Suzanne Clements
Q What do you do?
“I take photos that strive to show whatever is the focus of my lens in the best possible light.”
Using my experience as a painter, I imagine the very best of that subject and attempt to capture that aesthetic, mood, and moment with my camera.
When planning a shoot, I prefer to make sure we’re all on the same page. Budget-permitting, I’ll work together a treatment complete with custom sketches that demonstrate my aesthetic direction, potential color theme, props and composition. Having these conversations before shoot day helps to iron out the details and avoid any mishaps that could arise on shoot day.
My specialties include food/beverage, products, people and lifestyle. Located in Central Florida, I shoot for clients all over the country. Not afraid to travel, I’ll happily pop up to your location, or I can also coordinate shoots on-location/in-studio for my clients to attend in-person or virtually.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I studied illustration in college. After graduation I worked as am award winning graphic designer and art director for several years. Always a creative, I exhibited as a fine artist in that time as well and the camera was always by my side, but it wasn’t the medium for my work until I made a shift from painting to photography. Making the camera my primary outlet pushed everything into hyperdrive. I played with how different settings created new and interesting effects and because the results were immediate my exploration moved along really quickly.
Always challenging myself, I was selected to be a founding member of Stocksy United, which I used to consistently develop shoot ideas and execute them from start to finish. I believe it was my past experience and drive that landed me my first big name client, Mars Chocolate. From there the rest is history.
These days I continue to think up and execute shoots that are just for me to explore and play with. Those projects often become promos as they’re often the most creative version of what I do with no parameters.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I believe my use of light and color are a big factor. My post processing is a very detailed step in my final edits and it’s there that every single detail gets attention. I want the viewer to almost be able to feel and taste what they’re looking at.
Another would be how my experience as a graphic designer informs the decisions I make on set. I want to create compelling compositions that focus attention intentionally and dynamically.
Q What are you working on right now?
Lookin’ for work! Hahaha… but yeah, I have a couple of projects in the bidding phase (don’t want to jinx them), and a few on the calendar. Mostly right now I’m looking to cast my net wider. Things are shifting in the market since the pandemic, and it feels like the landscape has a lot more development and change in store for the future. Since variety is the spice of life, I’m looking to collaborate with a more varied group of brands and creatives to keep things interesting and consistent on set.
Q What’s your style?
My style is big light, bold color, graphical composition all bundled up with a little bit of magic. Maybe it’s a surreal composition with things floating, almost moving, maybe we add some whimsical animation to the still photo and create some playful motion… whatever it is I want to make the viewer take a look, and then move in to get a closer look.
A most recent project would be a set of cocktails I shot a week ago with a creative team I pulled together for a test shoot. The colors are tip-toeing outside my usual dreamy pastel palette and moving into more jewel tones, but I love it. Take a peek here: www.suzanneclements.com
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Photography is where my heart is right now. I love getting a good challenge and having to problem solve creatively to bring home the big bold images my client wants.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
I’m working on the marketing side of things a lot right now. For a while there I was flush with gigs, but all it takes is a shift in the market and a couple of “perfect storms” to shift that significantly. It can be easy to assume things will stay the same, get complacent and not put too much effort in getting your name out there… I probably was guilty of that.
One client gave their photography work to the president’s wife (fun for her, a journey for the brand, no work for me, though they did ask me for camera recommendations for her… ). Another wasn’t harnessing the work I created to the fullest extent, they were hiring me to produce a lot of shoots over the span of 3 years, and suddenly they’ve realized they have a massive library of images and don’t need new ones just now (they JUST started using them! Haha… how does that happen?). Another closed during the pandemic, their business model just couldn’t sustain the shift in remote social distanced life.
I still have work, but I’d like to get out there more and connect with like-minded brands and creatives to see what we might create together. In this shift from in-office, to working from home, to hybrid work models, it’s hard to know where to reach out and to whom you should be trying to connect. Let’s not even get started on the massive layoffs that happened at the start of the year. So many people I had on my marketing list were let go or moved to different agencies or industries all together.
