in me and my passion – which is really how I got to where I am today (thank you Edward!) Since then, I have been learning and growing in the photography realm – learning why a photo looks good to the eye and how to apply it to real life. January 30th of 2020 is when I posted my first food photo on my main platform and it has evolved to the brand that it is today. The reason my account is _withdiane is that I want you to feel like you are with me on this journey too!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Oh gosh, I have to say yes there has been quite a number of struggles along the way! To begin, I had no idea how to use a camera let alone how to frame people and food… I actually did give up a few times because I felt like nothing looked good enough. After a few months of practice, I eventually got the hang of operating my camera and got some lenses that made things a bit easier. My photographs started turning out more like how I imagined them in my head and that pushed me to learn more and get better. Throughout this journey, there have been moments of self-doubt and where I had no idea what I was doing. However, my friends and community have really helped me push through those moments of doubt and have helped me believe in myself. A few friends asked me what my “why” was. I felt immediate imposter syndrome each time, but after taking time to reflect and really listening to my thoughts, I found the “why” that felt true to my self! It is sharing the awesome places in Orange County through quality photos and content that brands can also use for their platforms. Thank you Thao and Petrina for asking me the hard questions. I know there is always going to be some sort of bump along this road, but it is the road I want to be on!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Professionally, I currently work in Administration and Purchasing! I’ve been working in the administrative field since 2017. I know that admin doesn’t seem like a crazy fun job, but I like that I get to improve systems of organization and that has been a fairly large part of how I go about things. If you know me, you know I like to keep everything on a calendar! Without my Google calendar, I think I’d be a mess, haha. Also, fun fact: the skills I learned in administration allowed me to pursue my interest in Wedding Planning and Coordination! Sadly, the pandemic put a stop to that for me and others, but I’m excited to start working with clients again when it becomes safer!

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Yes! For food photography, Foodtography School is my number one resource. Sarah from Broma Bakery is incredibly knowledgeable at what she does and her lessons have helped me as a photographer grow so much! For fashion and lifestyle content creation, I have been listening to the Content Creatives Podcast by Emma Cortes & Maddy Keineker. It’s awesome that they work full-time and have content creation as their creative outlet. They have helpful tips and tricks with overcoming obstacles such as taking photos in public. I also go through Pinterest to get inspiration and ideas. I have boards ranging from photoshoot concepts to food styling to poses and outfits!

Contact Info:

• Email: withdianeh@gmail.com
• Instagram: @_withdiane

Image Credits:
Personal Photo: Dylan To @the_d1stinct