Skip to main content

Take a Shot Out of Life


With humble beginnings and hard work, success is limitless! This statement is a testament to Drexina Nelson’s life, a successful CEO and celebrity photographer, who takes a minute out of her busy day to give us a behind-the-scenes look into her life and journey.
What’s a Normal day in the Drexina Nelson enterprise?
DN: There is no such thing as a normal day. Everyday it’s anything from shooting, to projects we’re working on for clients, to events. I mean there’s no typical day. I guess the bottom line to all of it is getting everything done and accomplishing our task.

What’s an area you’ve tapped in to that not most photographers have?
DN: Well I have my own production company, D.N.P. and though I am an artist, I have a business background as well.  One thing I see in a lot of photographers, or creators in general, is the lack of a business background. Even though there are have videographers and photographers, we put together at team for production. So not only am I a photographer, but with my experience, I can put together your whole team from concept to art direction, putting together your creative team, and to actual execution of the project. That’s basically what my production company offers and is able to do.

What upcoming projects can we expect?
DN: I’m working on a beauty book called Doux, which is means sleek or soft in French. And basically it’s going to be an editorial coffee table book that highlights the beauty of different women from different ethnicities. So it’s going to be everything from hair and makeup, and it’s going to go from really clean to really edgy beauty shots. The expected release is holiday season 2012, so be on the lookout, it’s going to be nice. I’m excited!

What’s your philosophy to business and success?
DN:  philosophy that I use is to always keep your word. For a client, of course, reputation is everything; and if you just do your job and do it well to the best of your abilities, on time, and professional, there’s no reason you can’t be successful. There’s no reason why you can’t be successful if you put your all into it, that’s my philosophy.

What is the most challenging obstacle you’ve had to overcome?
DN: I can say that one challenge is being a female photographer in a male dominated industry. It can be different, and it’s challenging, but all you have to do is rise to the occasion and get the job done professionally; regardless of what gender you are, you give the same quality work.

On the flip side, what is the most rewarding aspect of your career?
DN: Seeing people and how emotional they become when they see their images. The simple fact that you can make people happy and capture something in them, and they can have that image and feeling for life. That’s the most rewarding part.

Any future aspirations?
DN: Definitely! I plan on being the next Oprah but for ‘image making’.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rachel Roy Booted; Tory Burch Named New Columnist for Luxury Magazine

photo Courtesy of toryburch.com Sources from Women's Wear Daily reports that designer Tory Burch will replace the current "Ask a Designer" columnist and designer, Rachel Roy , as InStyle's new resident expert. Continuously expanding her brand, Burch is doing an amazing job keeping her consumers in the fashion loop via The Tory Blog . She recently acquired an 80,000 SF space in the trendy Hudson Square area to put her in the "heart of creativity."

Dove Missed the Mark with Recent Facebook Ad

A recent Facebook ad ran by the Unilever brand, Dove, completely missed the mark. The ad displays a black woman transforming into a white woman after using their product. Dove issued an apology after makeup artist Naomi Blake reached out to the company to voice her concerns. The question is, would Dove have issued an apology or even pulled the ad if Blake didn't question their messaging? Well this isn't the first time the brand has been accused of releasing racist ads. Back in 2011, Dove ran an ad that displayed 3 women from lightest to darkest with the words "before" and "after." Indicating that the black woman had dry, undesirable skin and once you used the lotion, then your skin would be like the white woman. Again I ask, what is their message? Are they still using the same advertising agency? I guess they will be amongst the other companies hiring a new VP of Multicultural Marketing!

Tribute to Maya Angelou, The Phenomenal Woman

Today we said goodbye to one of the greatest orators of all time! Dr. Maya Angelou has served as an inspiration to millions through her words, actions, and commitment to civil rights. She was a living legend and her influence on our culture is priceless. Most noted for her poems, "Phenomenal Woman" and "Still I Rise," she instilled a sense of pride in women everywhere. In addition to these noted works, Maya Angelou has set the standard by being: - San Francisco's 1st African American female cable car conductor - 1st African American Woman to have her screenplay turned to film, Georgia I remember the first time I was introduced to Dr. Angelou's story in 4th grade. I'm not sure if I was suppose to be reading it, but my older sister had "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" laying around. All I could say was WOW! How could a girl just a few years older than me go through so much. From that point, I began to appreciate life and all that God ha...