Dwayne Tucker's Blog

To start, a special thank you to all of the followers of the Dwayne Tucker’s facebook fan page. Another thank you to the followers of my twitter. You can keep up with me daily from my DailyBooth. It’s a really cool website go and sign up and try it out (I really love the site and no I was not paid to write that.) I take my followers in the personal life of DT. via that site. I’ve met some really cool people from there; it’s 2010 almost 2011 buddy. Read more…

…A quick update / what’s coming next on the blog/But First: I’ve been assisting on set for photographer Joao Carlos on photo shoots here in Miami, Florida. Read more…

The work you show represents you. In your portfolio you should show the type of clients you would like to shoot and the type of work you would like to do. It only makes sense to do this. I have tons of photographs that I would like to put in my portfolio but it doesn’t show me as the photographer I would like my clients to call me for – commercial advertising, lifestyle, portraits and sports photography.

Prior to my photography portfolio being active I posted my photographs in blog post and shared articles about them. I am still going to do so. Posting to my blog allows me to share some photographs that won’t necessarily make it to my portfolio page but I would still love to share them with you.

To make a photography portfolio like this one – I purchase a template and spent a lot of time editing the photographs to fit it and personalized it. I’m not a flash designer and I didn’t see point of sitting down HOURS to create a portfolio like this from scratch. As a photographer I don’t see the point . Unless you are trying to start a flash design company :S

The point is that you want to have something what’s going to represent you and your work. If you aren’t in a position to purchase a flash template or pay a flash designer to make one for you Wix.com is an easy site with some cool shit in there to play around with. Check them out. When I launch DT.’s MERCH I will be using them to make my e-commerce part of the site to sell my photograph tee-shirts etc.

HOW TO USE?

The middle left of the screen of the portfolio page you are going to see a menu button. I’m deciding if to just have the menu stay out as seen in the snap shot above. Looking through the code to figure out how.  Over the summer you will see photographs and maybe even some video, constantly being added to my photograph portfolio. I think the zoom feature on this portfolio is cool but unsure it if to keep it if it’s gonna give me faster loading time. What do you think?

In the menu bar there are different collections of photographs for you to look at. Enjoy them and hopefully my hustle helps you keep your hustle on!

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Dwayne Tucker on YouTube: 242dt

I’m a photographer and my online presence is growing. Everyday I interact with other creative people (usually people loving photography) on the Internet. I am human and some people are interested in the personal side of the person behind the photographs.

On social working networking sites and here on the blog I often get the same questions.

One of my followers sent me a link of “Questions to ask someone, to get to know people well.“

I’m going to be answering 20 random questions like this, weekly, for you to get to know your favorite hustling photographer better.

Keeping Up With Mr. DwayneTucker.com

Q. If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do?

A.Spend the rest of my time with my mother.

Q.Are you good at climbing trees?

A.Somewhat.

Q.If the whole world were listening, what would you say?

A. Life. Love. Laugh. Photograph.

Q.Are you good at computer games?

A. I don’t play them very often; I loved Helicopter in high-school.

Q. If one song were to describe your life, what song would it be?

A. At this moment it would be – Shwayze’s Romain (Mainly for Cisco Adler’s intro)

Q.Are you good at making people smile?

A.Yes I love to make sure that everyone around me is always happy.

Q.If you could be a bird, what would you choose to be?

A. Harpy Eagle

Q. Are you good at imitating others?

A. lol I’m not sure.

Q. Are you good at making new friends?

A. Yes; I love talking with new people.

Q.Where did you grow up?

A. I’m from the 242!! (Shout out to Daddy Whites!) I grew up in Nassau, Bahamas

Q. How long have you lived here?

A.In Miami, Florida about two years so far.

Q. Do you like your independence or do you want to have the big wedding, wife, puppy and kids?

A. Right now I want a D3’s; haha not thinking about that other question any time soon.

Q. How do you wish your life turned out?

A. As a person who loved photography and shared with millions.

Q.What is the silliest prank you ever played on someone?

A. Called my buddies acted as the census people telling them that I’m coming to their homes because they didn’t fill out the form. LOL good times.

Q. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be and how long would it take you to spend the $10,000?

A. There goes my Nikon D3’s in one check.

Q. If money were not an object, what would you do with your life?

A.The same thing I do everyday. Hustle hard with my photography.

Q. What is the weirdest thing you will ever admit to having done in the past?

A. Not sure of anything.

Q. What song best describes you when you first wake up in the morning?

A.Turn my Swag on by Soulja Boy Tell Em

Q. What place in the US would you most like to visit? Why?

A. Hawaii. Because I was thinking it then I asked @runkelly where she wanted to go and she said the same thing.

Q. What place outside of the US would you most like to visit? Why?

A. Romania. All of the females I’ve met from there are nice and amazingly beautiful!

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A good form of inspiration for me to improve as a photographer is to look at my old work.

My last three hours was spent looking at old photographs. I was browsing around on an older storage hard-drive and found photos from practice sessions I forgot I photographed. One thing I’m pissed about is back then I only shot JPG and I’m wishing the shots were RAW.

