Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Doonis
Hi Nicholas, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The idea for starting SIXSIXTEEN Studio started in 2017. I had been exploring the world of photography for about four years at this point. I enjoyed taking photographs of nature because the forest is one of my favorite places to explore. I have grown a strong passion for photography as it allows me to directly share the perspective I have on the world around me. I knew that I had to build something for myself that would allow me to follow this passion throughout my life. So I brainstormed some ideas for a photography company and came up with SIXSIXTEEN Studio. For the next year, I began building my photography portfolio and expanding my skills as a photographer. In 2021 I met who is now my business partner and co-owner of SIXSIXTEEN studio. His name is Lance Novak. He is an incredible portrait photographer and wants to pursue a career in portrait photography. After some thought and many late-night conversations with Lance, the vision for SIXSIXTEEN Studio shifted from simply just photography services to something far greater. It will be a space for artists striving to master their skills and create a positive impact on the world through art. As of today, we have a long way to go before the full vision is brought to fruition. Currently, our only staff are Lance and myself. We both offer photography services focusing on portrait and automotive photography. When I came up with the full vision of the Studio that I have today, I wanted it to be a company that would allow its employees a foundation to build their passions on. For me, SIXSIXTEEN studio provides an opportunity to follow my passions while being able to live a life where I can do what I want instead of submitting my life to another person’s dream. I want the same thing for everyone who works for SIXSIXTEEN Studio. I want each employee to see and use SIXSIXTEEN studio as an avenue for fulfilling their creative passions while also helping out the community.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If I had some offroad tires and a lift kit maybe! No, it hasn’t been too bad yet. I believe I am yet to reach the bumpy parts of the road I’m on. So far getting the website setup, and portfolio together, and maintaining a decent social media presence has been pretty easy. I have BIG plans for 2025 and I’m very excited and nervous! I have a good feeling about them though and if they fail I’m ready to learn and try again.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in automotive photography. Since I was a little kid I’ve always loved cars and everything about them, particularly how they looked(colors, shapes, lights, wheels, etc). When I was deciding my focus in high school to start working towards a career I wanted to be an automotive industrial designer and create a car brand. The school I went to didn’t offer that so the next closest thing was graphic design. I spent the next 6 years learning graphic design and improving my skills as an artist. My whole life I have drawn with pencils and pens, and only recently within the past 5 years, I’ve gotten really into acrylic painting. Combining all of these artistic skills and perspectives, I utilize the things I’ve learned to create incredible photographs of cars. What makes me stand out is the fact that not only am I good at what I do, I know why what I do is good. The aspects of design theory, color theory, and storytelling that I’ve learned all go into the making of a “good photo”. Which ultimately is subjective and is completely for the viewer to decide if it’s good for them or not. However, I have learned how to capture light and time in a way that evokes emotion and feelings deep within a person. I make work that sucks you in.
When I’m editing my photos and deciding which ones I like or not I just ask myself this… would middle school me buy this from the bookfair because it made him feel like he was in the car and feeling the road flying under the tires and the pull from zipping through a chicane. If my photos evoke feelings that make me feel like a kid again, then I deem it a “good” photo.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Staying open-minded, being mindful, and always willing to learn from failures without losing motivation.
Pricing:
- Car shoots start at $61.6
- Portrait shoots start at $75
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sixsixteenstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sixsixteen_studio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sixsixteenstudio/
