Suzanne Donaldson is the Senior Director for Creative Production of Nike’s Global Brand Imaging department. She moved to Nike two years ago to create its first Global Art Buying department, and has built a production team to commission imagery for Nike’s various sports categories. Prior, Suzanne spent 12 years as the Executive Photo Director of Conde Nast’s Glamour magazine, working with world class photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier, Ellen Von Unwerth, and Bruce Weber to name a few. As Photo Director she has previously influenced the artistic direction of such publications as Vanity Fair, Interview, Oprah, Lucky and SELF magazines. Her unique vision on press has been fine-tuned with exposure to advertising and the art world having holding positions at Arnell Group, Wieden and Kennedy, Luhring Augustine Gallery and Robert Mapplethorpe studio.
questionnaire
What was your very first job?
A photo editor a stock photo agency called FPG.
Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails.
Senior Director of Creative Production in Global Brand Imaging – An arbiter of relevant photography, styling, production and talent for various Nike categories.
How did you discover that the creative world was right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? What was there train of events that brought you to where you are today?
It all started with my high school yearbook. As a photographer and someone who was obsessed with editing images, my career path was articulated at a very young age. After I finished college I attended the Maine Photo workshop where I came to discover that I was much more adept in speaking about photography rather than taking my own pictures.
In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?
I am a slave to Instagram.
If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, more for the creative work and innovation it required, rather than its recognition or industry “success,” what would it be?
My early years as the Photo and Art Editor under Ingrid Sisch