For this first installment of the Brain Trust interview series, I wanted to highlight my photographer and co-collaborator Don. His work and expertise have been integral to the success of The Wkender thus far. Frankly, without the visuals, there is no blog. Shout to my guy stepping from behind the camera and letting me shoot a shot or two of him! Just to note, I really only took 1-2 of the pictures captured here. I called in additional support cause lordt knows we would have been outside all day with me on camera duty! Thanks @Paddingtonthebear; you’re a lifesaver!
My vision for this series is to have candid conversations with professionals, in their element, to gain their insights about their craft. In short, give me a 50,000ft view of what you do and why.
Before we dive in here, a little about Don:
– 21 years old
– Born in Richmond, VA but lived in Brooklyn, NY
– Primarily Georgia raised
– Film and Video major at Georgia State University
– Self-taught photographer
Q: Don I know you personally, and as a part of that I know you have a creative mind in general. What drew you to photography over the other creative mediums?
I actually came across photography by accident. I’m a film major, and I was planning to buy a camera to learn how to film videos. My barber/godfather convinced me to use the camera for photography to make some money on the side. I took his advice, and I ended up loving it!
Q: Who is your greatest inspiration in your field and why?
I wouldn’t say there is just one person that inspires me. I follow a lot of different creatives on Instagram, and I pull a little bit from all of them and make it my own.
Q: This is a more technical question, but what type of gear do you use? If money were no object, what would you have?
I shoot with a Canon 80D. My dream camera would BE Canon 1D X.
Q: What’s your favorite work product thus far?
Damn, that’s hard! I don’t really have a favorite, but I love to shoot with people that bring creative ideas to the table and we work together to bring the vision to life. Those usually end up being my best shoots.
Q: When you do shoots, what is the most exciting part for you?
The most exciting part of a shoot is seeing the clients excitement for the photos. I don’t just take pictures; I capture moments. I always want to do that to the best of my ability for my clients, and I love when I’ve been able to achieve that.
Q: What is your vision for Don Hansen Visuals?
My vision for Don Hansen Visuals is to eventually be a major all-around visual media company. I think one of the biggest things that creatives struggle with is the business aspect of things. I want to find a way to bridge the gap between business and creative in order to build a major company.
Q: What do you wish you had known before you got started in the photography game?
I wish I would have known how tough it is to put a price on your work. I love what I do and sometimes I wish someone else could handle the business aspect, and I could just come and shoot, but it’s not that simple. I’ve learned that you just have to know your worth and be bold enough to stand by what you feel you deserve.
Q: in your wildest dreams, who would you like to work with?
I would love to work with Diddy. He is my role model! I look up to him because he came from nothing, and now he is a mogul. He inspires me to chase after my goals and dream big!
Q: What’s been the biggest hurdle for you in building your brand?
I think one of the biggest hurdles I’ve dealt with is not always having the resources that I would like to have to accomplish the visions in my head. I always tell people photography is like 20-30 percent natural talent and about 70-80 percent technical know-how. That’s why it’s so important to invest in yourself and get creative when you may not have access to certain resources.
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