Today we’d like to introduce you to Dwayne Tucker.
Dwayne, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Take a jog with me to be updated on “The Story of Photographer Dwayne Tucker”.
For the past 18 / 19 years, I’ve had a camera in my hand developing as a Photographer. I’m happy the love for photography grew before the days that were in today…. where everybody and their grandmother is a Photographer.
When we were much younger, in Bahamas (where I’m from), my best friend showed me a point and shoot digital camera his father bought. Around that time, we took images search engines and used those to learn techniques in Photoshop. I knew I had to get a Digital Camera. I saved up enough money from work I did as a pre-teen / teen and bought one. At the time the Popular Photo Sharing platform was MSN-Groups. I’d take photographs of my friends around school and load them to the internet where people would download the photographs. I found more and more people would ask me to share the link to the Photographs and that loved that people love the images that I captured of them. Reflecting on then to know, I analyze a great part of this candid style of photograph is the energy shared between the subject and photographer.
Alike all things that become popular the schooled banned the use of personal digital cameras during school hours. I knew the way to get around this would be to join the yearbook club because I saw other kids at school still taking pictures, “for yearbook.” So, I did what any early photo-addict (photography lover for better terms) would have done; I joined the yearbook club (while being the Captain of the Basketball & Track Team), and ended up eventually being the President of the Yearbook Club. All so that I could continue to shoot…. damn I love it.
11th Grade / Year 11 / my JR year of High-school is the way I think you refer to it, SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) visited my high-school to make a presentation. To save a story that could be a story in its own, I’ll shorten by sharing, the rep pitched about Advertising Design, my eye took to communicating with visuals and I ended up going to the school for Advertising. It was there as an elective I took my first every Photography class. It was clear that I had some knowledge of making an image but to be fair, it was in that class that learn the power of Composition and other things that help blend the sense of what make a photograph a good photograph.
Somewhere around this time Period, a gentleman by name of Scott Kelby helped shaped my love for Photography more than he probably knows. See Scott was / is, the original. “Photoshop-Guy”. I would watch their online videos and learn more stuff, him being a Photographer I learned tips from him there as well.
This is where it gets wild. While reading his blog to learn, three weeks of commenting, I wanted him to know I frequent as often as I did. So, I left a signature within the comments as, “Dwayne Tucker | Nassau, Bahamas”.
Scott is the real deal, he reached out we met up in Bahamas and seeing somebody I admired for the work they did…somebody with great importance to the industry reach out to me and show love years and years after made me believe that if I really pushed I could get somewhere and that’s what happened. (Thanks Scott!)
Please know that I’m condensing this story……
Somewhere in the mix, thanks to the internet and the ability to share photographs my name got around as a Photographer….I remember returning to the Island and everybody I mean everybody in our circle (even outside of) would say he Photographer…or some people would say, “Hey, what’s up Dwayne Tucker for DwayneTucker.com).
So many have happened over the years I could seriously write you a book. I got a chance to photograph some really cool people, and for some rad ass companies.
Today, I operate a private Photography practice for a handful of clients for whom I shoot annual projects for…I always dreamed of doing the shit that I do then after many late nights a chunk of those things happened and I still have a ton more to accomplish…dreams come through man.
I should have said this in the start by my name is Photographer Dwayne Tucker and I operate as a Commercial Lifestyle and Advertising Photographer. For my personal Photography, I shoot what I’m passionate about, and that’s Street Photography / Candid Photography, mostly in Black and White. I also Photograph a lot of women to show them that they are beautiful.
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?
Not as smooth road. Let’s put it like this, the lens that I have my eyes on cost $11,200.00 and I get really lucky / hustle towards getting those types of shit. It wasn’t an easy road because professional Photography is expensive and take a lot of time to really get good at it…. but I think that’s with any industry. Life isn’t really a smooth road but you gotta dodge those potholes and travel on your journey…that’s if you want to get anywhere. So, I do just that.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business is a private photography practice. I do the things that my client need to help them increase their leads by making strong visuals in campaigns that will communicate messages and make them look good. I’m known for quality work. Sets me apart? I can’t answer this myself but having to I’d say I’ve invested so much of my life into this hustle I’m really the real deal with the camera in hand…. without as well. 🙂
What were you like growing up?
My father passed when I was 11 years old so I grew up pretty fast because I had to. I always wanted to be the guy that I am today….well part of it because the other part I’m still working toward….I don’t know how to answer this question….some say that I’m too serious of a guy when it comes to work but I do enjoy myself when I do….I’m just living this story hoping to make three decades and then become some great photographer that existed or some shit like that. I want to be a legend from what I did with the camera in hand…I will be. I hope.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.photography.dwaynetucker.com
- Phone: 513-239-7214
- Email: dwayne@dwaynetucker.com
- Instagram: @DwayneTucker
- Twitter: @DwayneTucker
Image Credit:
Dwayne Tucker
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