We had the good fortune of connecting with Stacey Bode and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stacey, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from a small town in Wisconsin, but we moved several times while I was growing up. Having to adjust to new locations, people, and situations surely has helped my ability to adapt as a photographer. The industry itself is always changing. However, even within one photo session, it’s crucial to notice and respond to what’s happening with moods, surroundings, lighting, etc. My education background is in science, and I worked in that field for over 10 years prior to starting my photography business. Leading projects taught me time management, and writing technical documents was beneficial when I needed to create package info and contracts. So, I think my past experiences with adaptability and logistics guided the foundation of my business.    

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I get bored easily. One of the reasons I love photography is because it is always changing, and I will never know everything about it. I hope I never consider myself and expert. Over the years, I’ve struggled wondering if I should “specialize” my business. In other words, should I strictly shoot weddings, or only boudoir, or focus on families, or just headshots? I’ve questioned whether it would be better to be known as the go-to photographer for a specific type of images. For me, the answer has always been to explore every type of portraiture. Not only does the variety keep my creative juices flowing, but the skills I need for one type of photos spills over into all the other genres. The technical aspects of lighting headshots helps me when I need to set up dramatic lighting for boudoir shots. The patience and quick thinking required to photograph kiddos helps me stay calm when shooting the complexity of a full wedding day. So, the decision to keep my brand diversified has been an important one.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oooh, I wish this could happen. This will be a non-COVID-19 list. Sigh. We’d go hiking on Arabia Mountain. We’d catch a hilarious improv show at Dad’s Garage Theatre (a place where I have a history of friendship, performance, and photography), I’d take them for a still along the Beltline, and walk through Ponce City Market for some food and shopping (I will spend all my money at The Victorian). Their rooftop would be a must-see too. Hopefully, we could make it to one of these places: The High Museum, The Georgia Aquarium, or The Civil Rights Museum. It would be cool to take an out-of-towner to see a movie at The Fox. I could go on and on. I love Atlanta!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wish I could easily mention a specific person, but that doesn’t feel right. As I’m going over names, faces, and situations in my mind, there are countless ones with equal meaning. My friends, family, and clients have all been the guiding force behind my business.

Website: https://staceybode.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staceybode
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-bode
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StaceyBodePhotography

Image Credits
All image credits are Stacey Bode Photography

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