We've caught up with New York Lifestyle Photographer, Blogger and Content Creator "Denisse" also known as Thug Nanny in the social media world. By inventing her own genre, Denisse has influenced the way millennials think about photography, narrative, and brand identity. When asked what inspired her name change, she replied saying "I just didn’t want to be “thug nanny the photographer” I wanted to move into influencing and blogging. I decided Chasing Denisse would be a fresh start.
Tell us a bit about yourself? Who is the person behind the lens?
My name is Denisse and I’m a full-time photographer and content creator. I love wu-tang and seinfeld. Tacos are my favorite food and coffee is my drink of choice, always. I really love helping people make their business dreams come true and their digital influence dreams as well.
Why is photography so important in branding?
Photography is one of the most important, if not THE most important element in branding. We are mostly visual people. We buy products because of packaging. We will spend the most money if something looks good. We only buy things that make us feel happy to have spent our earnings on them. So when a brand has a strong visual element like professional photos, it elevates their product or service value by a lot. It brings the “I like what I see, therefore I will invest here” security to a brand.
What made you decide to switch your name from "Thug Nanny" to "Chasing Denisse"?
I had ThugNanny for SO many years. I was a big fan of ThugKitchen, the recipe book and so being a nanny, I decided I wanted something cool. I found that thug nanny really captured the essence of who I was, and I was able to share my nanny life through that name. As my business progressed and I become recognized in my industry the name really stuck. However, over time it was boxed into something that I didn’t want to be anymore. I didn’t just want to be “thug nanny the photographer.” I wanted to move into influencing and blogging. I decided Chasing Denisse would be a fresh start.
What is the meaning behind the NEW brand name?
A lot of people think I chose it because my partners name is Chase but that’s not the case at all. I thought it would be a great play on words because this is my trying to figure out who Denisse is and where she fits in this industry. So I get to do cool things like expand on that name and invite my followers to chase things with me. We’re chasing street style, finance, beauty, digital education, etc.
Where is your favorite place to eat breakfast/brunch and why is the place so special?
I would say home. I love cooking so it’s great to whip up your favorite breakfast or brunch meal, sit on the couch and catch up on your favorite show. If I had to choose one place outside of home I don’t think I could. Nothing tastes as good as the comfort of home.
What competitive edge does Chasing Denisse have?
I feel like it doesn’t really have a competitive edge, and by realizing that I have grown so much. I bring something to the table that is my voice. My voice is unique and relatable and what that does is it allows me to be free of the worry of staying in my own lane because I have an entire highway to myself.
What is one thing you wish someone would have told you prior to starting your brand?
I wish someone would have told me that it’s okay to be me and try everything that will make me happy. I’ve rebranded my photography business 3 times because I was always looking to add a bit of me and a whole lot of everyone else. I wish they would have told me that who I am is fine. It would have saved me a lot of googling and money.
Stay Connected:
My blog is chasingdenisse.com and my instagram, twitter and pinterest are all @chasingdenisse.
For my professional photography you can check out denissebenitez.co
xo