Freelance advertising copywriting & professional product photography
by Chuck Nussman.

Professional advertising copywriter and professional photographer may seem like strange bedfellows, but they’re really not. In fact, they fit rather nicely together, because both take visualization, attention to detail, and a love of communicating to others.

I began my professional career as a writer for a retail catalog house. That experience taught me to write concisely on many consumer markets, but did little for my creative impulses. Photography was the outlet for those, and any downtime from my writing was spent in the company’s photo studio learning the tricks of that magical trade.

Eventually, it was time to move on from catalogs. I joined a mid-sized advertising agency, at which I rose to the positions of Vice President and co-Creative Director, and began writing creatively for . . . financial institutions, the agency’s mainstay at the time I joined it. Writing in a different voice and saying the same thing for 40 or so different savings and loans, banks, and federal credit unions takes more than talent, it takes fortitude. But, over the years, management saw the mergers taking place and decided it was time to diversify, so the writing assignments expanded in scope to include a wide variety of vertical markets.

While at the agency, I incorporated Words to the Wise so I could better handle the increasing number of freelance copy assignments I was receiving from outside sources -- all non-competitive with my employer -- on a regular basis.

Additionally, I began to take on more and more photo assignments from the agency itself. I approached it as a hobby; as such, I could produce quality shots at a savings to both the agency and its clients. As the years went by, and digital equipment reached both a level of sophistication I could appreciate and a price I could afford, I made the switch; the move cut out film processing, thus enabling me to deliver quality that much faster. So, the same computer that I use to write and edit copy is the one on which I process and retouch photos of products. I love it all ... and remain in awe of what’s possible when one embraces both art and technology.

A lot of companies position themselves as “the one-source solution,” a claim I’m unwilling to make. However, if you want a concept and/or copy “that sells the soap,” and/or high-resolution digital photographs that show your particular product to its best and most beautiful advantage, take a look at our site, then send us an e-mail outlining your needs and we’ll send back a quote; better yet, give us a call and we can discuss the job and pricing live and in person. Either way, you are under no obligation.