We were lucky to catch up with OLD TOWNE recently and have shared our conversation below.

OLD TOWNE, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

As creative’s in the Fashion and Lifestyle Industry for more than 25+ years, our profession is to make imagery for designers and brands for the use of advertising. I’m a Fashion Stylist and Consultant and Craig is a Lifestyle Photographer.
It was a natural evolution for us to start OLD TOWNE as small businesses and entrepreneurs where approaching us in need of content and portraits for there websites and social platforms.

When working on OLD TOWNE we produce everything ourselves wearing many different hats. There is a formula when working with a client and I am very much a concept driven creative having worked for magazines. Once our client agrees with an idea I have mapped out, Craig captures the story on camera, bringing it to life from concept to reality. We are a very hands on creative team from start to finish, but that comes from years of practice and actively working.

Craig and I have worked together on commercial and personal shoots for over 10 years and we often think why we didn’t start OLD TOWNE sooner, but timing is everything. The creative business has changed drastically since social media, allowing creatives and anyone to explore areas they wouldn’t have been able to years ago, so it made total sense to start a new venture together. However, you do need the creative skills and the know how to execute and deliver a clients needs, whether it’s an ad campaign, event, wedding or a portrait.

OLD TOWNE, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversation?

I’m originally from London, UK and trained under the umbrella of Edward Enninful, prestigious fashion magazines and art directors starting my career in 1992 after university. Craig who is originally from Nashville, TN, went straight into assisting and learnt from some of the best fashion photographers in New York City who worked in the high-end and commercial advertising industry in the late 90’s, leading him from one great photographer to another. The creative business was relatively small in the 90’s and early 2000’s as it was an elitist arena and very difficult to get into.

Craig and I are storytellers through our imagery and thrive on nostalgia. Today, image making is not necessarily about creating a memorable image as we live in a world of overload and scrolling.

What really assisted our own art and style of work was acquiring the skills for some of the best creatives and commercial artists in the business, who are today still very much revered and highly referenced. From this we both learnt how to apply both the arts and commerce in our own work to create that perfect balance in imagery that is timeless and inspirational but is also relatable to everyone.

Whilst we grow OLD TOWNE slowly, we are excited where this new business will take us. That’s the important part of starting any new venture, staying enthusiastic! When you love what you do and you are passionate about it, then it doesn’t feel like work.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Having a creative point of view and good taste definitely helps, but more importantly being able to put your ego aside and collaborate closely with your team members and clients. Believe it or not, It really does take a village to create imagery, whether it’s one image, a project for a client or for your own portfolio, you have to work with other creative’s to make your ideas a reality. That’s the beauty of teamwork, it all pays off in the end.
This characteristic is seen by everyone and that alone can carry you through a long and successful career.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Being creative is not a walk in the park when it comes to finances. It really isn’t for everyone as it’s an emotional rollercoaster but it can also be very rewarding. You have to love what you do. This is something that must be clearly understood right from the start because there is a lot of personal investment involved with both time and funding.

One has to be dedicated as it’s not a part-time career. In the beginning it’s all self funding to build your portfolio, to build your vision and style of work in order to be acknowledged.
You produce shoots on a shoe string asking all of your friends to collaborate on your ideas in order to build your portfolio’s together.
Once commissions start coming in, that’s when you invest in better equipment and resources but it never stops!
As your style of work matures so does your business, but it’s a never-ending cycle of investing in your art, so budgeting is super important just like any business.
At times you invest more in certain projects due to the complexity and scale of the shoot but this is all part of building your portfolio for clients to see your capabilities.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.oldtowneroad.com /www.sorayadayani.com / www.craigsalmon.com
• Instagram: @oldtowneroad.com / @craig_salmon / @soraya_dayani
• Linkedin: Craig Salmon / Soraya Dayani

Image Credits

All images by Craig Salmon for OLD TOWNE.