Welcome And Who Gavin Bulware Is

SPEAKER_03 1:45

Welcome to the Hilltop Glove Podcast. Um, we have the privilege of speaking to the talented Galvin Bulware. Born and raised in the vibrant city of Charlotte, North Carolina, Gavin has cultivated a passion for photography that captures the essence of storytelling. His journey began in 2008 with a simple point-and-shoot camera as he roamed the streets of his hometown, uncovering the narratives hidden within its diverse corners. Gavin's journey into professional photography began while studying computer science, oh, computer software and information systems at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. It was during this time that he discovered his love for photography through various courses at the Light Factory. This experience sparked his passion for capturing a variety of subjects. Witnessing love in its various stages allows him to create heartfelt portraits, and he truly feels truly blessed to be a part of those moments. Gavin specializes in capturing the authenticity of human connections, whether it's the raw emotion and the candid portrait on your wedding day or the unique journey into motherhood. He believes that every story has a every photograph has a story tell, and it's his mission to reveal these narratives, offering viewers a glimpse into the rich tapestry of life. His work has been featured in notable publications like CNN, Essence, USA Today, and People Magazine. When Gavin isn't behind the lens, you can find him in his cozy studio nestled in the heart of Charlotte. Here he records his podcast, The Black Dad's Club, and Paid in Exposure. So how are you doing today? Wow, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

First of all, thank you. That is amazing. That is amazing. Yes, I did, but to hear it um hear from you two is amazing. But I'm doing good. I'm happy to be here, excited to be here. Um, not nervous, but kind of nervous.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

You be nervous, but you should probably just not even because I'm used to being on the other side.

SPEAKER_00 3:38

So I get to ask the questions, I get to like tell the story, like what we're about to do here. But no, I'm excited to be here. So thank you.

SPEAKER_01 3:44

No problem.

SPEAKER_02 3:45

So just to start it off, um, we like to get a little bit of history about your background. What was it like growing up? Who influenced you? Do you have any siblings?

SPEAKER_00 3:53

Yeah, okay, cool. My sister would uh she believes she's the Beyonce of our family. She's not. Okay. Oh, I don't know where she got that from. It's clearly me. Um, but I have a sister, and she's important because she was probably my first model ever, like when I first started taking pictures. Um, but growing up was cool. I'm from Charlotte, North Carolina, born and raised. Um, I grew up in Huntersville um once I got to like middle school and high school. So that was super cool. Um, probably 10th grade, my mom got mad at CMS and she pulled me out and put me in a private school. Okay. And it's only like when I tell y'all private, I'm talking K through 12. It was 110 kids. Yeah, I was only black kid. Oh, yeah, my sister's the only black girl there. So it was a lot going on. Yeah, y'all had new four. Y'all had to lean in on each other. Funny story. This has zero to do with photography. But my mom got mad and I didn't understand why she was mad. I guess I was young and just not paying attention. But they did a marketing video for the whole school, and they didn't put me and my sister. Oh, my mom lost it at the school, and I was just like, it's fine, I ain't want to be there anyway. She was like, that's not the point. And like, I get it now, but you know, that school wasn't all bad. That's where I saw photography like on a real live stage. Because, you know, a lot of those kids had money. Their parents had money. We had like a couple of kids, their parents drove an ass car, right? Um, everybody else doctored this, doctor that. We had kids who was like, I don't, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to college. I'm gonna get a job at my dad's practice. I find something, right? Um, but some of the other kids, they were allowed to be creative because if your family has resources and money, you know, you're you can invest in your hobbies on a different level. So I was around a lot of people who love photography, and I thought they were weird as all get out. I would I used to look at them and be like, yo, stop bringing cameras everywhere we go. Like, what are y'all doing? And that's where I like I saw it. I bought my first camera in this, my senior year at school. That was that point and shoot you talking about, the little Sony cyber shot. Oh, wow. Yeah, I worked for my dad. He's laughing because everybody knows that camera was$89 at Target. And I saved up for that camera. And I took it, and I remember I went back to school, and these are the same kids I was laughing at, by the way. So they didn't forget. And I showed him my camera, and they I showed them my pictures, and they just was like, get this out of here, like move this along. So, but it was cool, like growing up was cool. Um, I was never, I was never really artistic, is what I would say. Yeah, my friends who know me would be like, You were, but I always wanted stuff to look nice and I wanted to be neat. That was always my thing. And as we go through, we could talk about how that reflects in my photography. But like I was very like technical. Yeah, you appreciate that word. Like, that's how I was in photography. So it had to look a certain way, the lighting had to be a certain way. And as a child, um, shout out to my parents, especially my dad. Um, both of them were just like my mom, I call her like my first hater. Um, I love her to death. I feel like everybody, their mom is, every mom is like their kid's first hater. But like my mama, like I'd tell her I had a hobby or something I was interested in. She'll like, all right, I'm gonna give you some rope. As soon as I ain't like it, I ain't getting you nothing else. I ain't doing nothing else for you. So it was funny. Um, I have no musical talent. I can't do nothing. I can't do two different things with my hands. So drums was out. I grew up in church. So my parents were disappointed when they found out I couldn't play piano drums. Like they was like, all right, get this out of here. And um, but when I got into with a camera, my mom was like, All right, this is gonna be the last thing I give you. And I was like, all right, whatever, we'll just see. And then my parents, like, yo, uh, shout out to y'all. I know y'all listening. I love y'all. I will behave today. My parents went and got me business cards. Y'all remember what is it, Office Depot? Yeah, office depot. My mom and dad like named my business and made me business cards. And I was like, yo, what is this? I don't like this name. It was a trash. The name was called Picture This Photography. And I was like, this is trash. Get this out of here. And my mom was so mad, she was like, if you quit this, I'm like, no, I'm not quitting it, but y'all can't name my business. And they got they literally got me like it was the cheap cards, you know, the white cards with blue lettering, whatever, blue coloring, excuse me. And they invested, and I was just like, and my dad was like, All right, you come up with your name, you figure it out, and we'll help you how we can. But yeah, that was a quick view into my y'all, y'all know y'all gonna have to cut me off because I do podcasts, so I just know keep talking. So y'all just all right, got it.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

So how old were you when that happened?

