Today we’d like to introduce you to Deon Turner.
Deon, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
So, originally, I started my creative journey as an actor. Throughout high school and the beginning of college, I focused primarily on theatre. I was in several stage plays and a few film projects, but I never thought about pursuing photography. It wasn’t until the end of my first semester as a sophomore in 2016 that I picked up a camera and started taking photos. I accidentally took a photography class, and ever since then, I fell in love with the art capturing moments, and DK Turner Photography was born.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The life of a creative is never entirely “peaches and cream”. There are several obstacles and challenges we face concerning our art. For me, I have been my biggest obstacle. Self-doubt and insecurities have always held me back mentally and as caused me to almost quit several times. I 0ften find myself comparing my work to other photographers or doubting my job because I don’t have the gear others may have. I have gotten better with this, and I am becoming more confident in my work with every shoot I do. It is a process, but the knowledge you gain during it is invaluable.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
At DK Turner Photography, we specialize in creative, cinematic storytelling. As an actor, as well as a photographer, I like to incorporate elements of storytelling into my work. I have a team of models who I often connect with and plan out creative shoots that allow me to have fun showcasing different creative ideas and themes that pop up in my head. Aside from this, I also do client work. Services like headshots, events, senior portraits, birthday shoots, etc. are all things we provide at DK Turner Photography. There are a ton of photographers in my area, but people are starting to come to me when they want not only high-quality images but also creative shots that illustrate their vision. Every photographer is not capable of doing this. It takes a special creative vision and a relationship with the client/model to make this work, and we make that a priority.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My future plans include working with highly successful magazines like Vogue and famous companies such as Nike. I study the work these companies post, and I would love to work with them as their photographer one day. I also plan to dive deeper into the cinematic world and find opportunities to be on movie sets taking photos of the movie being made. Since my style is definitely cinematic, it would be a blessing to be able to work on a movie set and study cinematic lighting and techniques up close. One big change we are doing later this year is offering video services. I have noticed the need for more creative videographers, and I plan on moving into that market as well so that we can offer even more services to clients and other creatives.
We also plan to get into teaching photography tutorials and editing skills at some point. Several people have connected with me asking, “how do you get your photos to look like that?” When I first started, besides my amazing photography professor (Ginny Southworth), YouTube was my classroom. Still, it is much more beneficial when someone who is already in the field sheds light on their experiences. I hope to be that for people who are willing to listen to me one day.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 803.316.1190
- Email: dkturner7@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/turnerphotos12
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/turnerphotos12
Image Credit:
DK Turner Photography
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
