Alyn Stafford
I’m Alyn Stafford and I’m a marketing communications director and communication artist. You can say that my career began at the age of 7 when I won my first art contest and photographed my first picture. It was from that point on that I was fascinated with the world of visual communications and how it had an effect on people.
In high school I became more involved in graphic design and photography; learning traditional paste-up and printing techniques in the graphic arts field, which would later prove to be invaluable in my graphic design career. At the same time, I became involved in photography, basically taking pictures of anything and everything and learning the principles of film and film processing. It was also in high school where I departed from a long time hobby of creating home movies and acquired a position with Westinghouse Broadcasting as a videographer, and video editor for their local Inland Empire television programs.
I attended college at the University of Southern California where I studied communication arts and continued my pursuit of photography as a USC publications photographer as well as freelancing for local businesses. At the same time, I found myself working with both USC and small businesses in developing their marketing collateral.
After college, I began a career in radio as both on air talent for a Southern California rock station and audio editor for local radio commercials while continuing my design and photography career. There was a time where I was working as a ski photographer for Mt. High during the day and then racing to the radio station to start an evening shift on air; a demonstration of my passion for the arts. After the ski season, I found myself in Milan, Italy working with modeling agencies as a fashion photographer.
I later returned to the U.S and continued my test shooting for LA based model agencies. While shooting in LA, I worked as Chief photographer for Aviation Lifestyles magazine and began to pursue my career in graphic design with Southern California advertising and marketing agencies. Positions I have held in agencies range from graphic artist to creative director, including art director, and marketing director.
Today, I work with small to mid-sized companies as a marketing communications director, an instructor in the visual communications field and have a photography business, where my primary focus is on wedding photography and stock photography where I am an exclusive photographer for iStockphoto.com.
I have a passion for my work and am a life long learner of my discipline of marketing communications, graphic design, and photography.
The purpose of my marketing communications blog is to provide valuable information for individuals and businesses who need assistance with their marketing communications.