SPEAKER_00 8:27

Yeah, oh, that was uh that was 11th grade, so like 17, somewhere around there, 16, 17. That's when I was like was in there, excuse me, 12th grade. So I was like 17 because I was like, all right, um, we went to Chicago um for some trip, and I took that camera with me, and it was mad cool. Like I had fun. I still had those pictures, that's the crazy part. Um, but yeah, it was around 17.

SPEAKER_03 8:51

That's cool. Well, one of the things that's very interesting. So so far we've interviewed um two other guests. Yeah. Every time we interview, we always have like a common thread. And I think the common thread today is support. Yes. And it's just support from like your family and those around you. Absolutely. Everybody you talk to has had that support with that community.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

You know what's funny? I saw DJ Chuck T talk last week. He talked about that. Yeah, that's why I was laughing. When I kept hearing a voice, I'm like, That's not familiar. I'm like, yo, he is not gonna stop talking. That's my man. I'm like, he is not. I just saw him last week on a panel. But yes, absolutely. Support was like, it was huge for me. Like having my dad, my dad got me my first camera. Okay. So, first camera is Father's Day. We got to get him something. Um, we get him um, I'm trying to remember because I feel like photographers are gonna be mad if I forget. So I apologize, y'all. It was a canon something. So we get him that, and I go off to college because I told you everything happened the same year, right? So I go out to college, I take his camera to college. So you can't do that, but he ain't looking for it. That's what I'm thinking. Yeah, so anyway, he called me and was like, Well, where's my camera? I'm like, oh, I got it at school. And so he's like, All right, so I bring it back, you know what I'm saying? He wasn't tripping, and then um my birthday, he bought me a canon, a canon, excuse me, 7D. Oh okay, and that was my first camera.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

That's a good one.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

And yes, it was a great camera. I didn't really appreciate it because I didn't know. Yeah, and so I had that, that was my first camera, and I took that with me everywhere. Um, so the support of my my my father saying, hey, this is what you want to do, do it. Like, if this is a hobby, you it interests you, like whatever. My mom, this was back when Dale was like giving out laptops every two years, you know, back when the prices was decent, kind of like cell phones, you were on a two-year plans. So my mom would always get me like my computer. Like I said, my sister was my like that was my model. That was the only person who would work for me. You know what I'm saying? So having that family support and then friends too. Um, being able to support me was a beautiful thing. So I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

What type of pictures did you take starting out?

SPEAKER_00 10:51

Girl, they was trash.

SPEAKER_02 10:52

Like, like, was it like event photography? Trash.

SPEAKER_00 10:56

It didn't matter what it was, it was trash. I'm here to tell you right now we would show us those pictures if you had a they on my Facebook and I've been trying to get them off. Trash.

SPEAKER_02 11:04

Y'all hurry up and scroll.

Family Support And Learning The Craft

SPEAKER_00 11:06

Trash, they out of focus, the colors is off. I wasn't using this, it wasn't like the YouTube time. So I didn't know that man, I mean, I see the M on the camera. I don't know what it means. I'm just pushing. So my first um photo shoot was my homeboy at church. So I go off to UNC Pembroke. I last three months there. Okay. Because I don't know if y'all ever been to Pembroke. There's nothing out there. It's nothing out there. Shout out to the Lumbies, shout out to everybody. They don't play, they serious out there. Be careful. And they'll let you know, be careful. So anyway, I come back home, I go to UNCC, and as soon as I get back, my homeboy at church, his mom comes up and says, Hey, he's graduating. Can you take his pictures? And that was my first shoot. So my first ever paid shoot was my homeboy Justin. He graduated. He graduated from West Charlotte. This boy, I didn't know how much to charge. So I was like, yo, it's gonna be uh$30. I know. And we go uptown, I spent two and a half hours with my man, and he was like, hey, all that time, terrible, right? And so he goes, Oh, I gotta go to the ATM. You go to the ATM, you know,$20 coming out. So$40 come out. You know, he handed me this$40 and was like, Y'all need$10 back. And I was like, he's still my boy to this day. So I love him to this day. But like that was like my first shoe. So at first that, um, of course I'm in college. Uh, the easiest way to get in a club is with a camera. So I was that guy. Not the creepy guys y'all see today in the club with a camera, but like I was a guy like, but mean, once I figured out that club promoters, especially in Charlotte, don't pay, uh, my next thing was like, hey, here's 10 people. All of us is getting in the club. Because you're not finna pay me. You're gonna lie. Hey man, come at the end of the night, I'm gonna hand you your money. And then he drunk somewhere gone. So I ain't gonna see that. So I was doing a lot of club stuff, and um, like people I knew, but most at the time it was graduations.

SPEAKER_02 12:55

I realized real quick the club photography was not for me. That's staying up late. Oh, I said, I can't, hey.

SPEAKER_00 13:01

And you're dealing with different people. Um, I don't think they still do club stuff here in Charlotte, but it was a lot of underage people in these clubs. I'm like 18, 19, and I remember uh my cousin is like six, three, six, four. He's a big guy. So he used to just come with me because I would be bored. I hate event photography, by the way. Um, but if you ever need to book me, let me know.

SPEAKER_02 13:23

Um but I hate it, I cannot stand it.

SPEAKER_00 13:25

So I used to bring my cousin, it'd be fun, right? Yeah, yeah. And I remember like we go in a club one day, he dap up somebody, and I'm like, who is this? And he was like, Oh, that's uh the mother's child right now. That was her youngest sister's boyfriend. And I'm like, hold on, I'm doing the math. He was like, Yeah, bro, he's 14. I don't know how he getting in this club. I'm like, what is going on in here? And so it was like, I was like, oh, these club promoters in Charlotte are like janky. And but um, but yeah, I realized soon um it took me not getting paid like four times. I was a slow learner, but I was like, But the club promoters in Greensboro at that time, they paid. So I used to go up to Greensboro and take pictures in clubs, so it was cool. But there's no money in that. No offense.

