October Member Spotlight: Dana Pugh!

20 Oct October Member Spotlight: Dana Pugh!

In the NAPCP spotlight this month, Dana Pugh of Short and Sweet Photography. Based in Calgary, Alberta, Dana delivers her own unique mixture of quirk and documentary photography to clients – successfully setting herself apart in her market. With a gorgeous smile and full of laughter, Dana (an accomplished photo-bomber) was NAPCP’s 2010 Photographer of the Year and had her work featured on a billboard in New York’s Times Square.
We love the beautiful color in all of your images. Tell us a little bit about what you look for to get those fantastic images.
The best color comes from the best exposure and the best light. I focus mostly on finding light that I love and then go from there.




Tell us your story. How you started and how your photography, brand, and business transformed over the year.
My story is much like most moms who become photographers. I wanted better pictures of my kids. I had a friend who was a photojournalist in Vancouver and she took pictures of us as a family just hanging out on Kitslano Beach when my son, Jack, was one year old. I loved how natural they were and how stress free the process was. I started taking the documenting of my own family more seriously…then, I started a blog for a picture a day learning group called ‘Short and Sweet’. Very quickly, I got asked to take pictures for other people and once I felt confident enough to be able to provide them with something of a certain quality, I started my own business. It grew very organically from there.
Tell us about how you reach out to local businesses. How has that paid off in the growth of your own studio?
I have never approached a local business who I didn’t already have some sort of connection with. So, most of the local businesses I work with have been my past clients. I like that we have an authentic connection and they have experienced inviting me into their home to document their family. This way, when they promote me through their business it is because they genuinely believe in my abilities and have enjoyed the experience and the outcome for their family. This approach has worked extremely well for my growth.




What are currently some of the biggest challenges you face professionally?
I think most photographers can agree that the biggest challenge today is the saturated market. It’s one thing separating yourself from the crowd in the eyes of other photographers, but it is entirely another thing to do so in the eyes of the consumer. I am always trying to figure out the best way to illustrate how what I do is different from a normal portrait session. In an ever growing market, it is so important to stand out.
We love your quirky yet documentary style of photography. Tell us about your approach during your sessions…
I truly try to let my clients inspire me. I like to feel like I know them before I start shooting. I am really lucky right now because quite a high percentage of my sessions are with return clients. If your goal is to get super authentic images of your children, a wonderful way to do that is to use the same photographer over and over again because the children get so used to being in front of their lens that they show more and more of who they are each time. Also, I really know what I want to capture about a family…I am constantly thinking about that on a general level and on a level specific to each family. This takes time, so my sessions generally don’t have a time limit and sometimes we just sit and talk and I wait until I feel everyone is being themselves with me. By the time I am done, I usually know all sorts of crazy and quirky things about my clients.



What is the best advice you have received regarding photography?
Never stop growing. Never stop learning. Take risks in your work and your business.
Who are some of your favorite vendors?
I love Pixel2Canvas. Shipping to Canada is sometimes difficult, but they were the first vendor I used to really figure out the best and most cost effective way of doing this. I also love Uncommon iPhone cases. Both my husband and I have one and all of my clients ask me where I got it. It is one of my favourite places to send my clients who purchase the digital files.
What are some of your best selling products? (would love to see photos here!) How do you market them & why do you think your clients gravitate towards them the most?
Hands down my best selling product is my digital files collection. Most of my clients buy them along with a coffee table book that contains all of the images. Along with a release, I provide my clients with a note listing all of my favourite local and web based consumer level products. My clients trust me and use the lab I suggest which still allows me a certain level of control over their final product. I know that a lot of photographers have concerns over selling their digital files, but this is the best solution for me.


What advice can you give to those starting out?
Be patient. It takes time to build a trusted client base. It takes time to develop your work and discover what moves you as an artist. Plus, that will grow and change the more you learn and the more you shoot. I think so many people rush into a business when they should be focusing first on developing their craft. Once you start a business, a good portion of your focus will have to be dedicated to that and you may find that between your life and your business, there isn’t much time for your art.




What’s next for you, Dana?
This January, I am launching my very first retreat for family photographers. It is called The Short and Sweet Winter Retreat and is in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. It is a weekend long event designed as a communal learning opportunity. My hope is that each attendee leaves with three goals: a creative, business, and learning goal. If this retreat goes well, I may offer them in other locations. Aside from that, I just hope that families keep trusting me to document their lives and their love.
We love how open and honest you are on the NAPCP our child photography community. What is your desire and hopes for our very specialized and unique industry?
I truly think that we are in an amazing time in the industry and that the only thing holding you back is the limits of your imagination. I think as soon as we all stop trying to be the same and try to figure out what our unique contribution to the industry will be, we will see an explosion of new types of photography hit the market. Can you imagine what that will mean? I think it will be very exciting…
To see more from the lovely Dana Pugh, visit her site here and her blog here!