Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Baas.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nicole. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I originally developed my own black and white film back in high school but it wasn’t until I graduated from college that I picked up a professional digital camera just to try it out as a hobby. For a few years it was just what I did in my free time while I was working in retail marketing. I moved around for my job, ended up in New England and at one point shot some group photos at a friend’s wedding and the rest, as they say, is history. I went into business full-time four years ago and I am currently in the process of transitioning to shooting all film for the depth and quality of the images that result from it.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s been relatively smooth. I think the biggest challenge for a creative is ignoring the constant self-doubt. Even now, when I know my work has dramatically improved from what it was, I always see room for change and personal growth.
Currently in the New England wedding photography market, I see one of the biggest struggles as being the over saturation of photographers compounded by minimal technical knowledge from new photographers to the marketplace. It becomes confusing for the end consumer to understand what makes a good photograph and they have a hard time seeing the value in photography when there is a large volume of bad work in the marketplace suppressing the work of those that are truly skilled.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business is Nicole Baas Photography – a wedding and lifestyle photography business based in Fort Point in Boston. I specialize in wedding and family photography and I am also about to launch a commercial photography portfolio to help brands with their creative campaigns.
As a photographer, I’m most proud of being one of only a handful of people in the New England market that utilize film in their photography and to understand the nuances of various film stocks, light, metering, and posing.
What sets me and my business apart from others is my degree and background in business and advertising. I understand the basic principles of SEO, marketing analytics and business law which has helped my business with growth and exposure.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think Boston is a great place to start, albeit a bit cost prohibitive. If someone is starting out here, I always recommend that they continue working another job while continuing to improve their skills. It’s important to have plenty of income to balance the expenses that just generally come with a photography career and living in this city is incredibly expensive. You just want to be able to live comfortably and still afford professional level gear, liability insurance etc.
If the city wants to continue to drive creative development, there needs to be greater support for the arts and artists. More rent-controlled spaces, better studio space access with natural light availability and overall promotion of the arts are necessary for healthy growth and development of any city.
Contact Info:
- Address: 369 Congress St
Floor 2
Boston, MA 02210 - Website: nicolebaasphotography.com
- Phone: 6147497869
- Email: info@nicolebaasphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolebaasphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolebaasphotography/
Image Credit:
Fergie Medar photographer for my about image
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