Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Deon.
Hi Brandon, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory
I’ve always had a love for visual art but photography was one of those things in which I felt was outside of my grasp. I came from an artistic background of music. As I teenager, I remember picking up my cousin’s DSLR camera and thinking to myself, “this is really cool”, but seeing the price tag of the camera caused me to shy away from venturing into this craft. Fast-forward to 2018. At the age of 29, I purchased my first “high-quality” camera and no one could tell me anything! In my mind, I was a photographer. I put together a website, made business cards, flyers and everything. However, there were so much about the craft that I did not understand. In order to get the type of images that I desired to create, it required me to take a moment to step back and learn how to be a photographer, not just an owner of a camera. I was fortunate to be in the company of some great photographers.
My mentor just so happened to be a great friend of mine, Padrion Scott of P. Scott Photography in Nashville. He took the time to teach me the basics, which then lead me down the path to establishing my personal creative style. Helping to build on the basics, I spent numerous amounts of hours researching equipment, viewing Youtube tutorials and practicing out in the field. Another photographer gave me the advice, “Get out and shoot”, and I understand now what he meant when he made that statement. The more I practiced, the more I progressed in understanding and implementing the things I learned. That small piece of advice resonated and continues to resonate with me to this day. Today, I can confidently say, “I am Brandon Deon, a photographer.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I first started developing my craft, I struggled. I struggled with understanding the different camera settings but most of all I struggled with allowing myself room to develop and learn. It was so easy to log onto Instagram and see the profiles of other great photographers and get stuck in the “my pictures don’t look like that”, “they have a better camera”, “they understand the intricate camera settings and I don’t”. I quickly learned to ‘never compare your seed to someone else’s tree” – something that someone has taken time to cultivate. Once I got to a place of accepting that perspective, I was able to push past that obstacle that held me back. COVID-19 presented some challenges because I was not able to get out in the field and work with clients. On a positive note, quarantine gave me the time to learn even more. Sometimes, the obstacles or challenges can be an avenue to navigate you to your next level.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a photographer. I specialize in fitness and lifestyle photography. I am most proud of my contribution to the fitness/bodybuilding industry. I observed that there is a limited amount of representation of many African-American athletes through professional photos and videos. I have had the opportunity to work with a large number of athletes. I have helped athletes bring their visions to life by creating images that mark a milestone in their career and also have help others to cross into modeling career paths.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success, in terms of photography, is two-fold to me. First, success is seeing the impact of my work on the lives of others – whether it’s through a boost in self-esteem by photographing them from a perspective in which they’ve never seen themself before or helping to create a visual representation of a business or dream they are establishing. Secondly, success is seeing the perpetuation of my gifting through others which comes from the mentorship I have provided to other beginner photographers. I’m only two years in the game and there are some things that I relate to with others who are starting their photography journey. There are a few people who have reached out to me to learn more about photography and ask about techniques and tips. I count it as success when they come back, excited about work they have created using techniques or advice that I have given them. The underlining definition of all of my success is – seeing the help it provides for others.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@brandondeonphotography.com
- Website: www.brandondeonphotography.com
- Instagram: @iambrandondeon
- Facebook: Brandon Deon Photography
- Twitter: @iambrandondeon
Image Credits:
Padrion Scott, P. Scott Photography of Nashville, TN for the headshots. IG: @pscottphotography
