Conversations with Donnie Quillen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Donnie Quillen.

Hi Donnie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I picked up my first camera in 2013 and started learning the ins and outs of how it worked by taking pics of my shoe collection and my friends with their own. From there I grew into photographing weddings, senior sessions, family sessions, and landscape images.

I had worked at Time Warner Cable for 9 years before I quit in 2016 and went full time as a creative. Once I left TWC I opened my own studio in downtown Miamisburg where I displayed work from every thing I was taking pictures of. Also in 2016 I started working with a boutique called Corporate located in Cincinnati helping them with images for their website and social media pages. Since then, we’ve been able to grow Corporate adding 2 more locations in downtown Indy and downtown Dayton. Shoutout to the team!

In 2020 I decided to move my studio to my hometown tripling the space. Nobody knew what was coming and when Covid hit I had to pivot quite a bit. That’s when I transitioned into the world I’m in now, creating content for professional athletes and businesses. I met Bengals nose tackle DJ Reader during the summer of 2022 coming off of their Super Bowl appearance. He was looking for someone to handle his foundations media along with documenting his lifestyle on and off the field during the season.

We’ve been working together over the last 4-5 years and I’m forever thankful, him and his entire family welcomed me in from the moment we met and we’ve made some great memories over the years. Through him, I’ve met and been blessed to work with BJ Hill, Tycen Anderson, DJ Ivey, Andrei Iosivas, and quite a few other athletes.

Shoutout to everyone I’ve met on this journey and everyone that continues to give me opportunities to do what I love. I truly appreciate it and can’t thank yall enough!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I quit my job, bought a house, opened a studio AND had a kid all in 2016, it hasn’t been smooth at all. People see the athletes I work with now and the first response is always “I’m so jealous! Must be nice!”

It is don’t get me wrong, but many people don’t know the path I traveled to get there..

Any one can pick up a camera and be in the right place at the right time but when it comes to truly understanding how it all works, people included, that’s where a lot of photographers fall short.

I’m not talking about just knowing the camera either. You’ll get exposed real fast for not knowing how to handle certain situations, or how to act around certain people.

The best advice I can give anyone is be yourself no matter the rooms you’re in. If you’re a phony or around for the wrong reasons people will see right through you.

I remember when I started this journey in 2016 the owner of Corporate, Matt Tomamichel, always told me “you have to speak things into existence.” So whenever I was struggling to find my next move I would literally speak on what I wanted to do. I put the work in, stayed true to myself and I started noticing doors opening up around me.

Shoutout to my brother MT, what’s understood doesn’t need to be explained.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I now specialize in overall content creation for athletes and businesses bringing my own personalized style to each client. I pride myself on learning my clients likes and dislikes and giving them content that fits their every day life helping them grow their own brand.

I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve made over the years, there’s no one image or one job that stands out to me the most but instead the people I’ve been blessed to meet.

Understanding that if it wasn’t for the friendships I’ve made and the support they give me I wouldn’t be able to do any of this and I think that’s what sets me apart from others the most.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I pull a lot of inspiration from my family and friends. It all goes back to getting to know the person/business, there’s no mood board I could put together that’ll help me get to know someone on a personal level.

I’ll credit YouTube and Instagram where I see new techniques or new ideas on how to film or photograph certain things. But shooting on the fly, on a Tuesday at noon – that’s just getting to know the person and building trust.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnie.quillen