“In the same way ad folks “get” things, Bruce “sees” things. Generally, they’re of the little green Martian variety, but still.”
– Alex Bogusky, former Executive Creative Director, Crispin Porter Bogusky
Bruce has over 35 years experience directing people, managing brands, and creating visual stories through photography and digital filmmaking. He’s tossed out more awards than most photographers win.
A 12 year old boy discovers the family Kodak and starts pointing it at everything or anything, hard to tell which, but after a quick twelve exposure cassette, he runs to the corner drug store for processing. Every photographer knows the pleasure of frequent shutter clicks; age 12 or 50 – it doesn’t matter – you get hooked and you know you’re a photographer.
Twenty advertising photographer years later – surprisingly similar to dog years – the need to take pictures transformed into communicating ideas; visually, written, spoken. How do people absorb ideas and take ownership? What role does emotion take in that ownership? How do we use photography and filmmaking to excite those emotions?
In addition to a lifelong career in professional photography, Bruce logged time at Hallmark Cards, Erickson Productions, Stone Soup Productions, Synthesis Creative, Torque, Ltd., and – currently – his own Oryx Creatives and DeBoerWorks Photographic Productions. He’s been a business manager, marketing director, advertising account executive, writer, creative consultant – but most notably – a respected photographer and video producer. Over the years, clients have included Audi, Harley Davidson, Healthy Choice, Anheuser-Busch, Crain’s Chicago Business, Shell Motor Club, Amoco, Couples Resorts Jamaica, MGM Studio 54, Participate Learning, Duke Health Systems, and Giro Sport Designs.
Bruce headed a creative department at Hallmark Cards from ’88-’92, then moved on to work with some of the best creative talent in the advertising industry. Most of his professional photography career has been based in North Carolina’s Triangle area but he’s also worked in Boston, Kansas City, and Chicago. Bruce’s name appears on National and Regional Addy Awards, One Show Awards, NY Festivals Gold awards, and is a National Kelly Award Finalist. He’s been published in Communication Arts, Graphis Design and Photo Annuals, Print Magazine Annuals, AIGA Annuals, and written up in Ad Week. In 2008 Bruce was selected to work on the America 24/7 book project and has been included in Lurzer’s Archive 200 Best Ad Photographers Worldwide collection every year since 2014. Specialties: Digital film director, Professional photographer, producer, director, creative lead, guitarist, artist, creativity blogger, idea writer, advertising veteran with specialties in – People, Lifestyle, Portrait, Advertising, Editorial, Fashion, Corporate, Annual Reports.
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To visit Bruce DeBoer’s still photography site, go here: DeBoerWorks.com
Bruce’s name has appeared on many national and regional Addy Awards, One Show Awards, a NY Festivals Gold, B&W Spider Awards, and as a National Kelly Award Finalist. He’s been published 4 times in Communication Arts Photo Annual, Numerous Graphis Design and Photo Annuals, Print Regional Design Annuals, AIGA Design Annuals. Ads he’s contributed his photography to have been written up in Creativity, Ad Age, Ad week and a portfolio featured in Graphis Magazine issue 312. He’s also one of Luerzer’s Archive 200 Best Ad Photographers Worldwide 2014-2021.
Visual story tellers and peripheral visionaries Michelle Petrie and Bruce DeBoer are out to prove craftsmanship is not dead.
They pulled me back in – Jim Erickson to my wife, “he’s not a marketing director, he’s a photographer”. Since my wife and I met in 2004, that was news to her. Luckily, she liked the idea. Find the work HERE.
Three more years experience with Marketing Strategy and some copywriting added in – I’m starting to “get it”.
Officially a marketing consultant, but the time included a little photography, and some continuing education – yes, a luxury but it sent me in the right direction.
Joined a small ad agency with huge talent. Great designers and at least one great Account Director. Two years in, it got even smaller.
Co-founded a photography production company in Raleigh, NC. Sold the company to partners in 1999.
Hey Bruce, Jim called, he wants to shoot people on location. Would you want to shoot your still life in his 14,000 sq/ft studio in Raleigh, NC?
Me: “Yes please.”
Managing a massive 2.5 million dollar photography budget and 23 photographers. Four years on the corporate side but managed to escape before the golden handcuffs clamped shut.
Opened a studio in Boston, MA – shooting still life. What a great town. Remember Michael Dukakis? The Massachusetts miracle ended leaving me without 5 of my 8 clients.
A long, long time ago but the RIT still stands, and still teaches photography, filmmaking, and graphic design.
