Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian McConkey.
Brian, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always been fascinated with photography and knew that someday I would like it to be my profession. When I came to Chicago, I needed to fulfill one more credit to receive my diploma from my alma mater. Besides taking a geology class at Columbia college, I also enrolled in a photojournalism class. I enjoyed my teacher as well as the photo program. My first job was working as a production assistant for an architectural photographer and I also learned wedding photography from a studio in Jefferson Park. I took my camera with me wherever I went. After a few photography jobs as well as freelance assisting I got hired to handle the darkroom work for a photographer that specialized in “headshots”. He worked mostly with actors and he took their headshots. I was totally at home working for him. I learned how he did his printing, what kind of film (yes… film) he chose chose to use (which was also different from the film I used in my camera for photojournalism class), what form of lighting he used as well as how he lit his subjects down to running a small business. I worked for him for a year and busted out on my own. At first, I was booking clients 2-4 days in advance and after a few years I was fortunate enough to be working at capacity. Now 26 years later I find myself still behind the camera and loving it.
Has it been a smooth road?
I found my first big challenge in how I was going to grow my business. I was fortunate enough be going pretty strong on word-of-mouth but that wasn’t going to last forever. I ended up printing up promotional pieces and distributing them wherever I could. Eventually, I had to hire an assistant to handle my darkroom work so I could concentrate on working with my clients. The next big challenge I faced was when my business went digital. I had to learn a whole new set of skills. I said goodbye to shooting film and printing in the darkroom and saying hello to a digital camera, a powerful MAC, and printer by Fuji. I had to learn how to be a photo technician. Meanwhile, my industry was moving from black and white to color and from studio to more urban backgrounds and settings.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Brian McConkey Photography – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I specialize in headshots. And that is how I am known in this industry. At first and to this day, I work with actors to take their resume photos. And through the years the web and social media have become so prevalent that I am working with more corporate clientele as well. I am proud that I have expanded into the corporate world as well as it opens up a whole new world of business. I think what sets me apart from others is my ability to work in many facets of the photo business from studio portraiture as well as location work and event photography.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love that there is so much opportunity here for all facets of my photography business. I like my close proximity to my clients downtown. I dislike the lack of parking in my area for my clients that do drive.
Contact Info:
- Address: 312 N. May St
Suite 6-J
Chicago, IL 60607 - Website: www.brianmcconkeyphotography.com
- Phone: 312-563-1357
- Email: brian@brianmcconkeyphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian_mcconkey_photography/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.mcconkey.18
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/brianmcconkey?lang=en
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/brian-mcconkey-photography-chicago
Image Credit:
Rachel Dratch
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