Studio Profile

Studio of the Month: Danny Weiss Photography

"Everyday I'm Husslin"

While rapper Rick Ross and photographer Danny Weiss have referenced this phrase in their professional careers, it’s safe to say their interpretation of the expression is much different. For Danny, “husslin” means doing whatever it takes to climb to the peak of New York City Photography. He’s relentless, passionate and known for cold calling some of New York’s elite wedding planners to book his next wedding.

Danny has only been in the photography market for three years, previously a professional actor. “I was an actor for 10 years in New York. So, I learned to hustle really well,” he joked. For his 30th birthday, Danny’s wife bought him a photography 101 class. During class, Danny came across the work of Beverly Hills Wedding Photographer Joe Buissink in a magazine. “The article made for a good fit. I saw a potential for creativity and decided I wanted to make my own living.” Before long, Danny found himself having met Joe in person and his own wedding and portrait sessions booking up quickly.

Now that his work was in high demand by upper clientele, Danny decided to offer his clients high end products, including canvas prints. “I came across Simply Canvas at WPPI and through DWF. And, I met Drew at Photo Plus in New York, nice guy.” He went on to explain that he loves the way the colors pop and how SC is able to produce super saturated colorful images on canvas. “The reaction…people love them! Canvas really works nicely with kid’s portraits and family aesthetics. And they love that they arrive ready to hang.”

Since Danny doesn’t have the luxury of owning a studio, he had to come up with an effective way to market canvas prints to his clients. Before Selling Sessions, he attaches jpegs of a sample canvas (front and back) to an email when communicating with clients. “If they don’t see it, they won’t buy it. I want to say…by the way, here’s something beyond prints and it doesn’t need to be framed.”

Danny’s selling techniques include persuading his clients to buy BIG. “Anything under a 16x24 won’t do the image justice.” He also caters to his clients, offering them the canvas pieces that would look best in their homes. “Living spaces produce a challenge here in NYC. This isn’t the Midwest. I always suggest a smaller wedding canvas print to my couples who live in an apartment in the city. Those who are able to commit to a larger home, I offer them larger canvas portraits, because they have the available wall space.”

With a commitment to do a “bang up” job, Danny continues to go over and beyond for his clients. “I want to catch something that really surprises them. I’m not shy. I’m always pushing the envelope.” Sticking close to his background as an actor, Danny calls himself a director at photo shoots, putting his terrified clients at ease while shooting them in the middle of Manhattan. “I don’t think I would be able to do this without that background. It’s full of personality, from the architecture to the city streets, to the crazy New Yorkers and cab drivers who stop and take a look.”

To Danny, being a photographer isn’t that much different from being an actor. He’s still telling stories, creating unique views on life and “husslin” to get where he wants to be. But this time around that place is on top of the New York City photography market. It’s his steady and persistent attitude that is demanding to be seen, proving that the right kind of hustling can be a good thing.