We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Darrell Antone a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Darrell, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on and currently work on is the Help-Portrait Day in December.

Help-Portrait is about GIVING the pictures, not taking them. These portraits aren’t for a portfolio, website, or sale. It’s about giving people who otherwise couldn’t afford photography, a chance to capture a moment, a memory…and a whole lot more. Help-Portrait was founded by celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart and Kyle Chowning in 2008.

The mission is to empower photographers and other creatives to use their skills, tools and expertise to give back to their local community. Each December, photographers all around the world will find people in need, take their picture, print their picture and then deliver it—free of charge.

In 2017, I found a big void for opportunities to participate in this cause in the North Dallas area. Eager to get involved but with no active groups nearby, I decided to start Help-Portrait Plano to give creatives and volunteers in this area a chance to serve locally. I recruited other photographers, friends and co-workers and we had an amazing turnout. With the success in 2017 and 2018, the 2019 Help-Portrait Day was held in TWO different locations! The support I have received towards this cause has been amazing. In 2020, in a year like no other, we were still able to help some loving families in a socially distant manner. 2021 was the 5th year anniversary and it was the biggest ever!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in Kansas City, MO and Olathe, KS and currently live in Dallas, TX with my wife Brittany, my son Jaden and my daughter Journee. My passion for photography began after taking traditional film and digital photography classes in high school and college respectively. I love to capture the beauty and uniqueness that I believe everyone possesses.

I am a published photographer known for my portraiture, headshots, commercial, product photography, event photography and leading the Annual Help Portrait Plano event in Plano, TX. My work has been selected in advertising campaigns for Playtex Baby, Mead Johnson, Nestle, Purina, and Real Page. My corporate clients include Amerisure, Hunt Oil, Aegis, the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation and Kept Woman of God Ministries. My biggest honor, however, was becoming a Nikon Z Creator and being named as one of Nikon’s 20 Inspiring Creators in 2020.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Right now it’s been word of mouth and Instagram. I’ve been very fortunate enough to have clients post my work and or recommend me. From there the clients will either contact me on social media or book me via my website – sometimes without even calling first. I also work on making routine adjustments to my SEOs to help with my visibility online. So far it’s been working for me!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When people meet me they don’t realize I actually have a full-time job. I noticed I had to pivot and change how I would run my business around 2018-2019. I began to get more product photography contracts and corporate headshot sessions so those come with deadlines that HAVE to be met. Typically I would work my full time job and then, depending on how I was feeling that day, I would edit photos. Well, not dedicating the time like a full-time photographer would do was not sustainable. I have a family and I always make sure they come first so what usually happens is when everyone is asleep I burn the midnight oil and start to work on my photography business. Editing photos, writing a guide for beginner photographers, creating tutorial videos and creating content – that all had to be done. When I sat down and got serious about the business side of photography everything changed for me. I always say – you may have more of a following than me, you may even be a better photographer than me, but you will NEVER EVER outwork me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.darrellantonephotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darrellantonephotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darrellantonephoto
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DarrellAntone
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbxqn81Qh6g8RNAlkiO5KWA

Image Credits
Darrell Antone Photography