Meet Brandon Michel | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandon Michel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandon, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
So this is kind of a two-part answer. When our cat Violet passed away last year unexpectedly, we realized that we had hardly any photos of her other than the ones we’d taken on our phones. Even though those photos are some of our favorites, we didn’t have any professional-looking photos of her and it made us realize how important it is to document our pets’ lives as much as possible. Anything could happen at any point and we need as many things as we can get to remember them by.

The other answer is I love to capture moments of happiness & pure joy in photos. Some of my favorite photos I’ve taken of people have been candids of them just living in the moment. I think those moments are the ones people remember the most and I really love being a part of that. Ultimately, I wanna make people feel good about themselves and give them reminders of moments they’ll remember forever.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been taking photos since 2017 or so, but I’ve been doing it “professionally” since last October. I try not to be just one kind of photographer. I shoot photos of bands, newborns, pets, couples, candid moments, small events, and just about anyone who wants their photo taken.

One thing that I think sets me apart from others is my love, or my willingness to take photos of some of the sadder & more personal moments that some people might not typically be comfortable sharing with a stranger. I’ve done a couple of shoots now with pets who were on their way over the rainbow bridge, and I feel like photos of those moments are some of the most important ones to have. It’s not easy for anyone to be in that position, but the fact that people allow me to be a part of such a special and personal thing makes this whole photo thing worth its weight in gold. Another thing I feel sets me apart are my rates and how I do things. I don’t require deposits because I don’t want anyone feeling obligated to our shoot. I charge what I charge because I’m not trying to maximize the amount of money I can make from a shoot; I’m trying to maximize the amount of memories or great photos that you’re able to take away from our shoots.

One of the things I’m most proud of is that most of the people I’ve worked with, and continue to work with, have been women and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community. The fact that people feel safe and welcomed with me is a great feeling that I don’t take for granted. There’s a lot of sketchy photographers out there and no matter who I’m working with, I always provide a safe space free of any sort of negativity, bigotry, or bad vibes.

One of the hardest things of pursuing photography as a business is probably dealing with anxiety, ADHD, and that pesky imposter syndrome. I’ve always felt weird calling myself a “photographer” because it sounded so professional, and I didn’t feel good enough. But I’ve slowly been embracing it and realizing, “Hey, maybe I’m not so bad at this after all!”. It’s still crazy to me that people want me to take their photos. Like, they go out of their way to contact me! It’s insane! As for the ADHD, I look to my good old friend Ritalin.

As far as lessons learned, I learned early on not to compare myself to other photographers and to remember that there’s no right or wrong way to be a photographer. I hate sounding cliché, but another thing I learned is that it doesn’t matter what camera or gear you’re using, it’s about how you use it. I shot on a very old Nikon D80 for years before I got my first “good” camera, and I used a kit lens for a couple of years before I got a good lens. Another thing I learned is to buy a good lens before you get a better camera, sometimes it’s not the camera or your skills, but a sub-par lens! Overall, continuing my journey of learning photography has become the exciting part. I don’t feel as if I need to be “good” right away, because I know that with practice and time, I will always continue to grow into the photographer I want to be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The first place I would take them would be Crescent Ballroom. It’s my favorite venue in AZ. They literally have everything you could want; amazing food, amazing drinks, and they book some of the best bands. Another spot I would have to take them to is Gracie’s for a Chopped Cheese and some of the best tots in the world. Their happy hour also rules. I’d also take them to Ziggy’s for pizza, Los Taquitos for the best veggie burritos & margaritas, Sedona for some nature stuff, and Zia Records for just about anything else. There’s way too many things to do & places to see in a week!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friends Uriel & Pat had me shoot their band, Ash Williams, a bunch when I lived in San Diego. I was not a good photographer by any means, but they still let me tag along for some reason and take photos of them. If not for them & the band, I probably wouldn’t love photography as much as I do now.

I wanna shout out all of my friends who have supported my photography by liking, sharing, or just commenting on my photos through social media. It’s really hard trying to stand out as a photographer, but they make me feel like I’m doing okay.

I also have to shout out to Kendra at Bad Copy. She’s helped me shoot some of my favorite bands, and was the first person to really notice my concert photos and give me a platform to write about & share photos from some really awesome shows.

Lastly, I’d be crazy if I didn’t thank my wife for pushing me out of my comfort zone a little bit. I’m a very anxious person at times and I didn’t think anyone would actually hire me to take their photos. Turns out some people do want to! She really pushed me to believe I could make any sort of living out of taking photos, and that I was good enough to do so. And I appreciate the hell out of her for it.

Instagram: @brandonmichelphoto