We were lucky to catch up with Brandon Ballard recently and have shared our conversation below.

Brandon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

I would love to say that entrepreneurship was a choice, but it honestly felt like the only option for me. Growing up I did not do so well academically when it mattered the most, and occasionally that stuck with me. I attended Howard University in the fall of 2011 and did not complete my time there, as I joined the Army to help with tuition costs. Upon returning home from basic training and withdrawing from school, I explored a host of customer service oriented jobs which were always perfect for me, being that service to others was my natural gift. The first time I laid eyes on a camera was while I was working as a computer salesman at Best Buy in 2012/2013. The last employer I had was from 2015-2017, working in the casino industry where I was able to grow from being a security guard to a human resources professional to a vip concierge (marketing) in a matter of 2 years. My commitment to people and creating positive experiences is what stood out to those in charge. I always had a love for people and I was committed to finding the best ways to serve others. During my last position there, I found myself at a crossroad feeling like my destiny did not align with my potential career in the casino industry and began to find my “way out.” I would spend countless shifts researching entrepreneurship, how to start a business and anything related to the topic. A loyal friend of mine, Michael Pittman Jr. was in seed stage with a creative non profit he wanted to develop to serve kids in Philadelphia, and asked me to take on the role as marketing director. Through endless ideation and execution, I learned about event curation and marketing, community engagement, drafting proposals for partners and a load of things that have helped me with my business today. I also began to take my own craft more seriously, which at the time I was only a hobbyist with the camera. I owe a lot to Nehemiah Davis and the Circle of Greatness network that was started in West Philadelphia, as that community served as a spring board for me while building my company. I was surrounded by aspiring and established business owners who would help me understand that I could add value to each person in the room. The equation always made sense to me. I spent $135 on my logo and the name actually came from my community always telling me things like, “Brandon you capture everything” or “Brandon captures the craziest angles.” I went to about 3-4 networking events, now knowing how to communicate what I do, and by the 4th one, I was a welcomed presence in the creative community of Philadelphia. I got my first real “exposure” when I had an opportunity to work with Radio One and they loved me instantly. I became a frequent visitor to the station’s HQ and a consistent photographer for major events like the Be Expo, where I took photos of talent such as Remy Ma, Wallo 267 and Allen Iverson, while also receiving my first publication feature on all their digital platforms. Events and clients like that really helped me understand how I needed to deliver in ways that other photographers were not delivering. I led with allowing my personality to merge with the business experience and deliver unmatched services to a wide range of business owners and solo entrepreneurs. Early in my career I focused heavily on the community advocacy side of my business and would host free photography lessons for youth and adults in various parts of Philadelphia. Those classes led to me being hired as an after school photography teacher for a year by a high school in the neighborhood I grew up in. Every year I am learning how to add more value to those that I serve, and I am developing my business intelligence by working in a variety of rooms. I’ve had hard times while learning how to navigate through communities and find the clientele that will help you sustain. When payments were late, or I had no leads I still committed my energy to figuring out what I could do with the gift I had been given. One of my biggest lessons of believing in yourself came when I got an opportunity to work for PECO, while at the same time, I had no funds for my phone bill and no gas in my car. I did not allow those circumstances to stop me from stepping up for an opportunity that would require me to show up and deliver. Times like that, fortified my resilience and helped me remain prepared to pivot and adapt with whatever is going on. During the pandemic in 2021, I developed online coursework relative to the craft to connect with those that needed it, when the digital space was all that we had. I was also able to create opportunities via travel, such as flying to Texas to work with The Dallas Black Chamber and leading a production house as a creative director in Atlanta with Women in Media Global. More recent travel opportunities have looked like me flying to Indianapolis to capture a multi-day conference for Frost Brown Todd and taking a 16-hour train ride to Atlanta to capture Earn Your Leisure’s Invest Fest 2024. 14 years of practice with 7 years in as a full-time photographer and I have passed my six-figure mark, worked with clients all around the country and now have law firms and a host of agencies on retainer to help sustain my lifestyle, being a husband and father of 2 children. For the majority of my journey, my business has run on word of mouth, as I am always being referred to new clients. I have focused primarily on providing a personable experience for each of my clients in order for them to feel at ease before, during and after we are working together. My intention is to use my craft and relationships to help create more access for aspiring/seasoned photographers. Some of my current clients include The Philadelphia Business Journal, KYW, Please Touch Musuem, City Winery, Youth Build Philly, Big Picture Alliance, HopeWorks, CHOP, Welcome America Inc., Concilio, Rutgers, UPenn, Drexel, The Goddard School, Joanna Mcclinton, and the top business school in the world, Wharton. My work has been published in The Huffington Post, The Philadelphia Business Journal, The Philadelphia Citizen, The Inquirer, RNB Philly, Philly Metro and a host of other digital platforms.