We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kenneth Hines Jr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kenneth, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
I’ve shared this story quite often in my career, because without it I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today. The kindest thing ever done for me was when my 12th grade high school economics teacher, Patricia Roberts from Columbia High School in Decatur, Georgia blessed me by investing in me to start my own business in photography.
With certainty I assumed I would have a life and career in the computer/technology world or among the sciences, as meteorology and physics were my passion back then. Photography? It was never a consideration!
Somehow this woman saw something I didn’t and I trusted her. I had quite a few teachers over the years that saw something in me and made sure I never failed. Not failing their classes, but not failing in life, such as my 9th grade ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Robert Head and 6th grade physical science teacher, Philippi Snow. Ms. Roberts would be one of the final teachers I would have in high school and would be the one who gifted me the best gift a graduating student could ever have. How our relationship grew is from many among our class not having a care for her class and what she was teaching, but I was receptive to everything she had to teach. She not only taught the curriculum for the class, but also taught us important life values and shared how the real world was and hoped we would take what she was telling us! Not everyone did that, but I did. She noticed how interested I was to where she took it upon herself to always stay updated on how I was doing both in her class and outside of it.
She saw me taking photos throughout school, of various events or of my friends and thought this should be something I pursue. At the time I thought what? What made you think I should do this? I didn’t even really understand that people even did that as a career! It was something never imagined for me! She invested her own money for me to start my company, which was Dynamic Vision Photography & Design at the time combining two choir names together (Dynamic Praise from Huntsville and Richard Smallwood’s choir, Vision), because of my love for music and worship and wanting to have that be a part of my business!
Upon graduating and going off to college I thought I would just let it die, never doing anything with it. To my surprise during my second semester in college I purchased my first DSLR camera and began photographing on campus. In my first year of deciding to do this I made a lot of wonderful connections, with led me to having the opportunity to work with many celebrities and organizations to where I’m still here today doing what she saw me enjoying about 14 years ago! I honestly can’t believe that I can look back and see my work featured on television, in magazines, among store windows, software programs and even in Times Square in New York City! I knew I loved taking photos, but I never knew that’s what my life was meant for and without Ms. Roberts I wouldn’t have ever known that, so I’m forever grateful for her. I’m truly blessed by so many who’ve helped me in my life, presenting opportunities, showing me new experiences to open me to more of what the world has, but to be shown a path to the future for what my life should follow was something I wouldn’t be on without her.
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 am commonly known online as Professor Hines. I am a Public Speaker and Multi-Discipline Photographer, meaning I do not specialize in a specific genre of photography and photograph everything, from Weddings (retired in 2021 however) to Fashion, to Landscapes and Street photography. I am also a public speaker and teacher of photography, through my community and various companies I partner with. I am based in Atlanta and New York City and also an Ambassador for ZEISS Camera Lenses, SIRUI Imaging and Haida Filters and formerly with Sony Electronics (2017-2019). I’m an Adobe MAX speaker, author and instructor in partnership with the Lightroom team.
At the time of this article, I have been photographing professionally for 14 years and a total of 22 years (gosh, time is flying!). Most people typically recognize me for my Street photography and being an artist that is always available to help other creatives online through my Instagram and YouTube channel. My favorite genres in photography presently are Cityscapes and Landscapes. I feel those are my flagships and where people can truly see my full potential as an artist.
Many of my images have appeared all around the world, such as a few of my images appearing in Best Buy stores across the US and Canada (during my time as a Sony Ambassador), on screen in Times Square and tour busses of work photographed and filmed for Madame Tussauds New York to the Adobe Lightroom 2021 software splash screen cover! To know that millions around the world have viewed my work is an absolutely incredible feeling!
Local to Atlanta I was a featured photographer during the Atlanta Design Festival in 2020, in collaboration with Portman Architects (designers of the famed Marriott Marquis and Hyatt Regency Hotels in downtown Atlanta). My style is very distinct and my love for what I do I feel is what sets me apart from others. I am always challenging myself to improve what I do. People enjoy my work and what I produce now, but I never settle and always look to what is next for me to do in my life. My passion for what I do, combined with the importance of worship and ministry I feel is what allows my images to be as impactful as they are. I do not feel I am doing anything that is significantly different from other artists, but it seems to resonate with people on my outlook of photography, life and willingness to continuously help others succeed in the arts.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Gosh, this is something I don’t think I’ve ever really talked about before on this level. I purchased my first digital camera on my own, from money I made while working a job with my aunt during high school. It was a Sony Cyber-shot W120 (I never forget my cameras, ha!) and purchased as a graduation gift to myself in May 2008. My first DSLR would be purchased in the same year in December, Sony Alpha 300. I purchased that camera from the saving of my checks from my campus job at college. I truly discovered then why “Everybody Loves Ramen”, ha! I ate a lot of that, but fortunately I had family that loved shopping and sending food, so I was never without food and could afford to put all of my checks to my business. My first DSLR was about $600 or so and it took a lot to purchase but I made it happen! My first year in business I would go on to make a whopping $3,800! That’s it! Hard to believe that’s all I made in a year, but hey I was still a student then so at least it was something I suppose!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
My passion for what I do. Again, I don’t feel I’m doing anything different than the other hundreds of thousands doing the same job, but where I differ is that I lead by passion and thinking about the job is always secondary. I have a true love for what I do and the quality of work I’ve been producing even at an early age has only matured to where it is now and it seems that’s what people and companies enjoy most and why I’m fortunate to work with the people and companies that I do!
It’s amazing to read or hear that people can tell my work without ever seeing the name on it! I’ve placed a lot onto having consistency in my work, regardless of what it may be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.professorhines.com
- Instagram: @professorhines
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/professorhineschoice