10 Questions With Hannah Soule Powderly

1)     Ok, explain the name of your company and what is it?

Don’t Quit Your Day Job Productions is an amalgam of all of the creative ventures I have pursued throughout the years. A big focus is on photography and film but we’ve been tackling art, cooking and entertaining advice as well to continue expanding our universe. The hope is that DQYDJP.com will grow exponentially and be an incubator for all creatives who need a leg up.

2)    What were you doing before this?

My career started in Fashion at Saks Fifth Avenue almost 20 years ago and I eventually transitioned into the world of Bridal where I ran The Registry at Bloomingdale’s for 10 years. After 3 years as the Regional Manager for Macy’s Bridal, I decided it was finally time to make the leap to start my own company.

3)    How long have you been taking pictures?

I guess you could say that I’ve always taken pictures. My mother bought me a vintage Olympus 35mm when I was 10 years old and I couldn’t put it down! I created the first video yearbook for my high school in Hong Kong and made several independent films when I lived in Boston. Once in New York, I started photographing my own events that I was creating for Bloomingdale’s and eventually moved into live music—all while maintaining my day job, of course.

4)    What do you like to take pictures of?

One of my favorite things to shoot are those moments in-between the moments. Capturing two people in a snippet of time when they don’t realize a camera is being pointed at them. I also love working with other industry creatives to help them build portfolios of their work. So many incredibly talented people are relying on cellphones to memorialize their creations, but those cameras really just don’t do them justice. I want to give them an opportunity to have access to professional photography by someone who has been in the industry and understands all of the hard work that goes into events and weddings.

5)    What brought you to this point to start your own production company?

For many years I have always worked for someone else and at this stage in my life, I wanted to be my own boss. I was always, “Hannah Soule from such and such” but now I want my name to stand for the work that I do. I named my company, Don’t Quit Your Day Job Productions, because that was always my dream; to be able to quit my day job and produce something that was mine.

6)   Being in the bridal industry for so many years what did you enjoy about shooting Wedding Weekend on Madison?

Wedding Weekend on Madison was like a fairytale! I have never seen an event put together that gave brides and grooms so much direct access to the titans of our industry. It was spectacular. Normally, you attend a wedding event, you get to sit in a chair to hear the headliner give a 15 minute speech and that’s it. Never have I seen an event where you could actually have a world-class designer like Romona Keveza help you shop for your wedding shoes at Jimmy Choo! And to be able to have access to these moments as a photographer was so exciting. When all of the designers came together on Madison Avenue with their models for a group photo, it was so quintessential New York. We literally stopped traffic!

7)    What perspective do you have based on your experiences that you can bring to the bridal industry through photography?

I think that I am very sensitive to everything that goes in to the world of bridal on both sides, having worked with industry vendors as well as brides & grooms for so many years. It isn’t about me, it’s about all of the moving parts that go into a wedding or event and my job is to be the fly on the wall capturing every detail. I want to be their memory book. I’ve worked hard to maintain my industry relationships throughout the evolutions of my career and that means I have built a level of trust that maybe doesn’t happen with every photographer. I know what it’s like to work for 72 back-breaking hours on an event that is over in a matter of minutes and I am there to support my clients in that journey. I never think, “Oh, I don’t need to help, I’m just the photographer.” If someone is struggling to drag a table from one side of the room to the other, I’ll put down my camera and grab the other end. It’s all for the greater good and I think we need to support each other in the bridal industry as much as possible.

8)   How would you describe the style of pictures and films you make?

I would classify myself as an editorial documentarist. I search for photos to take that will make people go, “Wow!” as well as steadily record the moments of an event so you can see it from start to finish.

9)   What are some upcoming projects you are working on?

So many things! I think creative people create all the time, and don’t get stuck in just one category. I’ve been working on a cooking/entertaining book that is a compilation of family recipes and will feature some industry colleagues who will lend their own party advice plus their favorite dishes to make at home. We are also looking to add to our roster of artists featured on DQYDJP.com to help them get more exposure. And of course, my camera is always in hand! This is high-time for event season and I am sure you will see me snapping away at venues around the city.

10) What do you enjoy most about what you are doing?

I love photography so much and being able to interact with my industry peers and meet new clients is so invigorating. It is the first time in my life that I don’t feel like I am working at a “job.” So I guess that’s the real meaning behind the name of my company: don’t quit your day job until you find what it is you really love to do…then it’s not like work at all.