Meet your Neighbor: Nina Parker
Williams Park Neighborhood certainly has no shortage of talented residents. For this edition of Meet Your Neighbor, I stop by Nina Parker’s home studio to learn more about her professional photography business. Originally from South Carolina (but an Atlanta resident since 1994), Nina moved to WPN in 2013 after finding the perfect location in the neighborhood for her home studio.
As I enter her home studio, I am immediately drawn to the photo of Lucas, her beloved family Labrador that passed years ago. It’s clear that she has a passion and talent for pet photography, but as our conversation continues, I will learn even more about her unique approach to capturing life’s precious moments.
Her interest in photography began to grow with her sister’s family – she bought her first camera when her sister became pregnant and has continued photographing her 3 nephews for the past 18 years. Originally as a way to document special moments with her nephews, she took in the plunge in 2010 and started her full-time photography business. Now, she specializes in pet photography and headshots (of humans!)
Nina’s favorite is the more personal pet photography, which follows a photo journalistic style to document the “relationship and love story” between pets and their owners. She does mini sessions, events and custom photography, either at her home studio, client’s home, or another location. Pets are special members of our families and she reminds us to not wait when it comes to capturing those priceless memories of our best friends.
Headshots are more of a business tool, but incredibly important to keep updated, especially in our increasingly digital world of LinkedIn. Nina recommends a new head shot if “someone would do a double take” when meeting you in person. People often put off getting a fresh headshot but an outdated one may “create a disconnect with reality” in your professional life. Nina makes it easy, ensuring you feel comfortable and look like the best version of yourself.
When asked what she likes best about being a photographer, Nina says “knowing what’s created out of my ‘job’ is very meaningful and will outlast me and my working years. What would you grab in a burning house? Photos. You can’t replace memories.”
Nina is passionate about the tangible products (prints, books, wall art) to display our memories, because technology moves fast. “We’ve gone from a floppy disk to a CD to a USB, all in 20 years. In 20 more years, we won’t be able to do anything with a CD or USB.” Those tangible prints are some of the best ways to preserve your memories and share them with future generations.
When Nina’s not shooting on location or in her studio, she loves to travel and volunteer with her church and animal rescue groups, helping pets find their forever homes. Her favorite Smyrna restaurants include Mezza Luna and Porchlight, but she also frequents Willy’s for a quick meal.
Nina will be at the upcoming Easter Egg Hunt on March 28 to capture your family photo with the Easter Bunny! Be sure to say hello and learn more about her custom photography services. Visit her websites to see examples of her outstanding work: https://ninaparkerstudios.com/ and http://ninaparkerpets.com/.
