May 16, 2017

Meet Christopher Brown of Nuova Photo in West Town

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Brown.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Christopher. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I always had a passion for photography. Throughout high school I was always the one with the camera, yet I never thought of it as something more than a hobby. That was until 2010, when I began studying engineering. I needed a distraction from all the math, science and physics classes, so I decided to take a film photo class. The following semesters I found myself staring out of the window during physics class and saying, “this would be a great day to photograph.” This is when I realized that photography was more than just a hobby. In 2013 I decided to turn my passion for photography into a career. I moved to Chicago to attend the School of the Art Institute, where I received a Bachelor in Fine Arts with an emphasis in photography. I met Guadalupe Onis on the second day of orientation and we immediately hit it off. Little did we know that a few years later we would be collaborating.

At the beginning of 2017 we launched our website. We specialize in portrait, lifestyle and product photography. The biggest advantage of our collaboration is that we complement each other. I am a bit more analytical and see the world through lines and shapes, and like to put a lot of emphasis on lighting. Guadalupe has a more playful approach to photography; her images tend to be less calculated and full of color. She loves to interact with people, and always tries to transfer their unique traits into her photographs. I am very passionate about product photography and the creation of a brand’s visual identity.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Creating a business has been one of the biggest challenges in my life. I see Nuova Photo as always evolving, incorporating the concept of Fine Art with commercial photography. On one side you want to offer a product that is completely different from what others do, but on the other you also wonder whether or not the public will receive it positively.

Also, the easy access people have to digital cameras, smart phones and Photoshop has made us revaluate the type of business we want to be. Some professionals might see this as a struggle, but we see it as an opportunity to push our creativity and brand to another level.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Nuova Photo – what should we know?
We specialize in lifestyle, portrait and product photography. When deciding what type of services we wanted to offer, we made sure we were absolutely happy with them. We firmly believe that if we don’t love what is in front of the camera, we will never be able to get a good photograph. Therefore we focus exclusively on what we are passionate about: people and products.

Because we want to provide our clients with the service they need and deserve, we don’t offer fixed packages. Instead, we create individual quotes based on their specific requirements. To us all of our clients are extremely valuable, that is why we do an extra effort to make sure they feel appreciated and supported. Our services do not start when someone comes to a session; they start from the moment a client sends us an inquiry.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I owe a lot to the west coast photographer, Lyle Gomes, who helped me perfect my skill in the darkroom and studio. He was an assistant to Ansel Adams and so there has been a lot of knowledge and experience passed down to me concerning photography. Also, I think each one of our clients deserve recognition as well, as they are the ones with the true power. When people leave a session happy, we know that almost certainly they will recommend us to friends and family. We know for a fact that we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t because of them.

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