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

Brandon , appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

A little over 2 years ago, I picked up a camera basically for the first time not knowing anything about it. My first outing was at the Minnesota Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington, MN and I started taking pictures. I had fallen in love with the camera, how it felt in my hands, to press the shutter button, to the excitement of uploading the pictures to my computer, to the finished edited product. I was now obsessed. I started to teach myself about photography. I read books, I watched videos and I did research. I took a one day class at the Minneapolis Photo Center. I met with photography instructor Wayne Moran for a handful of 1 on 1 tutorials. I then was on a mission to take my photography to bigger and better places.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello Canvas Rebel readers, My name is Brandon Lenzmeier. I am a Minneapolis based photographer. A couple years ago I made a change in my life and wanted to focus all of my creative energy to the photography field. I have always had passion for music as well and have now combined that love for music with my love for photography. The first show I ever shot was Annie and the Bang Bang at the Driftwood Char Bar in South Minneapolis. Kari Tweiten McDonald is the bass player for ABB and a good friend of mine so she hooked me up with the opportunity. A couple months later I made my way to the Mid West Music Fest in Winona, MN and of course brought along my camera to capture all the music. That is where I met the amazing Mae Simpson and my life began to change as I am now the band’s photographer. Mae’s decision to accept me, challenge me, and introduce me to other musicians has helped pave the way for new and exciting adventures in my life. Not only do I get to ride along with the band and photograph all of the Mae Simpson shows, I now photograph bands like the Gully Boys, The Foxgloves, Maygen and the Birdwatcher, in venues all over the city.
In February of 2023 I responded to an Instagram post from Minneapolis Lens, a brand new local music publication that was looking for photographers and was brought on as a team member. Through them I have been able to photograph national touring acts such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bully, M83, Stephen Sanchez, Tesla, and Nickel Creek at venues like the Armory, First Avenue and the Palace Theater. It has been an amazing experience thus far and the publication just celebrated their 1 year anniversary.

However, music isn’t the only area I practice photography. I have been working to expand my art to shooting portraits. Senior Portraits, Family portraits, Band portraits, and Headshots. I really love being able to provide visuals for clients to use on their websites, graduation announcements, and Christmas cards or however they plan to use the photos. I feel I provide a calm, playful experience for my clients. I realize that getting your picture taken may be awkward for some folks. I like to let my clients lead a little bit of the shoot and put them in situations where they can have fun with the experience all the while providing great candid moments.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Early on in 2023 I made the decision to leave my career as Chef to focus more on photography. I previously had been working in the culinary industry as a chef for over 25 years. It had begun to take a toll on me mentally and physically and I realized I no longer had the passion and drive for the art and creativity of cooking. The universe had been pushing me in another direction and I decided to take the risk and make a change. Almost a year later I am very happy with my decision. There are definitely ups and downs and stresses involved trying to essentially start over. But the rewards I have felt in mental health and happiness have been through the roof.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It took awhile at first and to be honest I still work through it but having confidence and being secure in your work and presenting it to others is no easy task. It is very easy to get inside your hide and want to compare your work to others. I would second guess myself and would be timid to post my work or send my images to my clients. I have learned to just be you. Be yourself. Be proud of yourself and the work you are doing. Sure one project or image might not be your best but maybe your next one will be. You have to just keep working and learning. So the most rewarding aspect to me is to see my growth. To be able to pass along photos to others and to see their enjoyment with them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brandonlenzmeier.com
• Instagram: photography_by_brandon_michael
• Facebook: photography by brandon michael

Image Credits
Brandon Lenzmeier