It’s a Friday, and I’ve come to a decision. For years now, I’ve had a personal blog for our friends and family around the world. I used to post to it often, but this site has demanded much more of my attention over the last year. In fact, it hasn’t demanded attention as much as I’ve just been drawn to it more. I love it more. My photography is ME, so I don’t need another “personal” blog to be about me.
At the same time, my photography blogging hasn’t been very personal. I felt rushed this year; busy with sessions and orders, and thankful for it! But not really sharing anything about myself when I post.
So from here on out, Fridays will be the day I share something from my own life (as in, search by category LIFE at the top of this page). Whatever is going on at the moment, or whatever thoughts or recommendations I think to share with you. I hope that you’ll get to know me better. (Maybe even as well as everyone over on Twitter does!?)
Today’s topic is still slightly photography-related. You may have noticed that I’ve been photographing things other than dogs these days, and I want to give you some background on that. It seems many photographers are bashing the non-niche photographer’s business model lately, and I tend to disagree. If you like me and you like my style, I’m pretty damn confident I can capture what you’re looking for in any situation.
Anyway, a couple of months ago a DOG client pointed me to a charity event at a golf club. Said event needed a photographer at the last minute that week, and said event happened to include some of the hottest players in New England sports. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t about to say “nope, sorry NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB players… I stick to dogs”. If you think that’s off-brand for Cold Nose Photo, just check out my photos of the country club’s mascot Zeus, or take a minute to think of all the players’ dogs back home. I wasn’t there to lie about or betray my business, I was simply there to help.
A few weeks later, the sports marketing agency that worked that event called again. This time they had a bowling alley full of the entire Boston Celtics team, hosting a charity event to benefit kids in the battle of obesity. Do I market bowling alley photography? No. But do I have all the equipment and love my Boston sports teams? Yes. I gladly spent the night elbow to elbow with Paul Pierce, who later Tweeted all of my photos to, um, the world, by the way.
So it’s a good sign when the marketing agency keeps calling, and the next event was a private party for designer jeans company Hudson Jeans. It was utterly swanky, complete with an incredible DJ and models standing on podiums. Finally… this is where I thought to myself, “damn, I’m gonna have to start explaining this to my dog peeps.”
And here we are.
If you’re still with me, let’s step on over into my “other” life now. The place where I spend at least 40 hours a week (and another 10 commuting). This is where it all comes together for me, so I hope it helps you understand too. I’m lucky enough to have my day and night meld together into one.
- I have dogs, I love dogs, I rescue dogs….. so it makes sense for me to love photographing dogs. You’ve likely gathered that part already.
- Secondly, I grew up in a New England sports-loving family. I collected as many Red Sox autographs at Fenway as possible when I was a kid. Now that I’m married, our TV is always tuned in to Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots and lately even Bruins games (while the DVR is recording Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, etc). I don’t know if I’ll continue to work so many sports gigs, but I love it!
- I have an MBA in international business and I work on corporate marketing strategy for a company that is consistently listed among the top three most recognizable brands in the world. I work with marketing budgets in the millions by day, and in the hundreds (if that) by night. I utilize various marketing tactics across both – ideas from one are always helping the other.
- Lastly, the focus of my day job is on the strategy of ….. ready for it?…. events. Experiences. I consult on the strategy of the exact things I’m photographing at events. I think about what or who will most draw customers in, and ways to engage people with the brand. I also help design the physical experience, the entertainment and the giveaways during the day, and I’m meeting up with the same vendors at night when they’ve designed what I’m photographing. It’s VERY cool. I love my jobs melding.
So I’ve been doing a few other types of photography lately, yes, and I thought I’d get that out in the open! I love what I do, and that’s most important to me. I hope it shines through for you too, whether you meet me in person or just enjoy seeing my work. I’m excited to share with you all that’s to come in 2010, but rest assured there will always be a Cold Nose Photo and I will consistently market to the same type of client:
Authentic | Outdoorsy | Carefree | Adventurous | Fresh | Active | Unique | Thoughtful | Connected
by Stacey
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