Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Reed.
Brandon, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
2016 was where my journey as a content creator began. During this time, I had zero gear and little knowledge about how DSLR cameras worked. Fortunately enough, I had people around me that understood these little details and were my mentors on how to operate the camera and how to shoot properly. I had no intention of becoming a content creator, although I did show glimpses of my potential whenever I did family projects. My first business name was coined, “ReedVisuals.” I was highly interested in creating high quality event recap videos. In 2016, I rarely got any gigs, but I did get a chance to work my first paid event at the Tabernacle. That was one of the best experiences to this day.
2017 was where I began to slowly get more in tune with the photography side of content creation. My brother, (@bryankeithphoto and his good friend @rod_cali) would go out around town and shoot a lot of street photography and come out with dope images that made you feel a type of way. I find myself watching hours of YouTube on how to capture the perfect shots. They were into landscapes, but I was more interested in capturing dope portraits of people. 2017, I still didn’t own my own gear yet, so I was borrowing my brother’s Nikon d5300 and his lenses. I did a few projects here and there but nothing major.
2018 was the year where I changed my name from ReedVisuals to ReedBehindTheLens. The reason for the name change was simple: I wanted people to view me as both a photographer and film videographer. 2018, I saw a small growth in my business. I took on my first: graduations, baby sessions, family sessions, etc. It gave me the confidence I needed in terms of realizing that I have a real gift in capturing moments for people. I was finally able to afford my own gear as I ended up purchasing a Nikon D5300 and a set of lenses. You couldn’t tell me anything during that time. That’s how proud I was!
2019 was the year of major growth and recognition. The number of gigs and bookings I received nearly double in size compared to the previous year. I believe the major change came about by improving the quality of work and also being more social on social media (Instagram and Facebook, etc.). In the summer of 2019, I upgraded my camera to a Nikon D7200 with more lenses that were suitable for the type of work I was getting booked for. I took a huge leap of faith when it came to how I wanted people to see me. I have two IG pages, One personal and one business. My personal page at the time had 5k followers, whereas my business page only had about 600 followers. I transformed my personal page into my business page. At first, I took a hit, as people who were only interested in my personal posts began to unfollow and not interact with the business photos I was posting. I got discouraged at first, but within a couple of weeks, I started to see a rise in bookings, so I stuck with it.
In 2020, I want to keep growing and continue to let people know that I’m good at what I do, and I’m here to stay. I created my own professional website and am continually promoting my brand whenever I can. My ultimate goal is to travel and get paid to capture special moments. I have more goals, but I won’t speak on those for personal reasons. Just know that God is good and He is always here for us!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Fortunately, when you surround yourself with others who are likeminded, it helps to ease that anxious feeling that creeps in the back of your mind. For me, my image since childhood has been that of a very talented basketball player. I started playing at the age of six and was just naturally good at the game. I was fortunate enough to play all levels of the game (AAU travel ball, High School, College, Overseas Pro), so my identity, in a sense, was always connected with the game of basketball. I learned once people have an idea or created a persona for you, it’s not easy to make them see you as something else. To get where I am now with my photography/video business is a testament to my will power and faith to pursue a different passion that isn’t congruent with what most people know me for.
The only way to slowly change the perception of you is through action. Therefore I kept creating content for people to understand that not only am I good at content creation, but I am also serious about it.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
ReedbehindTheLens is a content creation based company located in the Metro Atlanta area. My business focuses on the needs of clients searching for: portraits (beauty, fashion, actors, profressional,sports), editorial-based photography/video, and wedding/engagements. I am an all-around cameraman who prides himself on being versatile in regards to the different genres of portrait photography.
I believe what sets me apart is my ability to listen to what is needed from the consumer and deliver in a quick manner. My approach to every shoot and attention to detail is high level. I treat everyone as if they were a well-known celebrity because I want you to have the feeling of having all eyes on you and your moment. I’m proud of how my company is growing organically. Word of mouth is a huge promotional tool, and its slowly being used in favor of my brand.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I always wanted to be apart of special moments like weddings, engagements, birthdays or special events. Its a proud feeling knowing that someone trusts you enough to provide a service during a special moment in their lives.
Pricing:
- Portrait packages starting at $150
- Event photography or video starting at $125/hr
- Graduation packages starting at $200
Contact Info:
- Website: www.reedbehindthelens.com
- Email: reedbehindthelens@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Instagram names: @amberaura @umdatgirlrose @brianna.rashael @nelly_nels @meccymecc @mikalia_eve @jarrondoe @oliviagibson7 @sashamarimusic
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