SPEAKER_03 14:08

No offense. So now the question I got for you is of course, you know, of course, you're known for wedding photography. And that's how I learned about you years ago when I first started um doing photography. Um, the guy that I was um uh mentoring with, um, shout out to um Corey Smith for Auto Image Weddings. I remember one of the first people he told me to check out was you. Shout out to Corey, I appreciate you, brother. Yes, and so and uh, like I said, Allegra working out was so amazed, right? With the lighting and everything, and like I said, and it's the storytelling that's in it. Um just tell me, like, what was it like that first wedding that you shot?

SPEAKER_00 14:44

My mama came with me today.

SPEAKER_02 14:46

She was your assistant?

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Look, no, she was back there praying, I think, in the church, like dead series. And shout out, just go back to the support, right? Um, I told y'all, even though my mom is my biggest hater, she is also my biggest supporter. Like, that's the joke me and her got. I'm like, mom, you just be hating, but she always looks out. So my cousin, shout out to my cousin, just going back to a different support. Um, my cousin convinced her best friend, I don't know how, I don't know why. Her friend said yes, but she went to her best friend and said, Hey, my cousin, and my cousin is older than me. So if I'm at this point, I'm 19. My cousin might be like in her 30s at that time. So um she goes to her best friend and said, Hey, can you let my little cousin take your wedding pictures? She said, I even pay him. So it was 250. I told you I didn't know how to charge nothing. But also, I'm like, I just need to start and see what was going on. So I show up to this church, um, we go inside, and I never, I don't even think I had a flash. That's how bad this is. Um, and so I go inside and I'm like, all right, where's the bride? And at this time I'm young, so I really don't understand like what's going on. And for somebody who's listening and you're thinking about like, picture in your mind, you going in. Um what is she wearing when I get in there? Like, is she in a robe? Is she already in her dress? Like now, it's not uncommon for me to go into a room and the woman just has on a robe or or you know, pajamas on or whatever. But I'm 18, I've never met this woman. So I go in and we're at a church. So I'm really like, like, what could this be? I go in a room, she's already dressed, cool, bat. Um, I'm like, all right, the room is smaller than this room. It's like half the size of this room. So I'm like, what do I do? And so I took a couple pictures and I was like, all right, I'm done. I probably was in there for five minutes. Like, I didn't know what to do, right?

SPEAKER_02 16:31

I didn't behind the scenes makeup or anything.

SPEAKER_00 16:33

Girl, I missed it all. Um, and then I went to the guys, they he in there nervous. Yeah, I'm nervous, he's nervous because he's got to get married. I'm just nervous. Solving out the whole situation. Yeah, so I take a couple pictures of him and his boy. I'm like, all right, I'm done. I go inside the church, bro. I have no idea what's going on. I'm so just cool. Like, I'm just I don't I'll say this before I continue. I don't get nervous unless I feel like it's something I can control, and I'm just slipping and I'm just not controlling it. So when I go into situations where I know I have no control, I'm just like, yo, I'm here. I'm gonna do my best. I figure it out later. I go inside, I walk in, I'm thinking I'm killing it. I told you I ain't it's trash. So I go in, and my mom is on the back row just rocking. And I'm like, so you know me now, I'm looking like, why are you here? I didn't invite you. And she was like, uh-uh. I'm not gonna let my baby do this by himself. I'm like, all right, cool, bet. Like, whatever. And so my mom, we're here, and so I go in, I do the wedding. Um, that went well. Okay. Um, because the church on one side of the church is all windows. So I was able to like figure, all right. The light, do I turn this way? So all her pictures are from the left side. So um, we do that, and so we go through, we do the wedding. Afterwards, I'm like, all right, what do I do? Mind y'all, this is the other problem. I believe before you become a wedding photographer, you need to have been to, I don't even know the number, I'm about to make up a number. You need to at least have been to like five weddings, and at least been in two. I just think that's just wise for. Or, and if you haven't been into been in some weddings, you need to keep going to more. Because then you kind of see how the flows.

SPEAKER_02 18:11

The flow.

First Paid Shoots And Club Photography Reality

SPEAKER_00 18:12

Yo, this is my third wedding I've ever been to. And the other two was somebody in my family got married. So I wasn't sticking around for no wedding photography. And so when we do this, I'm like, what happens? My mom's like, Oh, you need pictures afterwards. I'm like, oh. Because I didn't know. Right? You don't even know nobody in the venue. So and so, like, the only person I know that's up there is my cousin because she's like a bait of honor. So I line everybody up. My mom is helped directing people where they should be. And afterwards, I go, I'm done. And then we're like, yo.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

Look, I'm done.

SPEAKER_00 18:51

Yeah, I was just like, we good. Like, we and so me and my mom, we got in the car, and I called, I think I called my best friend Jamar, and I was like, yo, why my mom just came with me to a wedding? He laughed, but I needed her there, right? Because like she calmed me down. Like, I wasn't nervous, but seeing her made me calm. Cause now I'm like, if I get nervous, my mom is gonna lose it. So I gotta be chill. And then it was like, I would let me tell you something. As soon as they would have said I do, and they would have walked out that church, I would have got in my car because I didn't know what was supposed to happen. I'm done. Like, we we out of here. So, yeah, that was my first wedding, and weddings now are just fun. Like, it's fun for me. I I don't get nervous with weddings because it the day is gonna happen. You know, you're gonna say I do, I hope.

SPEAKER_02 19:33

And my job is gonna be I hope you captured every moment.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

I think the when I first started out, the hardest thing about the wedding photography was missing that shot where they kissed.

SPEAKER_00 19:44

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

Like, you know how sometimes your camera like delays and you're like Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

Like now that I've been doing it for so long, certain things I plan for. Yeah, um, like when people come down the aisle, this is a note to all past. This is my camera right here. All efficients, stop asking people to stand when they come down the aisle. Just stop that. Please stop. It's no need because they pay me too much money. And when I'm trying to get the perfect picture of the bride coming down the aisle, and you have everybody standing, now I'm running, and the bride, everybody's nervous on their wedding day. So everybody coming down the aisle, she's coming down the aisle and she's coming fast. She walks so fast, and I now I'm trying to run and then it's over. So, and and it's like just let people stay seated. Um, and let everybody know before hey, we're gonna stay seated for the bride. But yeah, it's like that's what I'm always nervous about. I'm always nervous about, you know, this one thing I get nervous about the wedding dress picture. That's the worst picture I take. I I think I stopped taking wedding dress pictures now. Yeah, because it's like everybody wants the hang in pretty picture. And it's like, where am I gonna find that at? Everybody give me the trash hanger. You know what I'm saying? I don't I probably need to invest into a bride hanger. I should see got y'all.