Before I continue…

I forgot what JPG stood for so I Googled it. JPG stands for Joint Photographic Group and JPEG stands for, Joint Photographic Experts Group. Thought you might want to keep a mental note of that because you see JPGs everyday. RAW doesn’t have a meaning other than it being unprocessed / raw data. The benefit of shooting RAW is that there are more options editing in post production.

The trip down memory lane brought happiness and helped me see improvements with my photography. I saw improvements with: Compositions, lighting, editing and becoming a sharper shooter to capture moments etc.

Only thing I can do from here on is to continue pushing harder. Pushing harder to get better and further with my love; you better believe I’m doing it!

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Follow Dwayne Tucker on Twitter of His Updates: Click Here

I appreciate the love I’m getting out there; thank you all! I’m a 21 year old photographer, I’ve been developing skills to improve my talent and I’ve been putting them into the practice of my passion for about eight years now. Along with that I’ve been sharing my love for photography with the community via this blog. I post stories of my photo shoots to share my experiences and I post interesting things I find out there on the Internet for us creatives.

Within the last few moths I’ve received many kind messages from people that find my work interesting. Those people are new to the blog, people I’ve meet randomly and new clients. I’m asked the same questions so I decided to write this article of the top five frequent questions that I am asked.

Q: How did you get into photography?

A: I started photography in high-school. I found out how much I really loved it after I saved up enough money to buy me a point and shoot camera. Lunch times at school I used to photograph my friends just to keep the memories. When I got home after school I used to upload the photos to one of those MSNGroups. People from school would look at them their and download, so I kept doing so. In my CR. year I became president of the schools yearbook club. Being a part of the yearbook club I shot some school events and after school sports etc. I went to the Savannah College of Art and Design after that and my professor Timothy Keating taught me that I can dive deeper into photography.

Q: What type of camera do you shoot and what type of camera should I buy?

A: Right now I’m shooting the Nikon D300’s. I’ve shot the Nikon D3’s as well it’s a great camera. When I’ve saved up enough for it or the Nikon D700 / get the clients to pay for the cameras I will invest then keep advancing my way to becoming a master of the Hasselblad . If you’re just starting out with photography and you’re sure this is something you want to stick with, then I recommend getting your hands on the Nikon D90 and starting from there. If you want to get some good shots to save etc. just a camera to practice with the Nikon D3000 is a good one. I’m NOT paid by Nikon to say that, as yet! I admit yes I’m a Nikon guy.

Q: Did you go to school for photography / do you recommend going to school for photography?

A: No. I went to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and Miami International University of Art and Design to study advertising design. At SCAD I did a course of photography that helped as well. I believe if you want something bad enough the thing is to pushing hard and keep pushing hard until you get it. When I started out I used to take a bunch of photos and touch them up after I watch Photoshop User Tv or a tutorial on YouTube. Some of the things that I’ve seen on there I’ve came across in classes at college. There’s so much information on the Internet on at our finger tips to practice.

Q: What Inspires You?

A: The love for what I do is my main source of inspiration. I’m also inspired by: Bob Marley – the same love he had for his music I feel for my photography. He spread the love for what he did globally and to day his songs still touch people. Kevin Fleming – an internet entrepreneur and old college buddy of mine from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Kevin and I had the same speech and public speaking class at SCAD. He actually helped me start my blog.When I came out of high-school, html, css, and php was still a big blah to me; I don’t fully understand it and don’t plan to but Kevin taught me enough to make you read this. Scott Kelby – Scott is the president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. When I was in high-school in the Bahamas I remember spending my Sundays in my room practicing things I saw on Photoshop User TV (Scott owns that as well). I spent a day photographing with him back in 2008 when he came to the Bahamas and two days as his second assistant recently in on a shoot Miami. I can sit here and write a book about why I think Scott Kelby is awesome so to save boring you to death with my excitement let’s end on that note.

Q: What do you want to do with your photography?

A: I’m going to be that main guy in my area for commercial advertising, lifestyle, portraits and sports photography. The guys on top appear to be welcoming me; but no body likes to be replaced. When I’m in their position I don’t want some snotty nose kid like myself trying to take spot either; but I will welcome that kid to keep on trying. To get where I am going takes lucky breaks -being the right places at the right times and to keep on pushing hard. I would never tell myself that I am that top guy because I think it would make me lazy. Being second to the people
I look up to gives me reasons to push harder.

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Follow Dwayne Tucker on Twitter of His Updates: Click Here

Photography For You by DwayneTucker.com has been running for a minute now. I must admit I have some things I want to make better here, one of them being persistence. People either subscribed to my blog or followed me on twitter gets updates when I write new articles. I do post these articles elsewhere like: Linked-in, Digg.com, Reddit.com, Stumble-Upon, etc.

My intentions are to keep posting the things I find interesting on the web that help inspire me as an artist. Along with that, I will continue to post my professional and personal stories with you.

