Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Cunningham.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Brandon. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
While in junior high school, I took a black and white photography class and quickly learned the art of film, dark room processing and was instantly hooked. But as adulthood settled in and my family responsibilities expanded, I lost sight of this excitement and let my passion fade. My wife had watched my passion come and go as I photographed our expanding family and trips, and I had progressed through a few digital cameras and kit lenses. She recognized my talent exceeded my equipment and as a Christmas gift, I received a professional set up and have not looked back since.
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?
Any artist shares the peaks and valleys of their craft and photography is not immune to these fluctuations, but for me, this what makes me thirsty for continued learning and improvement. The most common question I am asked is, “what kind of photographer are you?” and for a long time, my answer depended on the situation – lifestyle, landscape, portraits – and it took real courage to say that none of these spark my passion and creativity. Instead, I prefer to travel to faraway lands and document life as I see it. I do not make money selling my work of poverty, plight, despair and hunger, but I grow richer telling the stories of humankind, love and acceptance.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My photography is story-telling and to do this, I maximize my environment to capture the sights, sounds, smells, feelings, motion, light, beauty through documentary-style photography. My work is not staged, produced with a crew or model-driven, rather I set out for the day in search of a human connection. We have more in common than ever believed and with a smile, handshake, I can engage in a non-verbal communication exchange. I believe this is what sets me apart from others and allows me to bring my uniqueness to the photography community. A proud moment for me was the cover of Digital Photo Pro magazine published in March/April 2018. Seeing my image on the shelves of Barnes and Noble was a surreal experience. But I am most proud of my recent hire to document the building of an all-girl school in Kenya. Thank you, Msomi Academy for Girls.
What were you like growing up?
My mom would tell you that I was a rambunctious, outspoken boy who challenged authority in every which way. I attribute these behaviors to the loss of my father at the age of 10, which I did not understand at the moment to be the cause of my frustrations. I was raised with an older sister who could do no wrong and in reality, she was just a lot better and hiding her mischievous actions! Suppose it is fair to say that I have always been a people person and never afraid to strike a conversation with a bystander.
Pricing:
- Documentary/Story Telling Photography: Travel expenses and $100 per day
Contact Info:
- Phone: 623-261-6738
- Email: snapjudgementphoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/snapjudgementphoto
- Facebook: facebook.com/snapjudgementphoto
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