SPEAKER_03 20:56

You just get like, you know, you like a white one, you might get like a being those like a wood one, you know.

SPEAKER_00 21:00

Yeah, I need to. And it's like I just hate it because I'm always like, do this look good? Do it not look good? But yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:05

I think they accept whatever.

SPEAKER_00 21:07

Yeah, yeah. I think people look at it and they're like, okay, it's cool. I'd rather get her wearing her dress and get details of it. That's my favorite part of it. But yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:17

So um, next question. So, of course, um since national international exposure. Yes, how has your international look? Yes, international. So, since you blew up. Oh gosh, since you blew up, how has the nature of collaboration and clientele changed? People think I got money.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

And I'm like, yo, what y'all, y'all need to stop. Like, that's um, let me tell you, my clientele has it makes everybody feel comfortable with me, and I appreciate that. Um I just took it off my website, but I need to put it back up on the border of my website. Um, I'm really, you see, I have a computer software background. So my thing is I'm always building my website and I need to let somebody else do it because they can make it look prettier to me. But like, if I'm on like Google Search Console and I see my site running slow because of some type of block, I just delete it. So I used to have on there, hey, CNN, essence, people, like I used to have that there, and it gives people a sense of security. Yeah. Um, one, because they look at me and say, like, all right, he's somebody else trusted him if he got here, and they can go see it, right? Um, so the the benefit of it is now more people come here because they're just like, all right, I can trust Gavin. He's gonna do right by me. He has quote unquote these accolades, whatnot. So it's a beautiful thing. The other, the fun side of it is, um, oh, also all my little cousins think I'm famous. Like, and my son, I have a four-year-old. Yeah, um, and I know we're gonna talk about the podcast later. He when he sees me on YouTube, he freaks out. Because mind you, he also watched Spider-Man on that same thing. He watched all these shows. So when he like when I'm crowling up, he's like, daddy, daddy, daddy, and I'm like, little do you know. But like all my cousins think like, cause let's say, um, shout out to Lisa and Brian. They were on Netflix. Um, and so I remember I did their maternity pictures, right? And so it's my so my rule of thumb um is let's say you're my client, I don't post your pictures until you post them. That's just respect for my respect for you. Like I won't do it. Um, and not everybody feels that way, and that's cool. I don't have nothing, like that's just for me. So I'm like, yo, why haven't she posted these dog on pictures? And then she, I'm like, it's a minute. I'm like, all right, I see the like I see her out and about, and I'm like, I know she has the baby, like, what's up? And I'm like, maybe she ain't like them. So I reached out to her, I said, Hey, can we share these pictures? And she was like, hold on. Yo, I swear to y'all, probably about 20 minutes later, I get an email from Netflix of what I can't do. And I'm just like confused. She didn't tell me nothing. And so, but Netflix, they were super cool because their thing was, hey, if you give us this leeway, we got you. And I appreciate that because those same pictures made it to People's Magazine, right? I always tell, I'm at the Fillmore, I'm taking pictures. Um, they're doing a rock nation party, right? So I'm just there before the concert just to get details of the decal for the Fillmore. Cool, bet. Do it. I'm leaving. Um, I had a plug in there, shout out to my wife. She's gonna cuss me out for being this far in and not shouting her out, right? She got me to connect. So my wife is like, hey, I want you to introduce you to somebody. It's this lady, she works for Live Nation, Rock Nation. And so she goes, Hey, if you could stay and take pictures at a concert, we'll post them, we'll share them on our sites, everything. But you have to send it to me first. I said, Cool. Y'all know it's like 10 other photographers that night. I'm the only person who sent it to her. Everybody else, I'm talking about when the concert they lifted the lights, I swear all these pictures on Instagram already. Oh, wow. So I sent them to her. Mine was the only ones that got reshared. She was like, you follow directions. Like you, and that's a bigger part of my clients don't, it's not whatever the client wants, they get, but I respect all my clients. So unless I feel disrespected, whatever your wishes are, that is my job, my goal as a business person. It's like, hey, if you say, hey, I don't want this shared, I do want this shared. Please keep this private. Can you be here? Can we do this? I'm gonna respect you there. So that's always so my clientele has also changed because those people talk. Because I told her, I said, hey, I would love to do more concerts just on a level, just to be like provide y'all this. And she was like, You want to go to Rowan Lyle? I'm like, no, but I'm like, it's too many young kids, it's too much going on. I don't have time for all that. But it was like, she's like, cool, but like I have different hotels that reach out to me, just different people say, Hey, you know how to follow rules. And we appreciate that. Can you do X, Y, Z? So that's the biggest part about how my clientele has changed.

SPEAKER_02 25:56

I think a lot of people hate that when photographers don't resend the pictures. Like, like you said, it's an event and they got to use it for promotion purposes to hype up, you know, the next event or their venue. Yeah. So if you're delaying on sending the images seven days, eight days, nobody even think about that event anymore.

The First Wedding And What He Missed

SPEAKER_00 26:14

Yeah. It's everybody has their own rules, and I respect every I don't. Um, I was about to lie on y'all, but I'm so sorry. Um, you run your business how you want to run your business. However, being on the opposite side of this, so my first job out of college, uh, I was a marketing coordinator at the Risk Carlton. Okay. So we used to hire photographers. And this is when I'm like still trying to figure out life, like, what am I doing? Is it good? My photography is still trash at this point. But I'm figuring it out, right? And I'm at this point where I'm hiring photographers and I'm seeing what we do that cut off somebody from working there. I'll give y'all a quick story. We did a um, we had a photo shoot, and this guy's coming in and he's taking pictures at a hotel. And my boss was like, You gotta be here every day that he's here the full time he's shooting. I'm like, all right, I don't want to because my job started at nine. Yeah, he's getting up at four to in the morning to shoot because he has to shoot the hotel when nobody's there. So that means I have to get up now, be here at three, be ready for him, whatever. And she said, You want to be a photographer? I know this isn't your end goal. And I'm like, Yeah, she said, You're gonna learn so much. We got nine pictures, edited, fully retouched pictures. He was there for three days. Y'all know this man sent us a bill for like 19 grand and we paid it. 19 grand. That was the first time I ever seen a bill, and I was like, She's like, Yeah, yeah, go ahead and prove it. I said, No, we got nine pictures. She goes, pay it. We hired him for a reason.

