Having a smartphone doesn’t make you a good photographer.

Fifty proudly partners with Dwayne Brown as its photography cohort. Dwayne’s been a corporate/commercial photographer for 35 years and has told visual stories for many sectors including, healthcare, education, culture, technology, professional services, social enterprises and more.

Fifty asked Dwayne to tell us what makes a good brand photographer in 2019. Here’s what he had to say:

The photography business has changed drastically over the years. I once shot film and visited a lab, sometimes several times a day. I’ve developed thousands of rolls of BW film by hand and have spent more time in a darkroom than I can remember.

Now, we shoot everything digitally and move imagery around the world sometimes only moments after the image has been shot. An image was once ‘airbrushed’ by a special artist, now we can finesse a photo on our phone.

Selecting the right photographer these days is harder than ever before, because everyone has a camera and so many people can take a reasonably ‘good’ photo with today’s technology. And though people everywhere are more empowered than ever, I can think of a few tips that help separate amateurs from the pros.

Here they are:

1. Keep the photography honest and authentic. Today’s photography is more about natural light and real people.
2. Let the photography style reflect the client’s brand more than the photographer’s brand.
3. Make sure that the imagery tells a ‘story’. A story that helps to tell the client’s brand story.

Selecting the right photographer these days is harder than ever before, because everyone has a camera and so many people can take a reasonably ‘good’ photo with today’s technology.

Telling an authentic brand story with photography isn’t easy. So, the best photographer needs to be humble and can listen. They also need to have experience to capture imagery quickly and effectively–under a variety of circumstances and time restraints.

Contrary to what many people think, good photography isn’t as easy as taking a shot and slapping on a filter. Good photographers can capture emotion and human moments using external features, not the just the features on their devices.

Ninety-five million photos and videos are shared on Instagram per day. In that same vein, Instagram users ‘like’ 4.2 billion posts on a per day basis as well. A billion hours of video is watched on YouTube daily. At a time where all the tools you need to take a decent photo sit in your pocket, it may be surprising to hear that professional photographers play a more significant role than ever before.

At Dwayne Brown Studio, Dwayne celebrates people, ideas and goals. And while our smartphones may grant people the ability to capture even the most mundane of moments in 4K, it takes a higher skillset to capture human interaction and tell a compelling visual story in a photographic project.

While our smartphones may grant people the ability to capture even the most mundane of moments in 4K, it takes a higher skillset to capture human interaction and tell a compelling visual story in a photographic project.

Fifty is pleased to call Dwayne Brown a partner. He’s a skilled photographer and valuable part of our team. That said, the proof is in the pudding. Take a peek at the Dwayne Brown Studio portfolio and find out for yourself.