Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Balsamo.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was younger my only focus was becoming a professional singer. At the age of 13, I auditioned for a talent agency that came to Detroit to scout for musical talent. I got a call back right away, and they wanted to fly me out to LA for singing auditions, unfortunately it so I wasn’t able to go due to finances. Since that day I told myself I would work as hard as I could to get myself to Los Angeles to pursue my dreams. I got my first job at 15 making gelato at my family’s Italian food store. From then on, I have worked countless jobs from retail, to bartending, to flipping pizza, always with my end goal in mind. In college I worked two jobs & went to school full time. After graduating college, I refused to apply to 9-5 jobs because I knew that wasn’t what I wanted. I started nannying for my cousin and searching out my next steps towards my goal of getting to LA. While nannying I started taking a lot of pictures of the kids with my iPhone. My cousin encouraged me to try and shoot the kids with her camera because she saw a talent in me, and she could see that I was passionate about it. It wasn’t long before I knew I needed to start a photography business. The rest is history. So, maybe it isn’t singing, but I am just as passionate about photography and the creative outlet it gives me. Now I live in Los Angeles working my dream job, with my dream clients. The 13 old me would be so proud!
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?
There have definitely been struggles along the road of my success but each one of those struggles not only made me a better business woman but a smarter one as well! I firmly believe the one of best way to learn and to grow is to fail. You have to be willing to take risks and sometimes you don’t always come out on top of those but you always learn something that will serve you and your business for the better!
Nicole Balsamo Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a photographer specializing in weddings and fashion! I am known for capturing very raw, candid moments of my head over heels in love clients! I am also known for how I capture light. I have always been fueled by and inspired by the sun, now I find myself chasing it alongside my adventurous clients. Photography is not just about taking great photos, but it’s also about building a relationship with your clients & creating an unforgettable experience for them during their shoots.
I am most proud of the risk I took moving to Los Angeles after an extremely successful 40 wedding season in Detroit, Michigan to rebuild my clientele and photograph my dream clients on the beautiful beaches of California and succeeding at it.
I think what sets anyone aside from the next person is just being yourself… If you stand true to who you are in business you will attract the clients you want. I think I set myself aside from other photographers by using my social media platforms to portray my personality and who I am. I don’t believe in competition – I believe there’s a specific bride for every specific photographer!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I am most proud of the risk I took moving to Los Angeles after an extremely successful 40 wedding season in Detroit, Michigan to rebuild my clientele and photograph my dream clients on the beautiful beaches of California and succeeding at it.
I dreamt about what it would be like to work with some of the clientele I have worked with. To shoot at locations I never thought was possible my first year in LA.
I am proud of myself for taking risks and challenging myself every opportunity I get. I am proud to say I don’t take this for granted and I am so thankful I get to work my dream job in my dream city!
Pricing:
- Weddings Starting at $3500
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.nicolebalsamo.com
- Email: nicole@nicolebalsamo.com
- Instagram: @nicolebalsamophoto
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