SPEAKER_02 27:39

And ma'am.

SPEAKER_00 27:40

And she was like, ma'am. And it blew my mind. But that's when I realized, like, hey, you can't shoot what everybody else is shooting. Like, he's shooting, he gave us all. I'm not kidding, y'all. It was nine pictures. Uh, four of them was like, one was the inside of the hotel, one was the outside of the hotel, one was our sign, um, one was a new lounge that we had did, and maybe two cocktails. That was it. Like, I I I don't even know how what that number is, but like that's the type of stuff. And but I saw him shooting a room and how much time it took. It took hours, it took preparation. But he was, and I looked at him, I was like, yo, what do you do? Like, besides this. And he was like, Nothing. I go from hotel to hotel taking architecture pictures. And he was like, I travel. He's like, I'm in Charlotte, I go to Italy and do this for this hotel. He was like, I'm taking my wife, they'll pay for my wife and kids to do it. And so, like, that was his job. So I believe everybody does have rules, but sometimes you got to be able to bend your rules. Um, sometimes you gotta understand that you bending your rules a little bit will help you get another gig where then you can demand certain things. So but yeah, I I try to work. I I understand that I work for my client, and it's not, hey, my client is in, you know, they hire my business. Like I work for you. Yeah, so that's how I always approach it.

SPEAKER_03 29:00

Yeah, and I love that you said that because a lot of times when people think about entrepreneurship, they always think about their since they're the boss, they can do whatever they want. Yeah, not answering to nobody.

SPEAKER_00 29:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:08

But you have to answer to your client.

SPEAKER_00 29:10

You do. You you gotta respect them, you gotta show them grace. They're gonna show you some grace. Um, and I guess because I grew up, so I didn't tell y'all this in the childhood part, right? Like my parents were, they had a janitorial business. So I saw entrepreneurship, like they had it before I got here. So me and my sister, we was like those underage workers, you know what I'm saying? So funny enough, we used to clean a photography studio. And I still wasn't in a photography, but when I first got started, I remember that's how I found the light, uh, the light factory, right? I go to her, I show her my photography, and this is when I learned Photoshop. So it was more Photoshop than photography. And she laughed, but she was real cool. She was like, You should look in the light factory. And I was like, All right. And then I now that I'm older, I'm like, this is basically it's basically like if you took a picture of yourself now, and then you go on Canva and you just design like a little flyer. That's basically what I did. But I was showing her, look at my photography. But it was more like graphic design than anything. But like, um, so I saw that as a young age. So now that when I approach my business, it's like, how can I make my clients happy, but also give them an experience that they'll never get nowhere else. Like, I don't want them, like I have a mentor now, right? Shout out to Designs by JK. I like to shout my people out for that. But him, he um he taught me that. Like, hey, what's gonna, and it's funny, some people come in there to shoot with him, and they'd be like, I was just on your website, and they was either gonna book me or him, right? But me and his thing, me and him are always like, what can they get from you that they can't get from me, and what can they get from me that they can't get for you? And it's up to you to make sure you kill that on the phone when you talk to them or they see your work and they know, like, or somebody else goes talk to somebody. Yo, Gavin did this. Look, and you know, one of my favorite reviews on Google is um, and he told me too, it was so funny, it's raining, it's pouring. He said, Go get her from the car. And I'm like, it's raining. I was like, it's raining, it's pouring. And I was like, all right, cool. So I grabbed the umbrella, I run out there, I go grab her, because I do whatever he says. Um, so I come back inside and we do the shoot. The shoot was cool, it was fun. First thing she put on Google, I didn't even have to ask her, she goes on Google. This man came and got me from the car with an umbrella training. And I sent it to him. He was like, I told you. He was like, That that shoe could have been trash. He said she was gonna remember that you went outside and got her with that umbrella. He's like, first you was he's like, first you was a gentleman. Yeah, second of all, she could have expected you was in the studio not paying attention to her, but you saw her and waited for her and did that. And so, yeah, I do little stuff like that. Some most photography is like 20% of my job. It's the rest is just customer service. Yeah, so yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:45

I like the way you broke that down. But um, going to the next question beyond the shutter, how do you use post-processing processing to breathe life into your raw images and define your signature style as a photographer?

SPEAKER_00 31:58

So if somebody was to ask me, and I hate when people ask me this, not what y'all asked, but I hate what people I hate when people ask me. No, what's your style? Yeah, I hate I'm like, what do you mean? Like, I understand exactly what they what they mean, but it's like, what do you want? That's my question back to him. What do you want? I'll let you know if I can do it. Because if I told y'all before, like I'm very technical. So if it's like you want something that looks vintage, cool, we can do that. You want something that looks super clean, cool. You want something that's just like light and airy. I hate that. Oh, gosh, I hate light and airy. I think I killed those presets. I used to be in every photo group. I've been kicked out of so many photo groups.

SPEAKER_02 32:38

Really?

SPEAKER_00 32:38

Oh yeah. Girl, I talk too much. I be getting kicked out, but that used to be my joint. Like I used to get in there and just kill light and airy like things because it wasn't creative for people of color. Like it really wasn't. But that's a whole nother subject. Anyway, so what happens for me is I define myself as like I want it to be sharp, professional, and clean. Clean is my my number one thing. Like it's going to look clean. Um, and so I try to outside of I told y'all photography is like 20% of what I do, right? So the rest is hey, when somebody comes in and we're I'm paying attention to what's gonna make your life easy. Yeah. Today I was laughing when y'all you said come later, because I had a client who showed up an hour late, right? So she shows up, but she gets in there, and the first thing, um, what can I do to make? I don't need you tough. I don't need you stressed out, what can I do? Yeah. Because if I can get you to breathe and calm down and and bring it down, when you come in here, you're gonna be relaxed. It's gonna show. So I look at certain things like that. I I'm a big proponent of lighting. Like I want it to be right, different angles, whatnot. Um, I don't, I don't shoot trends. I I try to stay away from it. I might try it just to have fun with it, see if I like it. Um, but I'm not trying to do nothing like, oh, this is a new hot thing. Let me let me do this in every photo shoot. So certain things that I like and do. I want you when you come to me, you're gonna say, I know Gavin can kill this. I know he's gonna kill it. And he's not gonna try to say, hey, let me try to do something different. Like that photo shoot me and you was looking at outside. Like, I like doing different things and I like doing creative things, but for me, it's like, yo, what does your what does your client want? How do you make them comfortable doing it? And how do you get home and you start editing to make it something different? One of my favorite things is I send you your pictures, right? I might send you like a few days later a different folder, same pictures, just a editing style I like.

