On Our Radar | Logan Detty
Is there a photographer whose work you find yourself going back too again and again? Maybe you have never heard of this photographer? Perhaps they are “flying under the radar”? It happens but I want to find those photographers. I want to celebrate their work. 2019 is the year of elevating those that may not be getting the attention they deserve in this industry and I am counting on our readers to lead the way!
Each month we will be featuring an artist who is inspiring others, who may not necessarily be someone you have heard of. From time to time I will be enlisting the help of the SSG community to nominate an artist. I want to hear their story, share their triumphs and hear what they are doing to make this dream of theirs a reality. We can learn from others whether it be through inspiration, education or everything in between.
This community will only get stronger if we are there to uplift and give as many people as possible a voice.
Our “On Our Radar” artist this month is Logan Detty of Logan Detty Photography.
Nominated By: Vickie Black
“I have been enamored by the versatility of Logan's work across genres. He is someone you want to be following.”
Tell us a little about yourself...what do we need to know that we don't already?
Hey there! My name is Logan Detty, I am a portrait photographer from Chillicothe Ohio and I truly love helping people in their skill and inspiring others to do their best! Something you might not know about me is even though I might look very ridged and structured, I’m truly a kid at heart! I still skateboard, make time for friends, go to concerts all while being the best husband and father I can be.
How long have you been in business?
I have been shooting photography for 10 years and have been in business 4 years. Im so thankful for the people I have met over the years and the influence i'm able to have in other peoples work and life.
How did you go about finding your unique style?
My style come as a result of building up a massive portfolio of “picture perfect/award winning” work and then completely going in the opposite direction of what I learned in school. By using the do’s and dont’s I learned in college I know what I DON'T want my images to look like, so i'm able to spend more time and focus more on what I DO want my images to look like. I use standard lighting techniques to bring my subject to life and exemplify who they are. The other way I’ve really be able to define my style is by limiting myself. For an entire month I would force myself to only use a 35mm lens. Then the next month only a 50mm lens. This really helped me because I could conform to what the camera saw rather than having this idea in my head and then being let down when I couldn’t accomplish it in camera. This is something that takes a lot of patience and humility because you take a lot of the creative freedom away. But ultimately it leads to you a place of learning your gear and helping you use it in the greatest way possible.
I have kind of become a stalker of your work. How did you evolve in your business to Logan 2019?
What do you think makes you stand out? Im glad you stalk my work! Haha! I try to put out as much as I can so that people can not only see my brand but also who I am as a person. Evolution of my business has occurred in a couple of different ways. First I would say that my business grew in popularity locally because of the kind things people were saying about me, local influence is something I take very seriously. My local community is the foundation for my business, people respect me, they trust me, and I had to be the one to make sure they did. Next, I would say that my business has grown because I have placed a great deal of urgency on having a conversation with others. Conversations are what people are missing on social media, people have become so focused on likes and followers that they forget there is an eager to learn person behind every like or comment. Putting your knowledge of the industry out into the world for others to learn from will have a massive return on the investment.
I believe what makes me stand out is my heart, I truly want people to not only love what they receive from me. But I want others to rave about how much fun it was to work with me.
Lets go there...as a male photographer, what do you see as obstacles and/or positives in thisindustry for yourself and other male photographers?
Being a male photographer in the fashion/senior photo industry is something that has its challenges. I have become very aware of potential problems in this industry and created processes to stay professional. For example, model safety and accountability is something I take very seriously. I never photograph a session alone with a model or high school senior, having an assistant with me at every shoot ensures that I'm holding myself to a standard that sets me apart from others and helps models feel comfortable during their session. Clear communication is also important, keeping a conversation professional and concise without bring a lot of emotion into the equation is vital. When a female model tells men they love their work, they need to keep in mind that they are not hitting on them or pursuing a personal conversation in any way. However, with this self control it really opens the door for opportunity. You can begin to build a community of people that really do trust you more and will have a greater reason to do a photo session with you at a later time.
If you could photograph any city in the world where would it be? What genre of photography wouldyou photograph?
I have actually done photos here before but I just really love Toronto! The dynamics of that city are so wild. I just kept comparing it to a smaller New York City. They people there are amazing, the freedom you have at locations is not like it is in the states, and at night the city comes alive with lights and movement. I would love to photograph more influencers in the city, high energy content from the top of a skyscraper would be EPIC!
What was your defining moment in the senior industry with your business?
This might seem a little bit goofy to others, but it really meant something to me. When other senior photographers started noticing me, reaching out, or following on social media. I knew that my senior photo market was about to shift entirely. For the longest time it just felt like I was doing senior photos to make money, but now I really take the time to tell the story of my seniors and help them get a full experience. Because of the attention I was receiving I really felt the need to step up my game and provide the absolute best version of myself to my clients.
What is your go to way to be inspired to create the looks you do?
The saying we have at Logan Detty Photo is that, When we create things we passion, magic happens. Passion keeps me inspired, and when I refer to passion I mean it in its root form, to suffer. Logan Detty behind the camera is the least important thing for each and every image I take. I make myself smaller in the moment to create something powerful for someone else. I humble myself and make the model feel like a million dollars, that alone is what drives me to create powerful and more engaging work.
What are your top 3 goals for 2019?
Teach others about creative freedom
Hire a full time videographer
Post a youtube video once a week
If you could photograph anyone in the world who would it be?
How would it look and why? I actually can’t answer this question at all! LOL I have a really hard time dreaming big and coming up with ideas about my photo shoots. My main goal is to use what I have available to me to create on the fly. I thrive in that! If I really had to say, It would be @katyamiro in a red hat. Thats about it! HAHA
Want to learn more about Logan?
Follow him here:
xoxo,
Vickie