We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mick Bodie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mick below.

Mick, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

To be honest, this is a pretty typical suggestion but it works. With photography & videography, the most important thing to scale up your skill is actual reps in the field – shooting yourself, friends, clients for free, whatever it is you need to do to get behind the camera more and put yourself in different environments so you build a muscle memory of how to adjust. Beyond actually picking up a camera, there are also soooo many free available resources (YOUTUBE!) that you can reference at any time.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Ever since I could play guitar, probably around 6th grade, I fell in love with the idea of songwriting and creating music. I would play my favorite songs over and over, coming up with new lines to the verses trying to combine my story into theirs. As I got older, I found it more difficult to tell a unique story. I knew I loved songwriting, but loving and appreciating something doesn’t necessarily mean you’re good at it. I played gigs around college with a few friends (and had a blast) but knew I was approaching a ceiling on stage. Eventually, I met a friend junior / senior year who was (and is) an avid photographer and videographer – and I was hooked immediately. I’d borrow his camera whenever I could before saving up for my own. I figured, if I wasn’t going to be the one on stage singing and performing the songs, I could be the one right in front capturing them. It took me a few years after graduating, but I eventually made my way to Nashville (originally from Washington, DC) in early 2021. Since then, I’ve been working as much as I can to shoot as many shows, artists, and situations as possible.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

There are so many incredibly talented creatives in Nashville. It makes it both incredibly inspiring and daunting knowing that there are many people who could easily fill in your spot. I decided a long time ago to trust that a lot of people can create a great photo or video – that’s not necessarily within my control. But what I can control is how I make my clients feel. Basically I always try to live up to the airport test – if our flight is delayed for 6 hours and we’re stuck waiting in a terminal, would this person enjoy my company? A big part of answering that question is leading with curiosity, kindness, and support. Nashville is a tough town, and I want every person who decides to give me a shot to know that I’ll do everything within my control to help through my camera.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Your network is everything. Instagram is great for cold DM’s now and then, but I always always value it more when a friend or previous client recommends me to someone else. That establishment of trust is super validating and means a lot – it also helps accelerate our progress together.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: mick.bodie

Image Credits
Mick Bodie