It’s been wild.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I’d probably have an intern to do a little of this a little of that. Having an extra set of hands can make all the difference on set. Someone to grab a clamp, turn off a light, or even just to help get everything put away after a long day on set. Sore feet are a real thing after a 12 hour shoot (or more). That’s a 10-11k step kind of day. ;)
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
Don’t sweat the down time, things will come along, they always do and it’s not worth losing sleep over. Use that time wisely to do admin work you’ve been putting off, setting up creative shoots that feed your soul (and will get attention of AD’s), and get rest, because when you’re working frantically, it’s a lot. Always be researching and looking for new clients and finding new connections, even when you’re busy. AND ALWAYS MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF… do your own thing, create your own work, get out of the studio and commune with nature. Do these things to keep yourself content and creative.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Their marketing, what works, what doesn’t… it seems like that’s a very individual thing and we all have such different styles, but I think we can all glean a little from each other’s experience.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Commercial photography for brands and agencies. I’m not here for that $3k job, my style of work is better done with the right crew and talent (should we need talent). With that, I need to pay my stylists, we need to pay talent, I need to cover the cost of equipment, studio, etc. I’m not going to hire my neighbor, use my kids, or offer my own home and belongings to become your set and props. I am creating a 100% custom photographic experience tailored specifically to my client’s project and my personal life is not for sale.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
Ideally, I’m teaming up with an agency/client who has seen my work, loves my aesthetic and is dreaming of how that can translate to their brand/project. I’m here for the teamwork. I love the collaboration and dance that happens as we plan a project, the client provides a rough document filled with sample images, a shot list, and goals for the project. I’ll take that information, ask questions, get clarification and then develop sketches for our shot list. From there we all show up on shoot day and make the magic happen. The best part (besides being on set and having that moment of victory with each shot when every detail is dialed in just-so) is hearing from the client how much they love the work… and then of course seeing those images go out into the wild.
Q What is your rate?
I have some rough numbers on my website, but if a client has a production already in place (they have the studio/location, they have the crew, and they already know exactly what they want to shoot) and they just need to drop me into the mix, I’m about $5k a day depending on what gear I may need to bring. That’s a minimum and includes my creative fee and basic equipment rental. Other shoots may require me to rent a grip truck and have a digitech or at the very least an assistant. In that instance we’re looking at starting closer to $7500 a day… gotta pay my people and cover my expenses.
If you want me to produce the shoot from start to finish, we’re looking at starting in the range of $25k/day. This has me bringing in food stylists, prop stylists, arranging for the studio, etc. providing meals and craft service… it’s a lot to bring together.
Other things that can add to cost of a shoot would be the licensing and usage for the images, how long does the client want to use them for, in what media, and in what geographic area (local, regional, country, global…)
Truly, if I know the budget going in, I can help advise and see what can be done within that price range.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Always reach out by email (you can call, but I might be on set and I definitely want to have a call at a time we both set aside so I can give the client my full attention), include a shot list, rough creative inspiration for the project and absolutely a budget would be amazing.
So many people think the budget part is a game… let’s see how low we can get the photographer if we don’t share our budget. But I want to know
1.Are we going to be able to work together or is the client’s budget too far below what I need in order to cover the cost of the shoot?
2.What price range we’re working with so I know if I need to try to find creative ways to achieve the end result while keeping costs low or if we can do some really amazing work and bring in the best quality talent and crew.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Caitlin Benzel… she’s magical, she’s sweet, and her work speaks for itself!
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Always do things for yourself. Sketch, test shoot, challenge yourself, read, explore, get outside, do things that aren’t even remotely related to what I do for a living. Just stop and remember we only get one turn on this ride and you have to appreciate every little drop you get.
This member profile was originally published in May 2023