Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dwayne Byrd . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dwayne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope my legacy will be built on transparency and creativity. I always aim to be as transparent as possible about my journey and the series of events that led me to my successes, the good and the bad. As easy as it is to create this social media persona of my work always being fun and easy, I make sure to talk about my faults and the work that goes on behind closed doors, we’re all human and I would hate to discourage someone because of the way things look on social media. I always preach that everyones journey is different and although school is great, there’s many ways to gain knowledge; you don’t have to go the traditional route to be educated whilst being great at something. I hope people remember me for my journey and transparency.

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.

A quick summary about me and my craft, I go by Cozy; I’m twenty-one years old and currently reside in Oak Park, Michigan. I picked up my first my camera as a junior in high school. I was very passionate about football at the time, but happened to pull three ligaments in my ankle, which basically benched my for the rest of my high school career. I fueled my new passion of photography by shooting sporting events, and from there opportunities grew. I am currently a photo-videographer, I also provide image consulting to my clients, with a goal of bringing creative visions to life. I am most proud of how knowledgeable I’ve become about old school cameras and film, utilizing tools that are older than me. I’m also proud that I’ve made/making a way for myself whilst thinking outside of the box and not doing what’s deemed normal.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Networking, it truly can allow one to gain so many opportunities. Being a good listener is just as important as sharing your story, when I walk into rooms I try to gain as much knowledge as possible; this can be done by hanging around wiser crowds, those who are “veterans” in your field. These resources/tools are instilled in me, but I have definitely worked on them and have realized how much of a necessity they are in my creative journey.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I have always been consistent with my work; even though I might become discouraged or even bored, I know that if I continue to work and explore my craft it will fuel my fire, this has helped me grow an audience on social media. I also believe in myself and make sure to keep genuine people who also believe in my craft close by. Be confident in your work, why would people believe in your craft if you don’t believe in it yourself? Be sure to maintain the reputation of your choosing in real life as well, hence social media not being everything. Communicate and listen to others with similar passions, social media is great for this, you have a plethora of users to gain/share knowledge with. Always remember there is enough for everyone to win and everyone is bound to be on their own path.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cozydvd.film
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozysantanaa/
• Twitter: https://x.com/CozySantana
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cozydvd