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Brandon C. Ballard and I was raised in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia. Growing up, I always had an interest in the arts, as I wanted to act, sing, dance and potentially do comedy. I did not truly immerse myself in any of the practices, as opposed to just keeping those talents to myself and sharing with my close personal circle. I attended George Washington Carver high school of engineering & science (HSES) when I really needed to be at CAPA. With a low amount of stimulation in the arts, I battled understanding what my purpose was. I struggled academically and almost fell under thinking that I would not have a true direction in life. I graduated from high school after some much needed tutoring and summer school, and was able to get myself a 1500 on the SAT. It was not until my time at Howard University in 2011 that I discovered I had a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit while organizing events around campus with friends. I did not complete my time at the University due to tuition costs, but decided to join the military to potentially help. After a few years in the service, I returned home to Philadelphia to find my purpose through a variety of jobs that would be stepping stones to my full time career. Every position I held was customer service oriented and focused on providing experiences for people and I took that responsibility seriously. In 2015, I was hired my SugarHouse Casino and little did I know, that would be my last job ever. I spent 2 years committed to making the casino a better place and that service drove me right into wanting to aid my community with my talents and gifts. I participated in community initiatives like feeding the homeless, food and clothing drives and helped others create experiences for the youth in underserved communities. While seeing what I was capable of on the outside, I battled with my commitment to my full time day job. By 2017, I was one foot in with the other foot out, but I did not feel like the casino industry could offer what I wanted out of life. I could not focus on making people happy in an environment that sometimes ruins lives and leaves people hopeless. I decided to leave and pursue my own venture, where I could make the decisions on how people see me, how they feel when meeting me and how they were left feeling afterwards. Photography was a craft I enjoyed practicing, but not everyday nor like how others were traditionally practicing. I did not like taking my camera everywhere, or on the bus/train, to the park, etc. I always loved capturing people, while they are being their natural selves; something that mainly happens at events. I immediately fell in love with event photography while attending networking events in Philly and started to get booked my the top event planners in the city. I would capture everything from workshops to community days to job fairs to galas to baby showers to press conferences to conventions. My goal was to get as much work needed to get my name out there and establish myself as a leading event photographer. Clients like Radio One, KYW and iHeartMedia helped my early trajectory, as I would capture plenty entertainment events happening in and around the city. I’ve captured content for Megan Thee Station, Young Chris and Bri Steves while coming up via working with the radio stations. I also shot Big Scott’s 11th Annual All White Party on a boat before I even knew how to use a professional flash. I’ve been blessed to cover back to back fashion shows for Milano Di Rouge, and a few years doing Diner En Blanc. I continued to learn how to add value to clients regardless of their current position as a business and that has always helped me stand out. Business owners feel like they have a friend that understands what they are doing and why, and that is all based on intentional choices I make as a creative service provider. Creating comfort zones for people is a specialty and something I enjoy doing, so it helps when I need to calm someone’s find before a shoot or gather and control a large group at a wedding or business conference. I am most proud of the fact that no matter what stakes were set against me, I never let go of the camera or the belief that the camera could help pull me back up. Moving into 2025, I am a husband to my lovely wife, Akua and a father of 2 beautiful children, Kadence and Kassius. I want my business to be the thing that allows us to live the lifestyle we desire living, and to allow my kids to have breathing space when it comes their time to get serious about life. I want my future clients to know that getting the visuals you need for your personal or professional brand does not have to be a daunting process, or something to put off until others are light years ahead with the content. I am here to serve my community, my family and the world, as long as there is breath in my lungs.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal that really drives my creative journey is getting myself to a place where access and connections are not just that, but vital components to the success I am able to share with others and the resources I have available for my family to always be taken care of. The mission is and has always been to use what I can, from what I can create to build the lifestyle I want to see for myself and my family, while aiding others in their journey as well.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being a full time creative is being able to pick and choose how my schedule flows, owning the good and the bad and ultimately making the decisions on business vs. vacation when I choose to do so. Nobody can give you all of those things and not take something major from you at the same time.

Contact Info:

• Website: HTTP://thebrandbuffers.mypixieset.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suavesoldier?igsh=N2E1NDBhNmQ2djI%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ballardcbrandon?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncballard?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/_brandoncaptures_?igsh=Nm96aHdqb2QzOHYy&utm_source=qr