SPEAKER_02 34:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 34:35

And because you might look at my page and this is happening. I try to do something extra in the shoot, and somebody's like, hey, that's cute. But I like what you did. What you know normally post. I'm like, all right, cool, bet. Let's go back, let's do that. But I also want to say, like, I might show you something different editing styles that I like. It's just, you know, I'm I like to say, I'm a, this sucks to say. I probably shouldn't say it. I'm a business person that that takes pictures. That's business, it's always business first for me. And photography is like second in there.

Exposure That Builds Trust With Clients

SPEAKER_03 35:06

One thing I'll say, especially when I look at your photos, the thing I love about them is they are clean. But each photo, especially like the photos, like your couples pictures and your wedding pictures, it's like you do a real good job of capturing their personalities. Oh yeah, I love that. Yeah, you do a really good job of capturing their appreciate their personalities. And it's like not that you can like it and it makes a lot of people look, it makes people look a lot more approachable. Makes them look very approachable. Thank you. I love that. Yeah. You can tell sometimes, at least you can tell if I'm wrong. It's see, because I know sometimes you go into a shoot, there's probably people, of course, they're nervous. Yeah. Yeah, you know, you can't. But I didn't got people who like fight in the car in the game.

SPEAKER_02 35:45

That's what I'm about to say. Fight, fighting beforehand. You gotta bring the chemistry back together.

SPEAKER_00 35:49

I went, I did a shoot. It was my homegirl. I ain't gonna say her name, Shana. Uh she walk up and I'm like, You good? She was like, he just got on my nerves. We ain't we ain't talked in the last 45 minutes. I said, Girl, y'all about to do an engagement shoot. I don't know what y'all about to do. He walked up, he looked annoyed, and then she went and got something from the car. I said, Hey bro, I only need 30 minutes. He's like, Okay, cool. And we still laugh about that now. They got kids now. I shot their wedding, like, and but yeah, for me, like, um the biggest thing I say is when I do couple shoots, it's like I ask questions. Uh JK gets on me about that all the time. He said, I talk too much when we're doing shoots. He's like, bro, your shoes could be cut in half if you just stop talking. Because I'll be in, I'll be back there talking about any and everything. Um, but some of it's like, hey, how did y'all meet? What was it like? Hey, all right, sis, I want you to stand on the wall. I want you to pose like this. Hey, I want you to walk up to her. Imagine she's a girl at the club that you like want to holler at. Let me see what that look like. And Utah, before they even get there, they just bust out laughing, right? Or uh, you know, hey, I want y'all to walk. I might tell her, hey, I want you to pinch his ass as soon as y'all get five steps in. Don't say nothing. She do it. And then he's like, hold on, what are we doing? You know what I'm saying? It's just fun stuff like that. That's my that's my goal. Like, hey, let's have fun, but let's we get all the cute stuff for Instagram and people just be glossing over, but like, hey, I want y'all to look at the rest of your gallery when y'all at home and be like, I remember this moment when we walked and she pinched my butt. And it just, it was just like whatever. Or my favorite is like, hey, I want you to whisper something. You gonna hug him from behind, whisper something in his ear. I don't need to hear what that is, but whatever. You know what I'm saying? And funny enough, that came from um I did a shoot with my aunt one time, and I told her to do that to my uncle. I don't know what she said. It had to be inappropriate because his eyes, he turned red, and his eyes got big, and I was just like, This is my saved aunt. Like, I don't know what's going on. Like, I'm like, this so it was funny, but and I took that after that, right? Like, let's do that from here on out. Like, let's have fun with it, and it'll show.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

Yeah, it does show on your images. That's what I'm saying, man.

SPEAKER_03 37:56

Because I'm also like I said, because I've been following you for so long. Yes, and it's so awesome being able to talk to you today about these images because yeah, man, it's like they're very approachable. Because it's like one person I recognize in your gallery that I saw from um, what was it? I think she was on reality, she was on what was the 90s that uh Married at First Sight. Oh, yeah. Iris. Yeah, Iris. Shout out to my girl Iris. I love her.

