We recently connected with B. Towner and have shared our conversation below.

Hi B., thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

To reach an unimaginable level of success, I feel you have to be a less prideful individual with the understanding that mistakes and errors, whether it be minor or catastrophic, are all apart of the process. One has to accept that no matter the outcome and end result of any project, there is always a lesson to be learned. You basically have to have the faith to bet on yourself, no matter the cost while disregarding the opinions of others along with the determination and discipline to finish strong every single time you apply your efforts even at times when you have the foresight that you’re more than likely going to fail. Once you fully possess the precise level of clarity to know exactly what you want and you have a strong “WHY” which goes well beyond the primary focus of monetary gain, then I feel like your level of confidence takes off and reaches a peak which makes it easier to completely ignore and not be affected by the pessimistic thoughts of others and builds up a much stronger armor of relentless grit to maintain your focus to achieve whatever goal it is that you’re aiming for. Once you reach that level, the late nights and early mornings, the good the bad and the ugly, the expected and the unexpected all becomes apart of the routine process. You just have to learn to become more resourceful when faced with any challenge and know that there’s always more than one way to complete any desired task. You just can’t give up so easy.

B., before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Brandon and I’m originally from Mobile, Alabama. Art has always played a major role in my life. I started out drawing when I was younger and I would continue to draw throughout my teenage years. I never really cared much for the core academic subjects in grade school unless it was Language Arts or History. After I graduated from high school, I attended college with the intention to pursue a career as a Graphic Designer but dropped out of the program after a couple of years and decided to take a break from school. After having second thoughts about returning to the program, I decided to join the Navy instead. Once I completed my basic training, I received orders to San Diego and I’ve been out here every since. Although my primary obligation was to serve my country, I never stop learning and growing as an artist. Even during times when it became quite challenging due to the demands of the Navy and the traditional military lifestyle that comes along with it, I always made it a priority to challenge myself to become a better artist. I even tried to go back to college to pursue an art career while being fully invested in my military career at one point but wasn’t successful. I later stumbled upon photography due to the flexibility of my work schedule during the beginning of the covid pandemic crisis. I decided to buy a camera only for the sole purpose to take photographs that I could utilize for my freelance graphic design projects but little did I know, that was only the beginning of me cultivating a profession that I never had any intention that I would ever embark on. Three years later, I’m a multi-published photographer who’s shot almost everything from maternity themed photoshoots to clothing apparel branding photoshoots. Although my primary photography niche is Lifestyle Portrait Photography, I have a wide range of experience and offer services including street fashion photography, event photography and real estate photography. The art of photography for me has really become something special. I look at it as a way to express myself while embracing the uniqueness of other people, places, and cultures. It’s like showing others how I view the world though my lens from my perspective. We can all take pictures of the same subject but we’re all going to view the subject differently. The way I see it, we all will have to leave this earth one day. But even when I’m dead and gone, my vision will still exist in the world. In my opinion, the greatest works of art doesn’t have to be explained because they speak for themselves in volumes. The artist doesn’t have to say a word. That’s the standard I feel I have to hold myself accountable to.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I’d say that the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is having the freedom to fully express yourself through whatever medium you choose in the most unapologetic manner. Because art itself is subjective, there’s no right or wrong. There is no particular standard or requirement on how things have to be done in order for someone to be considered an artist. There are plenty of preferred methods and recommendations from scholars and subject matter experts on how one should learn an artistic skill or trade but nothing is mandatory. You can learn from a collegiate level of education or you can be self-taught simply inspired by your own personal interest. I feel like that’s what makes the artistic space such a safe haven and therapeutic place for me and others to exist. For me personally, it’s the one and only place where I can be fully vulnerable and at ease.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I would just say that when I initially started my business, I relied primarily on having a social media presence to network and grow my clientele but later learned from my own personal experiences and through conversation with other creatives, that there are other effective ways to support clientele growth. While on social media, I’d use up to thirty hashtags for every picture that I posted, that way I’d be sure to gain more exposure for my work. People who follow those groups would see my work and later inquire about booking a shoot. Outside of social media though, along with my website, I realized that the only thing that separates myself from another great creative competitor is not only my passion for the craft itself but most importantly my story and experience that led me here . That’s when I came to the understanding that someone can see great work from many photographers like myself but what would make them more inclined to work with me? And that’s when I realized that just showcasing my work alone is not going to be enough. I’m sure I would still eventually receive inquiries from time to time but to establish an ongoing consistent relationship with any client, that starts with building a connection that’s impactful. People want to know the artist behind the work, the inspiration for the work done and etc. This helps people resonate with you and make them more inclined to want to work with you. Even if they don’t resonate completely with you and your story, just the fact that you made a connection with them through a human experience by simply having a conversation increases the chance of them wanting to work with you. I feel like that’s how you maintain longevity and build long lasting relationships with people, whether it be clients or fellow photographers like myself in the same creative community. The more support that’s received from all, the easier it is to establish yourself in a community and the key to that is networking and building relationships.

Contact Info:

• Website: 2030visionmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b_towner_photography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064061563160&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
Brandon Towner, Jazzmine Taylor