The articles I write are usually about experiences with a client (good and bad – if bad how to make it better). Articles of my photo shoots are to help inspire and motivate other photographers. The idea of this blog is to show my love / appreciation of photography and help others while doing so via the Internet.

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Follow Dwayne Tucker on Twitter of His Updates: Click Here

The first part of this article you will read a short update and tomorrow I will release the second part of a personal task I am did for Nikon.

- Part 1

There are so many steps for me to cover to be satisfied with the miles I covered on my journey.

I am on a path to being the best at what I do.

To make clear: I do NOT want you to EVER feel as if I am I being arrogant / ignorant / cocky with my statement.

Forgive me if you got that impression.

I will always have role models I look up to and that I’ve looked up to.

I’m dedicated to doing as much as I can and I going to continue to strive for the best to hopefully touch the hearts of other photographers. That was my idols’ blueprints and they’ve inspired me.

My main vision is to spread my love for photography.

Writing and sharing my experiences of the things that excites me is a part of my job.

The closing of last week, I decided to do a little task.

I am putting down my camera and I am going to stop shooting…for a bit; this task should enhance my career.

Allow me to explain.

I’ve shot many of images to demonstrate I understand the camera. I’ve been shooting for eight years on a budget. There are still many things for me to figure out.

On my, let’s say, “time-out” / “break from photography” I will figure out then return with my favorite style / my personal artistic styles and you will see them consistent within my images.

Parts of the task are: To brain storm one thousand idea for photo shoot concepts, learn the history of companies I want as clients, build a one of a kind portfolio to represent the passion I have for my job…etc.

A stressful personal project but if I don’t do it I will never move forward.

Hopefully the stressful personal project will push me further in the direction of being the commercial advertising, lifestyle and sports photographer and director that I’ve always dreamt of being.

More tk….

Add me on Twitter for updates from a Photography Friend: http://twitter.com/DwayneTucker

*On this blog I share: photography tips that I’ve learned, tips I’ve found useful when photographing clients and I share images that I photograph while on my journey of advancing my photography skills. Follow me, your new photography friend on Twitter today! @DwayneTucker (click to be transferred to my twitter page). If you are not on twitter please look at my sidebar for other free subscription options.*

I am a commercial advertising, lifestyle and sports photographer and I love everything about photography.

I felt as if my presence on the internet should expand because I have so much to share.

Meet Dwayne is my show coming Monday March 29th, 2010 (write it in your calendar) to bring to you, inspiration for doing what you love doing; because you love doing it.

I created, “Meet Dwayne“, to welcome you into my life with video for you to understand why I do what I do.

I am an artist. I feel as if art is about the artist and what’s going on in the mind. It’s about sharing the messages of the artist’s ideas to communicate with an audience.

When thinking about what exactly I want Meet Dwayne to display I decided, the show is not going to be one to show how to use the camera or showing off what’s in my camera bag.

I leave that for well known photographers to share with you and I.

In this show I am showing the making of that well known photographer with creditability and status to create those shows.

The Meet Dwayne show will:

- Help you understand me.

- Help you realize why I am extremely passionate about my photography.

- Show you that I am “normal”, “average guy” but I come with a fuck load of ambition.

Hopefully the show will inspire you.

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My Past Week In Photographs

(About to go to bed in the early a.m. falling asleep in the work clothes. This explains why my the next photograph, your sunrise, is and looks like my sunset.)

(Awake early in the a.m. and saw a photo opp so I captured it.)

(Let the day begin!!!!) / (When I look at my photographs I get a feeling that I can’t explain; well I could but you wouldn’t understand me. From 2007 I’ve been wanting to get the feeling that I got from this photograph when I nailed the style of the colors I wanted.)

(Remember the Pet Photography Project? We have to make small legal hustle somehow!)

(Stopped to chill for a bit and drop a hello to the staff at my favorite stake shop; Zumiez!)

(Totally Random but I want to share with you.)

(MIA skate-park in Miami, Florida is one of my favorite places to skateboard in Miami. After I am done skating I take some photographs of the skaters to help me develop an eye because I am aiming to shoot for Thrasher Magazine and Skateboarding Magazine. Besides, you can tell from the photographs that we always have a great vibe and great sessions at the park so I must document that.)

(Look at who is on the blog! That’s my sister Katrina Lomidze from the personal and make-up blog KatrinaLomidze.com She, the Fam (Jerrid and Baby JJ) and I went to dinner at Raphael’s; my favorite restaurant on South Beach for mussels and pasta!)

(Shay, Stevie and I. They are two beautiful models from the shoot I did on Thursday and Friday with the Photographer I looked up to from I was a kid, Scott Kelby!)

(That’s Mr. Kelby in the background not holding a big Oreo, but instead a grid He was explaining what it was for and when to use one for one of his new videos! Check out his post from behind the scenes in Miami with me, click here. – P.S. Jerrid from the Fam is the model in the first image of that post.)

More to come..

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TwitVid: http://www.twitvid.com/videos/DwayneTucker

YouTube: http://youtube.com/242DT (Meet Dwayne launches March 29th, 2010 but go ahead and subscribe to that channel now!)