SPEAKER_00 38:16

Yeah, I love her. And I was like, I remember how she was acting on the show. Yo, let me tell y'all this. I didn't know Iris was on no show. For real? Bro, nobody tells me they on these shows. I they just we just do photo shoots. So I met Iris CIAA, maybe like 18, 17, for a hair company. So I just remember her, she was so personal, so fun, so nice, right? And so anyway, we just got cool. Me and her mom, both of our moms are from the same city. Our mom shared a birthday. Okay, and we didn't figure that out till way later. So anyway, I'm shooting with Iris, and um, she comes into the studio and she takes her ring off. And I I see, but I'm like, oh, she just taking jewelry off. I didn't notice the ring. And so we do that, and so we're sitting there, and she was like, Gavin, I'm like, what's up? Like, whatever. She's like, Life. I'm like, what's going on? And so I think we took like a selfie. She was like, You've you'll see later. I'm like, whatever. I posted her, my cousins was on my phone that night, and I'm like, what is going on? He's like, Oh my gosh, you was with Iris, she's on this show. And I'm like, all right. They was like, How is she? I'm like, she chill, like, because she is, she's super fun and nice. And so this is my rule. I tell everybody this if you tell me you're on the show, because now I got a podcast and you're reporting on stuff. If I know you, I will not talk about you. I I made everybody that promise because I'm like, I don't want you to pull up on me because I do get nervous on the first pull up. The second one, I'm ready for you. I got all my ammo ready, right? So um, so I told Iris, like, I I watched the show one day. Iris was eating a quarter or something on there. Like they had like some weird thing that they were doing. And I hit up Iris, I said, I'm never watching the show again. Because I'm like, and then she was like, just get on, get on my go on Twitter and type in my name, and they were going in on her. So I used to, my job back then, I used to just start commenting back then. And so Mia Iris, like, she's super cool, she's super nice. Let me tell you something. Uh probably top three models I've ever worked with, she can, she, bro, she kills it. Um, but she's super sweet, you know what I'm saying? And so the show happened, and then I was like, yo, why didn't you plug me in to be the wedding photographer or something? Like that would have been fun. Oh, they ever put me on a TV show? It's over. I'm out of it. I'm gonna act up. Yeah, look, just pin this interview because I'm gonna cut up. But no, she's um she's super cool. And shooting people like that, like it's funny seeing them on TV and then you knowing them in real life. Um, but and I only watch that one little clip. And I told Iris, I ain't watching again, so I don't know what else she was on there doing. But she's such a genuine person. I love her. And um, I shot her, I didn't shot her. I think the biggest thing we ever did was uh for Halloween, we did a Whitney Houston like reenactment of like uh different album covers. Um yeah, yeah. And she loves Whitney Houston, like loves Whitney Houston for real. Um, but I did her proposal, so that was super cool. She knew what was going down when she saw me because she was like, hold on.

SPEAKER_02 41:13

Why is he here?

SPEAKER_00 41:14

Why is he here? I was in the bushes too. I was so in the bushes, but uh that's that's the homie man. I love her.

SPEAKER_03 41:21

Good, good, good. Um, so the next question we have is talking about your legacy.

SPEAKER_02 41:28

Yes. Um, when you look back on your body of work over the decades that you've been shooting, what do you hope that it says about your artistic contribution to the industry?

Editing Style And Client Comfort On Set

SPEAKER_00 41:36

I hope everybody knows that like I really took care of my people. And I'm talking about like not just photographers, but like my clients. Like that's important. And I know that sounds like all right, but I want I'm not so I did a show at the light factory one time, right? And I wasn't supposed to be on there. Um, and I say that because they had a audition to have a gallery at the light factory. Cool. This is when I'm like in the midst, like the big part of my photography podcast. So I felt it would be disrespectful not to apply for this thing, and I'm telling everybody else to apply. And they picked me. And I was like, all right, cool, I'm there. When I tell y'all I wasn't supposed to be there, I'm talking about I halfway filled out the application because I'm like, I don't want, I don't want to. Um that, but it was cool that I did it. But the number one thing I learned in the middle of the um process is all the photographers in there, they've been shooting less than me, and they were so creative. And they kept calling me a commercial photographer, and I took it as a diss the whole time. I was like, oh, y'all playing with me. Like, whatever, like I know, and everybody in there is talented, but I saw they looked at it from an artistic view. Yeah, I looked at it as a business, like I told y'all. And at the end, all of them, not all of them, like two, three of the dudes came to me and was like, yo, I want to talk to you about like how to turn this artistic thing to a business. And that's my thing. I'm always open. You can come and talk to me, you can come sit with me, you can come to my office and be like, I just want to talk. Like, how do I do this? And I that's one thing. The number outside of that, like having a black dad club, like that's my future legacy. Um, because my dad did honestly too much for me growing up, and I appreciate that. And I say too much because like I'm a dad now, and I'm like, bro, I don't know how my dad found the time, energy, and money to do all the things he did for me. And I'm so grateful for it, but like now, like encouraging men to be better, better fathers, to be helpers to their wives or the mother of their children, stuff like that, like that's what I want to do is like give purpose there. But as far as photography, like knowing I was a great business person, willing to help people, um, show people different avenues. Um, one of the biggest blessings I got from the city was uh I won a grant and I was able to get all new gear. But the purpose of that gear was to hire other photographers. So now when we go on gigs, if you say, hey, I need a camera, I can say, here's a canon for you. Like we're gonna have the same style. And I've done that. Like, that's my other thing. Like, I'm not the type, if you need to know something, I'm willing to go and help you. I'm willing to show you, I'm willing to, like I said, sit with you, but I'm also willing to say, like, hey, how do we turn this from just two of us to four of us to 10 of us to 30 of us and now you know we keep it going?

SPEAKER_02 44:21

That's cool.

SPEAKER_03 44:22

Yeah, awesome. One more question before we get ready to um um wrap up. Cool. And if you could choose between one of these two things, uh uh choose fame or respect.

SPEAKER_00 44:34

I heard y'all asked this earlier. And I was gonna scream out fame. Um yo, I'm telling you, uh definitely respect. Um it's definitely respect. I you know, when I was younger, I was like, I gotta be famous. I wanna go, and I still do. Like, I want to be able to just walk in places and not have to introduce myself. But I also hate that. All right, because I have albinism, people recognize me quicker than whatever. That's why I couldn't get in trouble when I was in school. My mom used to always tell me that, tell you she was a hater. She was like, You can't do what they do. They look back on the cameras, they're gonna say, Oh, we only got one albino kid in the school. We know exactly who he is and where he is. And she was right, because my principal pulled that up on me, right? The problem is now we'll go out places and people recognize me and see me. And even though I want that to be bigger, because that does open up certain doors, you cannot. I worked at the Risk Carlton, like I told you, I worked there for seven years. I would see um I guess I mean it's common knowledge. Um, every NBA team that stays in Charlotte stays there. So I met a bunch of famous people. Um I've seen people come in and people People hate them, but they respect them and they leave them alone. Or they'll shout, they're trash talking, but it's like, hey, respect though. I love you. I'm just a fan of X, Y, and Z. I've seen players come in that get no respect. People just like, uh-uh. I don't care who you are. I don't care that you make$30 million a year. No, it's like that. And so for me, just as a man, I love when people respect me. Um, I understand that. So when I'm I'm some places, like I've been out places, me and my wife, and people just like, cool. Hey man, love to work, dap up, keep it moving. Um, I've seen people who who don't like me because I talk too much. I tell you I get kicked out of truth, right? And they come and see me and they just like, I'm gonna let you live today because I want to cut you out, but I got you. And it's you know, oh post this, you'll see. Um but it's a lot of that, but I love respect because you can't, you don't, you can't buy it. Yeah, people earn it, they either give it to you or they don't. And I think a lot of I know a lot of people respect me because also I give respect. So I'm not trying to be one of those people who's like, hey, let me have 200,000 followers and then people just cuss me out every comment. Um, and that's just gonna happen anyway. But nah, I love respect.

