Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Buell
Hi Dylan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been a tech-loving person since I was a kid, operating the camcorder whenever I could during our family vacations growing up. When I was in high school, I started using my first “real” camera, a Nikon D70. I started taking pictures of everyday life as a teenager, from family and pets, to sports and friends in high school.
When I reached college, I pursued a degree to become a high school history teacher, but still loved photography, so I spent my free time working for the school’s newspaper. I loved the work and the camaraderie of a newsroom, so on a whim during my last semester, I applied to a couple newspaper jobs, and ended up landing one at the State-Journal in Frankfort, Kentucky a month before I graduated. I put a teaching career on pause and started working at the State-Journal two days after graduating.
I spent almost four years working at the paper, which turned out to be the perfect place to get my start. While Frankfort is a small city of less than 30,000, it’s also the state capital, creating an interesting mix of small town life and big time politics. While working there, I also made connections with Getty Images, and started freelancing for them as well.
When my position was cut from the paper in the fall of 2015, I knew I wanted to continue freelancing for Getty. In order to stay busy with freelance work, I moved to Wisconsin in the spring of 2016. I spent five years there, covering collegiate and professional sporting events in the Milwaukee and Chicago area, as well as throughout the Midwest and around the country.
I loved my time in Wisconsin, but in the spring of 2021, it was time to move on to my next adventure, which turned out to be Cincinnati. From my time in Kentucky, it was an area I was already somewhat familiar with, and with its central location, I’ve stayed extremely busy since moving here (a good problem to have).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Making the decision to become full-time freelance is a daunting one. After my position was cut from the State-Journal, I had offers to go to several other newspapers, both in Kentucky and throughout the Midwest. It would have been a safer choice to pick one of them, but I enjoyed covering sports so much that I wanted to take the chance.
I knew when I moved to Wisconsin there was no guarantee that I would stay busy enough and make enough money to sustain myself. But with a strong work ethic and a little bit of luck, I was able to build a career and become more successful than I ever anticipated.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As far as my work goes, I shoot collegiate and professional sports almost exclusively now. In my own time, I love to take photos of wildlife and nature, especially birds.
The highlight of my career so far was winning the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame photo contest. The experience of being apart of the Enshrinement Weekend was something I’ll never forget.
But despite that, what I’m most proud of is my reputation for being the person other photographers come to for help. I always do what I can to aid other photographers, whether it’s advice, technical support, a soundboard for ideas, or whatever else someone might need.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
The biggest pieces of advice I can give are to be a good listener and to be kind. Sports photography, especially compared to other fields of photography, usually tends to have tight knit communities where you work. You tend to see the same photographers at all the events you go to, so it’s important to be someone that others enjoy working alongside.
When I was first starting out, I was always observing how the old pros worked, picking up what tips and tricks I could. At the end of the day, each person has their own ways of tackling the job, but being able to observe and then discover what works for best for you goes a long way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dylanphotog.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylanbuell
