Tell us about Corey Stein Films. It was during a brief high school elective class that I first held a camera and gained experience with a full editing suite. It was then that I started to learn the power of creating a story through creative image. Although I intended to focus on “business” in college, my passion became more focused and I gained considerable knowledge in film and video and widened my hands-on experience. When just starting out, I had every intention of working in the film production field for a company until I sat down and talked with a college alumni who started and ran his own film company. His words, “Just go out and make videos,” was the catalyst I needed to start my own video production company. I now have complete control of the work I put out under my own company name.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? The best piece of advice I ever received was to build a network in the community I live in. This has become a large focus of my business affiliations and has resulted in my business growth.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? My favorite spot in Marblehead is Fort Sewall. It may be a cliche answer but you can’t beat the views and location!
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I am 25 years old and decided to start my business right out of college.
Tell us about Mark Katz Photography. I launched my photography business in 2013, finally investing time and energy into something I had always been interested in. I was asked to take headshots for a law firm and things went well, so I went with the flow, further honed those skills and a business was born. Over time, I gravitated towards my true passion, landscape photography, which is what my business has evolved into entirely now. My artwork is split between Marblehead/Swampscott and Vermont. Broadly speaking, I think of photography not only as a personal outlet, but an immersive outdoor experience, and a means of conveying, accentuating or at times, creating a mood. Ultimately, I want investors of my artwork to experience the enjoyment and perspective that I am able to enjoy behind the lens.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? “Keep as little inventory as possible”. I must credit my wife with this great advice. I figure nothing bad can come from publicly telling my wife she’s right. In hindsight, I probably printed too many photos in the earlier days and wound up with excess inventory. Now, most of my artwork is made to order, either via social media or my website.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? My favorite spot in Marblehead is Plus Cafe. I am a regular there and love everything about the establishment. My 2 year old son usually accompanies me and it has become a special place for us to hang out together. My favorite spot to shoot in Marblehead is a toss up between the dozens of locations that offer so many unique views of water, boats and town structures. Devereux is my indicator for where to find the best light, and at times has determined where I choose to shoot.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? For a long time, photography played second fiddle to my career as a scientist in drug discovery-biology.
For More Information:
Mark Katz Photography [email protected] or 518-421-7175
What made you decide to write M is for Marblehead? I first got the idea for “M is for Marblehead” while reading “B is for Boston” with one of my nieces a few years ago. I had been thinking for some time about creating a children’s book to help kids learn about Marblehead, and an alphabet book seemed perfect. Growing up here, I was always curious about the town’s history, and I loved exploring the local programs and tours. I specifically remember two walking tours I did in school – one in the 4th grade with Mr. Sullivan from the Glover School and the other in the 8th grade with Bette Hunt. On those tours, I explored Marblehead’s famous buildings, saw the rooms inside Fort Sewall for the first time, and learned many of the stories hidden throughout Old Town. I really enjoyed those moments. So I wanted this book to be an addition to those learning experiences, an accessible way for children to learn about the places, people, and traditions that make Marblehead special. As a plus, I thought it was a fun way to learn the alphabet using places children might see every day! I hope children (and parents!) might learn something new or exciting and explore more of the town after reading the book.
What do you love most about Marblehead? This is a tough question. If I had to pick one thing, it would be how much history is in town. You can walk down almost every street, and there’s a new story to learn or place to explore. When my wife, daughter, and I go on walks, we often find a plaque with a person or event we weren’t aware of or notice something new on a historic building we’ve seen a hundred times. What’s also remarkable is that there are so many different centuries to explore. In just a half-mile walk in Old Town, you’ll see homes from the 1600s, a mansion or two built in the 1700s, and a town hall built in the 1800s. There’s just so much to learn. Since I published the book, I’ve discovered probably 20 facts or stories I wish I had included. Not to mention you have all that just steps from the ocean. Some people might disagree, but I don’t think there’s a prettier place to live. It’s so picturesque and quintessential New England in so many ways.
What hobbies/ interests do you have? I spend most of my time outside work with my family. My wife, Meredith, and I have a daughter, Catherine, who recently turned one, so we love doing new things with her. She’s already very curious and loves walking around town (she really likes Fort Sewall!). I come from a big family, and almost all of them are here in town as well. We are incredibly close, and Catherine loves being with her cousins and grandparents. So you’ll likely find us all together, either taking a ride around the harbor in the summer, getting ice cream at Scoops, or having a picnic somewhere outside!
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I’m not sure it’s necessarily surprising, but I lived in Texas for seven years. While I really loved it there, it gave me a better appreciation of Marblehead and growing up here. There’s just something special about Marblehead that’s hard to truly explain if you haven’t been here. All of my friends down there still get annoyed by how much I talk about it (Texans are a bit prideful as well, haha). But being in Texas for so long and seeing so many new places, I realized how unique this town and community are. I’m fortunate my parents moved us here when we were young, and we were able to experience growing up in a place like this. And I’m lucky my wife, who is actually from Texas, agreed to move here so we can raise our own family in town now.
M is for Marblehead is available at Marblehead Mercantile, Mud Puddle Toys, Shubie’s Marketplace, Sweetwater Trading Company and Abbot Hall Gift Shop.
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