1. Will you start by telling us where you work and live and the type of photography you do?
Sure, I live in a tiny, very beautiful, sleepy village called Yelling just outside of Cambridge. I run my office from home too - I just wish we had high speed internet out here in the sticks! I’m a family portrait photographer. I offer lifestyle family portraits and/or studio family portraits.
2. What inspires you as a photographer?
My clients inspire me. My best jobs are without a doubt thanks to a communicative family that I feel that I’ve gotten to know before the shoot day albeit often through snatched phone calls and emails here and there (they’re busy mums don’t forget)! My best new ideas come from talking to new customers about what’s important to them. Other photographers also inspire me. There are so many amazingly talented people out there it’s pretty intimidating!
3. How long have been a photographer?
Hmmm... I think I’m only just beginning to be able to call myself a “photographer”, when people ask and keep a straight face. I guess I’ve been a photographer for as long as I’ve been running www.hannahduffyphotography.com which is nearly a year. Before that I spent some time assisting different photographers in London. I worked in many different areas from corporate photography through to editorial stuff but never family photography. My heart wasn’t in my work in the way it is with family photography - I never really wanted to be in the photographer’s shoes when I was on assisting jobs. These days you can’t get me to put the camera down!
4. When you’re not photographing, where can we find you?
In the kitchen baking cupcakes, crotcheting blankets or trying (and failing) to learn to sew on my new Janome! Although, that being said, photography keeps me pretty busy it’s been weeks since I did any of the above. I struggle to put the camera down!
5. Any books that inspired you {or helped you} in your business?
Understanding Exposure and Adobe Photoshop for Beginners.
6. Best marketing idea?
A good web presence is important and nothing beats word of mouth. Do a good jobs and you will get more work. I get most of my customers that way.
7. Worst marketing idea?
I’m pretty new to running a business so I’m a bit behind on the marketing thing as I’m so busy trying to just keep up with the learning curve that comes with keeping pictures. When starting out though I had an offer of a fixed session fee which included a photobook and some prints - only my 2am late night idea maths were wrong and I ended up committed to 3 sessions before I realised my mistake. So I did 3 jobs from which I made zero profit. That was pretty dumb.
8. Do you have a studio and if not do you feel having a studio would help your business grow?
I have a great studio space in Yelling for maternity and newborn session. I love studio work but would hate to be confined to studio work alone. I adore lifestyle photography, getting to take pictures of families at home knowing that in 15 years time the children are going to look back over the photos and think “this is how we lived back then”, “I remember that sofa” etc! I love that feeling!
9. What do you think makes a photographer successful?
Someone who’s passionate, who cares a great deal about what they do. If you love what you’re doing it shows.
10. What’s your weakness in this business?
Working into the small hours for sure. The trouble with being self-employed is that I *always* feel like there is something else I could and should be doing and as a result, it’ reall y hard to stop and switch off.
11. Are you a Nikon or Canon?
I’m a Canon girl. :)
12. and Lens?
I have quite a collection in my bag and each one serves its purpose. I don’t know if I could choose a favourite. Perhaps the 50mm 1.2. I love how it can be super sharp and give you such pretty DOF.
13. If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?
Well if I hadn’t been distracted by photography and the lure of the big smoke many moons ago when I was at university, I guess I’d have graduated and ended up doing something medical. Or at least I like to think that, in reality I’d most likely have been distracted by something else.
14. Can you give the readers your best piece of advice for starting or running a photography business.
Choose a subject that you’re passionate about and then take pictures. Learn. Take more pictures. Learn some more!
15. Tell us your proudest moment of your career?
I don’t know if I could pick a proudest moment but the most fulfilling moments for me is when a family tells me how much they love their photos.Every time a family places an order for an album or for a huge canvas for the wall of their home - it’s a wonderful feeling.
Here is where you can find Hannah Duffy Photography
- twitter.com/hduffyphoto
- Blog http://www.hannahduffyphotography.com/blog/
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