Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Wangenheim.
Hi Brian, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Brian Wangenheim, and I have been involved in the creative arts my entire life. I discovered my passion for photography in first grade when I picked up my first disposable film camera. Since then, I have dabbled in various artistic pursuits such as drawing with pastels and creating sculptures while earning my Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cal State Long Beach (graduated 2015). Eventually, I found my way back to photography, which allows me to express my creativity while connecting with people and the world. My candid enjoyment of photography from my childhood is still alive in me today, and I have been providing professional photography services for about eight years. I am a passionate and dedicated photographer who is committed to delivering masterful work for every project.
What sets me apart? Firstly, take a look at my portfolio (brianwangenheim.info), and you will see a vast collection of my work. Photography is not merely a business for me; it’s a way of life that allows me to engage and interact with the world. I aim to showcase the beauty, hope, and all the positive things that I see through my photographs. My personal style leans towards authentic, documentary-style photos, but I also enjoy doing staged and studio work. Currently, I am really getting into fashion photography. During my free time, I plan fun and creative photoshoots and capture events with history in mind, conveying a positive message through my work. I am happy to make some of my photos available for free as I enjoy helping others. I have a wife, two young children, and a faith in God, and I believe that life is a gift, and we should all make the most of it.
➼ 53+ Million views on Unsplash.com and over 300k downloads of my work.
➼ Photography published online in places such as: Men’s Journal, Yahoo Finance, Medium, Popular Science, Psychology Today, BuzzFeed, University of Oregon and many more.
➼ RRCIA, Cal State Parks First Place Wildlife Photography Contest (2019)
➼ Certified Remote/Drone Pilot (FAA)
➼ Commercial Real Estate Drone Certification by Drone Base 2022
➼ Ham Radio Technician Class License (FCC)
➼ Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED (Red Cross)
➼ Photos published in Style Equation Magazine March/April Issue 2022
➼ Photos published in Style Equation Magazine July/Aug Issue 2022
➼ Honorable Mention – Advanced Category – Pictorial Scapes 2022 (LPA)
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being a photographer has not been a smooth road as I believe life offers very few “smooth roads” Balancing the desire to create amazing art that speaks to me and providing for my family financially has been a challenge. Finding clients was a major challenge at one point, I remember creating an email list and following up with real estate agents over a year until finally I broke into that market and was able to get some real estate photography clients. Another challenge is just learning to create amazing photography. Many people may think you can just pick up a camera and click a button to capture a photograph but to create a beautiful picture it is much more than that, it has taken me many years to learn about composition, lighting, working with clients, the business aspect and more. I am still learning and have so much to learn as well. Also being a new father to a 3-year-old son named “David” and my one-year-old daughter named “Paula” has been a handful. A lot of the free time I had before kids is now gone. Thankfully my helpful wife “Maria” has been a great blessing helping me take care of the kids and we both support each other in our own career and artistic journeys.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My current focus in my photography work is creating amazing pictures. Usually this involves some sort of unique, striking, or beautiful backdrop. Then I like to add a model that goes along with the feeling of that area. Next adding, a wonderful outfit and props to fill in the scene. After I put all those pieces together I figure out how I want to capture the shot, from which angle, composition, and lighting. Next, I like to have fun, play some music, chat with models and others while taking amazing photos. My current love is balancing ambient lighting with flash lighting. You will see this in a lot of my current photos and everyone loves this kind of lighting and photography technique.
Creating work that makes people feel something strong inside is always a goal in mind because I want to bring people out of what is normal to them and introduce them to something new, give them new ideas, new emotions to deal with, I believe with these sorts of things we grow as human beings. But I am currently planning all sorts of unique photoshoots and a lot of the community is happy to help out whenever I have these fun and creative kind of ideas: like shooting at the sand dunes, or doing a pinup shoot, or planning an alien photoshoot! I am currently most proud of my landscape photography I have taken at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley, CA – I think those images are timeless and have a unique beauty. I am also proud of all my recent work which involves the ambient/flash-balancing lighting technique. What sets me apart from others if definitely the volume of work that I create and that I am a true artist at heart, not creating to make money, but creating to express myself and be satisfied.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think being patient has led to a lot of people respecting what I do, when you react to others in a positive way even though others can be off-putting at times – people recognize that and respect that. I remember dealing with a really challenging client at one point, this person would want change after change, but instead of telling the client how they were wrong or being difficult, I just went the extra mile with them. Eventually this client became one of my best repeat clients and we have no challenges anymore. So being patient with people can really pay off.
Pricing:
- 1 hour photography session – $300
- 4 hour photography session – $1,000
- Wedding photography day – $1,800
- Aerial photography – $400
- Couples/family photography – $400
Contact Info:
- Website: brianwangenheim.info
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian_photographer_111/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083907742797
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianWangenheim
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbt-Sb1CITqrbZ6AS8r_Leg