SPEAKER_02 46:57

So how can people get in touch with you? Um, what type of photography are you mostly focusing on, or did you want to branch into something new?

Legacy Respect And The Black Dads Club

SPEAKER_00 47:06

Oh, the what's so like the what's next in my life? You know what? So I put like this. If you ever want to follow me, it's I am underscore Gavin B, uh gavinbower.com. Um, I would say the next thing that's up for me is expanding the Black Dance Club. Um, and that is a podcast that, all right, y'all know how it is, y'all podcasters. Yeah, you start this and you think everybody about to listen, everybody and their mama about to support, they about to send you five dollars a month. You know what I'm saying? You thinking like, oh, we out of here, and then you get those first download numbers, and you just like, we did not spend and spend all this money, time, and effort for 12 people to listen. And then the next week you do it and it's eight. And then you just like, what is going on? Um, so me and my co-host Mike, shout out to Pastor Mike Wheel. He is not a pastor. Um, that just make y'all mad when he cuts y'all out that he passes. So we get a lot of that. Um, so we start this podcast and it's about it's a mess. It's a mess. Okay. It's trash. And I tell Mike all the time, I'm like, that was trash. We did 30 episodes of trash. And but it was about relationships, um, business, all that stuff, right? So cool, we do all that, and then I, my my wife, we have our son, and I'm planning on coming back to quit. Quitting is what's going to happen when I get back. I tell her, hey, I'm about to quit this podcast. And first episode we come back, and he goes, Um, how's it being a dad? And I said, just to let you know, it was a lot of stuff y'all didn't tell me. Like, there's a whole manual. Y'all didn't say none of this before I had a kid. Like, y'all didn't tell me, like, hey, you're not gonna get sleep. Hey, your wife is gonna go through a lot. Hey, nobody's ever gonna check on you. They ain't even checking on your wife, they just only checking on the kid, but they definitely don't care about you. Like, nobody told me when I was in the hospital, like, they came in to hand, they came in to hand the birth certificate. And my wife's like, just give it to him. And they said, No, we can't. She was like, Well, that's my husband. He was like, You can hand it to him. We ain't we can't handle that. Like, nobody, like, nobody told me that. And he left, and so our numbers spike. And so we did it again the next week, just checking in. We still talking about BS. Like, but what's it like being a dad? And I'm going through the same process, and that changed. And then we came up with the Black Dads Club, like we're gonna talk about it. And surprising, we got a good number of just women that just listen to us, but we're just literally just two black dads to just talk about life and just what that's like and stuff that interests us. So we talk about sports, we talk about politics, stuff like that. But my goal is to make it more than that just a podcast, but community, right? Like um, I was telling everybody this, this has everything to do with photography. Um, in June, we're gonna be giving headshots, not just to dads, but just our listeners. Like, come in because Mike does recruiting, right? Okay. So it's super cool. He's gonna look over your resume, help you out with that. I'm gonna get you a headshot. And it's free. You just gotta show up. Like, we're doing stuff like that. So I want to be able to help. That's our thing. Like, how do you I I tell everybody this? Um, first of all, it's always progress over perfection. You gotta get started somehow, whether it's podcasting, photography, whatever you want to do. Um, but out also after that, and this I kind of guess this goes to your legacy question. I want people to know that I use my talents to serve other people. So, and that's what me and Mike had to sit down and say, hey, you are a recruiter, you work with resumes and talent acquisition every day. Like, that's his job, like talent acquisition. I'm like, I do photography. The economy is jacked up. I don't know if anybody knows. Yes, like it's crazy out here, right? So it's like, how do you use those talents to serve people? So that's our goal now. It's like, all right, cool, come in, let me do your headshot. You can talk to Mike, you figure this out. Oh, by the way, we got a podcast, check it out for you know, whatever.

SPEAKER_02 50:50

So I like that. Yeah, a way to build community.

SPEAKER_00 50:53

Yeah, absolutely. Because business. And we gotta change this narrative about fathers, not just black fathers, all fathers. Like, hey, we care, we love, like we want to be dads and stuff like that. So that's how we is.

SPEAKER_02 51:06

So, how can people follow the podcast?

SPEAKER_00 51:08

Oh, black dad's club, be sure to check it out. Um, cuss Mike out, don't cuss me out. Also, if you see me in public and you don't like something he said, take it up with him. Um, if you don't like something I said, just wait till the next time. Then um, but yes, check out the Black Dad's Club. But um, I am Gavin B on all socials. Um, be sure to check it out. And I thank y'all. I thank y'all for this because this is super amazing. I know podcasting is tough. It you talking to people you might not care about talking to. Um we care about people we talk to. See, and that's good because sometimes you run across people and they're not who they seem online. Yeah, and this job, and the reason why I'm saying that is because it's tough. Yeah, and so to come in here and everybody's welcoming and everybody's nice, I really appreciate that. Because sometimes I sit with people I don't want to talk to. Not being like, this is about to be a long interview. But I appreciate y'all because this job is tough, and congratulations to y'all. Like, I've been listening to y'all episodes, I think it's super cool, but I'm just grateful to be here. I appreciate y'all. Appreciate it. Thanks. Thanks.

SPEAKER_02 52:05

I'm grateful that you're here now. I can pick your brain more with photography. So I want to thank you guys for watching this episode and definitely hit him up for any events. Are you getting look hit? He's a photographer, I'm a photographer, but you know, whatever you want to choose.

SPEAKER_03 52:23

People shooting people, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:24

Also, um, we are here at Asylum Digital Recording Studio. If you guys ever want to check it out and do some music, but we use it for podcasting, but either way, it's versatile. So tell someone you love them and thank you guys for watching.

SPEAKER_03 52:38

Peace.