Today we’d like to introduce you to Braiden Wade.
Hi, Braiden. It’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us. To start, could you share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m Braiden Wade, a photographer from Columbia, St. Louis, and Chicago. I mainly do photography, but I’ve picked up other mediums like poetry, graphic design, painting, and videography. My uncle gave me my first camera during the summer I spent with him in Chicago when I was going into my sophomore year of high school, and it went from there. I practiced photography all those years, and COVID started; I practiced with friends and a few strangers during that time, and I really liked portraits of people, so I focused more on that leading into college. I just graduated this past May, so reminiscing about college is still strange. I photographed everyone and anything for a while throughout college, including a few continuous projects and series. I started bringing my camera to parties or events, and people would recognize me. I got into fashion for a little, but I enjoyed music and concert photography. I did take a step away for a second to reevaluate and decide where I wanted to go with my photography. After returning, I’m working on longer-term projects that mean more to me personally. I got into a habit of creating for consistency instead of the content itself. I still post some of my work, but I’m putting more effort into these longer-term projects now.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been anywhere near a smooth road or process. It’s been a lot of ups and downs, whether it has been mental, physical, or even social. A lot of this lifestyle has been a mix of taking things on by myself, making it hard to ask for help when needed. I’ve gotten more comfortable asking for help, but it’s still those moments where I do take those things I struggle with on my own, or I have to take them on alone because it could be an instance unique to me. In that constant back and forth, it’s been mentally straining as I’ll be in my head about the work I produce and how I interact with people, and ultimately, it has affected my life a lot more in the past two years. The last time you all interviewed me, my grandma was still alive, and she was the driving force behind why I started and continued doing photography. She passed last year, and everything came crashing down after that. I could have handled more things well or started taking accountability for many things in those times. But I couldn’t take a break from work because I needed to work, so there were no breaks to check in mentally. I lost a lot of sleep, I got sick more often, and I still smiled more times and tried to show up as much as possible, but I couldn’t keep up anymore. While I had those internal battles and still have them, these started to affect the relationships and friendships I had between last year and now, and that took an even more drastic toll on me because I was hurting those I loved and the people who cared for me unintentionally. So I promised myself I would get it together when I graduated college; no more easy excuses to avoid doing better. The other side is that I’m much harder on myself than I let on, and after talking some of these instances through, they were a lot simpler than I thought, and I have to forgive myself. I’m working and creating art right now, so I’m taking the extra time to get my mind together and improve myself for those around me. It is essential to keep the motivation to create and put out work through all of this. It’s been hard, and the road is bumpy as hell, but a lot of good came from starting when I did mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. I’ve begun translating this into personal projects that I’ve been working on or work on within the next year, so hopefully, I get to interview with you all again then. If there’s anything I’m learning right now, the more complicated things get easier over time, and they become a habit. So, something hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible; it just takes more time.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My specialty is photography, but I’ve done modeling and audio work, and recently, I’ve done videography for my recent project titled “Black Boys and Their Flowers.” I’m known for photography, so the other things are rarely shown or posted about. Still, I’m working on showing those more often to reach more people and also show my portfolio as a Digital Media Specialist. I’m most proud of my photography, whether commercial, editorial, creative, or marketing because I choose to have fun as I take photos in any shoot. Even if I’m super tired or I have 500 photos already(which sucks sorting through after) if I have a fun idea, I’m going to take the photo and work the angles as much as possible. If it’s a more personal shoot, I still try to have fun and talk to the person like normal because 9/10 they’re nervous about taking pictures. I can balance being professional and caring for them because being a photographer is very social. Professionally, you must talk to people to network, bring in clientele, and get opportunities. You have to be able to talk to people while showing your work because that can get you further than just having pretty photos. I’ve gotten chances to be in spaces I never thought I would because I talk to people. I talk a lot; I’m the friend you have to pull away from conversations on the way out the door because I saw somebody I knew, and now we’re talking for another 10 min. That’s what sets me apart when it comes to being a photographer/creative; I only do a little marketing for my photography/business. Many people have been recommended to me, seen me in a passing conversation, or like the photos I post consistently. I’m also approachable.
On the other hand, I think what sets me apart is that I like to put out or create deeper projects around shared experiences. Between the fun photoshoots and portraits, I want to dedicate time to personal topics. “Black Boys and Their Flowers,” the project I mentioned earlier, is a manifestation of me as a black man and the stigma surrounding black men’s mental health. As mentioned in the previous question, I’ve been trying to create projects that help me express more of myself while helping others around me express themselves. I’ve been working on this project for the past nine months, and it was rough because, again, I’ve been trying to get my mental health together as well. I’ve started this series by sharing the stories of four young black men and how they navigated their mental health during this time, and it’s been a moving project for me. It truly hits home because I appreciate everyone who’s been a part of it, not only being vulnerable and sharing their stories but also because I had a friend commit suicide on the first shoot day of the project. He was also another young black man who smiled often and was there when you needed him. I dedicated the project to him and want to continue it as a resource for those who want to share their stories and need a place to vent. This project is the thing I’m the most proud of because I put a lot of heart and time into it, and it’s coming out beautifully.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
It may be too late to get the desired outcome, but there is always time to improve. Whatever better means for you, you should start when you can and are ready to. Consistently do something daily or one thing at a time that gets you towards your goal of being better. Everything will take time, but that’s not an excuse not to do it. This also applies to things you’re working on, whether projects or goals. I finished this project in nine months because I worked on a piece of it every day, and I was afraid to start because I thought I knew how long it would take. It took less time than I thought to complete this passion project. And that mindset applies to everything else in my life right now. I still have a lot of things to work on, but I’m happy to say I’m working on them or working through them. The last thing is to create art for you and with purpose; it brings more joy that way. Especially in media with quick content, if you’re caught up in consistently putting work out, it leads to burnout, and you need more fun. Stockpile your work and schedule those posts while you work on something else simultaneously. It makes it less stressful, and you still get to put work out for the fun/algorithm. I just figured this out for myself. I’m 21 going on 22, so in shape or form, am I a wise old man yet? I still have much to learn and work on, but that’s okay for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://braidenwade.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/braidenwade/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/braiden-wade-481044208
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/bythewadephotos
Image Credits
Personal photo is credited to @photosbyashi
