Meet Duke Khodaverdian of Duke Images in Pasadena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Duke Khodaverdian.

Duke, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Having been around photography most of my life, I’ve always loved cameras and art. After high school, I debated what to do with my life and somehow photography always came to mind. The thought of working a 9-5 for me was always a strange thing and even working for an employer was another dilemma, I just knew I had to be my own boss. Photography offered me the freedom to not only express myself but allowed me to set my hours and work boundaries. 

After school and doing some years of assisting and second shooting, I slowly gained enough confidence to start my own business and put in the hard work to make it happen. Starting from the ground up meant being dedicated 100% of my time and came with many sleepless nights. Sometimes I wondered if not taking all the responsibilities within my business would be less of a headache but honestly, I wouldn’t change anything about my decision after all these years. 

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Wedding photography is one of the toughest mediums out there in the photography world. To be able to make a couple happy and give them exactly what they have envisioned takes more than a camera and a couple of lenses. You need to understand the gravity of the situation since this is a new chapter in their lives and they want everything to be perfect. You also deal with people with all different emotions and communication styles. I believe a great photographer has to have the psychology aspect down more than anything. 

In the early stages of my business, my biggest struggle was finding my unique style and learn how to communicate effectively with my clients. I also had to make sacrifices financially and let go of weddings that while profitable they didn’t match my style of photography. 

It took many years of long hours and nonstop hustling to get to where I am now.

Please tell us about Duke Images.
We are a luxury photography studio based in Los Angeles, California. 

We specialize in high-end glamorous wedding and event photography. We’ve made a name for ourselves in our local market as well as internationally. My team and I have traveled as far as India, Dubai, and Italy to name a few. We pride ourselves on always putting our clients first and creating beautiful memories for them. 

What is the most important factor behind your success / the success of your brand?
I’d say the number one factor is consistency. This is a business of creating an art form and photojournalism, so no two jobs/shoots are ever the same and it takes a lot of understanding of not only photography in general but also the makings of each couple or event. 

I’m constantly revising and polishing my style of photography – I have always tried to stick to my style of photography and not copy others. While I have been able to achieve that I also realize that any style can get outdated over time so I constantly keep an eye on new trends and I try to change it up but still put my signature style on it. 

Lastly, something I religiously follow is that by hiring me, they aren’t just having me shoot for them but in reality, I’m shooting for myself too, so everything has to be perfect because it has to fit my brand. 

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Growing up in Iran, I was surrounded by nature, my playground was the outdoors. My fondest memories were bike riding with friends for hours and getting into good trouble. Also, traveling with my family on holidays to different small villages, meeting new people, and being surround by various different animals and nature.

Contact Info:

• Address: 119 East Union Street #E Pasadena, CA 91103
• Website: www.dukeimages.com
• Phone: 626-744-9695
• Email: duke@dukeimages.com
• Instagram: @dukeimages
• Facebook: dukeimages
• Other: TikTok: @dukeimages, https://www.pinterest.com/dukeimages/

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