Although Sunshine Spirit owner Denise Dougherty’s father gave her her first 35mm camera more than 20 years ago—a gift she has kept to this day—her photography career didn’t jump-start until she started taking pictures of her own children years later. These keepsake shots of her youngsters sparked other parents’ interest in her portraiture, and soon she was busy photographing newborns, youngsters, and families.

Today, Denise has broadened her expertise to also shoot weddings and orchestrate sultry boudoir shoots. Whatever style she shoots in, her images center on flattering poses and artful lighting, which she uses to enhance the scene rather than to give chandeliers inferiority complexes. To stay abreast of the latest technology and trends, she enhances her education with a steady stream of seminars.