CONTACT DENEKA AT: dpshutter@gmail.com ABOUT: Raised in Hells Kitchen, New York and coming from a musical and artistic family, Deneka Peniston had always had an interest in photography at an early age. However, fearful about the unpredictable nature of the lifestyle that oftentimes accompanies it, she took a rather large detour and ended up working in a real estate law firm for five years. After witnessing and assisting a colleague realize her dream of pursuing a writing career, Deneka was finally motivated to disregard her ambivalence and quickly enrolled and graduated from the New School with a degree in Photography and Human Rights. Initially she struggled to find her photographic voice and direction after graduation, but at the urgancy of a friend, she shot her first band a year ago and became enamored with capturing performance and sound through visual means; often describing photographing music as "photojournalism on crack". Deneka has been photographing bands in the underground Indie Rock, Psychedelic, Hip Hop and Electronic scene as well as theater and artists of all types ever since. Her vibrant, high contrast photographs are known for portraying the energy and vitality of her subjects.