Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Steffen.
Hi Diana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Cory and I met at the Art Institute of Salt Lake City in 2009, quickly becoming best friends, bonding over our shared love of photo and film. The two of us assisted each other on shoots and collaborated on creative projects becoming an unofficial production team. That friendship eventually led to us becoming a couple a few years later.
Establishing Dee & Cory Productions in 2016 after we got married. Shooting together for a decade now, we have booked all types of clients. Offering both photo and video services, our clients range from business, branding, and marketing. To portraits, architecture, weddings, and even music videos and more.
It has been a fabulous adventure together so far, each day is different and we are excited to see what the future brings next.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Anything in the creative field comes with struggle and things you must overcome. The world of photography and videography is an overly saturated market these days with technology allowing just about anyone to be able to say that they are a photographer. Being able to stand out and be noticed among the thousands of other photographers out there is challenging. Being a freelance photographer comes with its own challenges.
You have to be your own boss, accountant, the marketing department can be overwhelming. In the Utah market, photo season tends to slow down in the winter months. So being able to sustain ourselves in those slower months took some planning and ingenuity. One thing that we had to learn the hard way was going the route of the traditional photo studio. Renting and remodeling two different photo studios before realizing that they weren’t as necessary as we thought they would be.
We felt that a studio would legitimize our business, but we soon found out that our style of photography wasn’t conducive to needing a full-time studio space. We realized that the world is our studio and the clients we are booking today don’t see the need for a brick and mortar location for us to be legitimate.
The most recent struggle was of course navigating Covid-19 and our business. As photographers, we are working with people that can’t have a mask on when being photographed. Our weddings and events were severely affected in 2020. And we had to consider our own health and safety as well as our clients. We had to adapt to things just like the rest of the world. We pivoted our business to not rely on live events as much and continued working towards supporting local brands, businesses, and individuals.
2020 also pushed us to evaluate our own work to personal life ratio and living within our means so that we are not as heavily affected if the world is forced to shut down again in the future.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are photo and video creatives. With our combined creative and technical education as well as over a decade of experience in our craft, we feel that we are able to take on almost any project that our clients can send our way. We specialize in being personable and really trying to figure out what would make each client as satisfied as possible. Being a business owner in Utah, we have had the pleasure of networking with many of our other local businesses. Helping them create content to help their companies succeed and prosper. Creating a vibe that is in tune with the people or place that we are shooting helps set us apart from others.
I think what we are most proud of is the network of clientele that we have built in the last 10 years. Some of the families and individuals that we work with, we have been photographing for years, getting to see them grow and evolve is really fulfilling to us. We think of each client as a friend, building lasting relationships and making sure the work we do is customized to them.
Our photo style also makes us of using location lighting to make the images rich and vibrant and eye-catching. We are capturing a moment in time, and we strive to preserve that moment perfectly.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Becoming an intern can be a lot of work, but we feel that in a creative field like photo or video the best way to learn is by jumping in with both feet Getting your hands on gear that you may not be able to afford yet, seeing how to properly interact with subjects, seeing how to use lighting. Adapting to less than perfect scenarios and having backup plans are all things that are really hard to learn on your own. Learning on the job helps you to make good choices and mistakes that you take with you forever.
Cory and I both did internships starting out and it helped us immensely. To find a mentor or internship position is probably easier than most think. Look for local photographers that you like as far as style and content, and just reach out to them with a message or email. Even if you have to follow up more than once. Most professionals are always looking for help and are willing to share their craft and help others improve along the way. We have mentored others ourselves, and it was very enriching not only to our interns but to us as well.
For us, networking has been absolutely vital to growing our business. Word of mouth and client referrals are generally our best bet for staying busy, and even better it’s free! When starting out social media is a great place to start. Talk with other people, photographers, models, businesses, etc. Get some business cards, get an online portfolio. Get involved in your community, we joined the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce and have met the most amazing clients and connections there. Offer your services as donations in fundraisers.
Anything to get your name out there and seen by others. Once you have a base of clients you are able to start regularly charging for your services and will be able to continue to grow your business.
Pricing:
- Commercial photography varies but can send a custom quote.
- Portraits start at $350
- Weddings start art $2500
Contact Info:
- Email: info@deeandcory.com
- Website: www.deeandcory.com
- Instagram: @deeandcory; @deeandcoryproductions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deeandcory
Image Credits
Dee & Cory Productions
