Check Out Nick Smith’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Smith. 

Hi Nick, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I got started with just taking pictures of family, friends, vacations, etc. like many other people just to capture the memories. In 2010, I picked up my first DSLR to try and get some better photos other than the point-and-shoot cameras. This continued and grew into finding other things like sunsets and sunrise landscapes and capturing family farming memories out in the field. I am a moody photographer where I try to capture that feeling of the subject or the feeling I felt when I snapped the shutter. 

In 2015, I bought a drone, the DJI Phantom 3 Standard. This changed my life and how I looked at photography. Getting a view that I used to have to get in a ladder for, climb up to a higher-story building, and in an airplane was now at my fingertips to explore. I fell in love with that look just out of reach that didn’t take me all day to set up for. I found that with drone photography, I could get to views I couldn’t see on the ground and change my perspective of what I was looking for and at. In the mid-2010s, I had more and more people asking me to take photos for them and of areas or subjects with the drone higher up. I found that I really loved farm life and wanted to capture the feelings of the farmer hard at work in the fields more. This evolved throughout the next few years to trying to capture my feelings and moods of a moment or subject both on the ground and in the air. 

In August 2016, I passed my FAA Part 107 exam to fly drones commercially along with my groundwork that was starting to pick up. This has been invaluable as it has let me develop my personality and express myself in multiple ways through a lens. In 2016, I started as a sole proprietor with my business, Beeline Aerial, to provide aerial photography and video for clients. This quickly grew into a combination of aerial, ground, video, editing, and marketing work for different clients where I decided it was time for a little name change for the business: Beeline Multimedia. This reflects more what my work for fun and clients has evolved into. With equipment upgrades: Mirrorless Full Frame camera, multiple DJI drones and equipment (Inspire 2, Mavic 3 Cine, Air 2S, Ronin S, DJI Mic system), multiple GoPro cameras, and my newest venture: FPV drone videos, I have been able to branch into many other areas. 

When I changed the name to Beeline Multimedia, it did reflect what I have evolved into as a photographer and videographer. I now provide many specific types of services with my photography and video equipment: headshots, portraits, senior photos, marketing material, stock photography, video, sounds, real estate photography and videography (both commercial and residential), sports, events, video production, editing, inspections, and so many other items that people have asked for. This has helped me to become a full-service photography business. I try to incorporate the drone and cameras in anything I shoot so I have multiple angles to choose from. 

I have been very fortunate to work alongside and with other great companies (Toledo Aerial Media, Bravo Charlie Productions) and individuals with some major clients as part of their team. Some of these clients include the PGA Tour, American Athletic Conference, the Toledo Walleye, and a future client that is a national company for farming. 

I strive to be a person that helps and supports the photography community as well. I help manage multiple photography and drone Facebook groups, am part of some local photography groups, and have been involved with and had photos selected as finalists for multiple Drone Film Festivals: Boston Drone Film Festival, Southern California Drone Film Festival. I have also been published in multiple magazines: DTN Progressive Farmer, Farmtographer Magazine, Dayton Business Journal, and others. 

All of this goes back to my love of capturing that moment in time to show that mood and feeling I felt at that time. I love to share it with others to make them feel what I feel, either in a still photograph, or in a video for myself, YouTube, a client, or friend, or family. Sharing this brings so much joy to me and I hope to others. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I set out to try to be a photographer, I thought it was only going to be taking pictures of my family. When it developed into something more, I purposely set it to be something I do as a side hustle now as I don’t want it to interfere with family, friends, job, and other life events. My family is the biggest part of my life and will always come 1st. So, I purposely only do work I know will interfere as little as possible with the above. I am really trying to do it this way now and then set my photography and videography business to be my retirement job, which seems to be approaching quicker and quicker each year. 

There are definitely struggles. Starting out, I had no clue what to charge. It took many hours researching throughout the area and region. Facebook groups have been a huge help to bounce ideas off people and gain some amazing friends that have been supportive and guided me down the right path. The other struggle is equipment. There is always something new on the market claiming to be the next best thing. Camera and video gear is very expensive. Almost all of my money initially went back into upgrading equipment when I had enough: lenses, camera bodies, backup equipment, drones, new computers, etc. The key I found for anyone struggling is to learn your current equipment until you have outgrown it and it can’t do something you need. I used an almost 10-year-old Canon T6 for 8 years before I upgraded to a mirrorless camera since I outgrew it. Same with the drones. I saved for a Phantom 4 Pro when it came out. I used that for 6 years until it finally was something I found was not what I needed anymore and upgraded by selling it and some other older equipment for the DJI Mavic 3 Cine. 

I guess what I am saying is I am not a person that just jumps on the bandwagon. I do my research; I try to get the most out of what I have to save some money. I budget and put down a list of needs and wants each year. I work towards those as goals for my business as well as my personal goals. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Primarily, I am a drone photographer. I just love the angles you can get with them. These angles let me find that moment where I can express that mood or feeling I see in ways I never thought possible. 

I am most proud of being part of an awesome, helpful, sharing community that I found with the drone community. We are all willing to help as we have been helped. We are tight-knit and try to work together and collaborate just to chat about things we see and ideas we have. It is great being part of that community. 

With me, you will find an artist that captures emotions, feelings, and moods in everything I shoot. I do this with lighting, finding that right natural light, angles, sounds, and music. If I don’t feel it, you don’t see it. If I don’t like it, I will go back and reshoot it to make sure I do get that mood just right. Many call me the “moody photographer”. Well, I guess I am and you will feel it. 

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I measure success through a happy client that feels the emotion I am trying to capture in my work. Money is always great but it is not what drives me to create. I am successful when I capture that moment in time and convey it through my work. 

Pricing:

• Headshots: Single person $125, multiple contact for quote
• Senior photos: Packages range from $300-$650
• Events/aerial/drone/marketing: contact for quote
• Real Estate: photos starting at $250, video starting at $350
• Editing: contact for quote

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beelinemultimedia.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/beelineaerial
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/beelinemultimedia
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_-pezB8GV2jB6xkucCxa_w