Today we’d like to introduce you to Dj Lawrence.
Dj, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is DJ Lawrence the CEO of Godseye Studios LLC. I’m a filmmaker/photographer based out of Beaufort, SC.
I originally started videography in April 2018. I would go to high school basketball games and create mixtapes for high school athletes. I didn’t care about anything else but basketball. One day my mom asked me if I would ever want to film anything else, like nature or people, and my mind couldn’t go there. I never really worked on getting better. I would only use my camera when I had to. I posted a basketball episode on YouTube one day and on the right-hand side of the screen, there were suggested videos for me to watch. I clicked on one, it was a Day in the Life episode of Zion Williamson. It was filmed and edited by Ball is life! The video was so good, that I thought about taking mine down. At that moment I realized if this was something I want to do then I have to put more time into it.
The very next year in 2019, I was asked to take photos for someone and I turned it down. My exact words were “I’m not a photographer, I only film videos”. One day I thought maybe If I tried photography, it can probably help with my videos, and that’s exactly what it did. I fell in love with photography! It was the perfect avenue for me to express myself creatively. Now, I believe I’m known more for my photography than my videos.
The transition from identifying myself as a videographer to a filmmaker happened last year in 2021. I sat down one day and watched all of my videos and noticed every progression. Mind you, I was filming and taking photos on a Canon Rebel SL2. For those of you who don’t know, that camera is probably worth $200 right now. But as I looked at my videos, my newer videos looked more like movies. I really liked the style of movies and certain films. I really love telling stories with emotions and relatability. Talking with some friends of mine, I realized I am a filmmaker. So here I am, taking photos and making films.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has not been smooth, at all. One of my biggest struggles was figuring out the business aspect of a content creator. It was all fun and games until I needed to actually make money from this. It was very challenging because I needed to live off what I enjoyed doing. I had clients come left and right who wanted awesome and amazing content, but did not want to invest the money and time. That was very frustrating. I found myself taking jobs that I really didn’t enjoy. Photography and Filmmaking were supposed to be a way I express my creativity, instead, it was stressing me out.
Once I figured out my worth and the value that I provided, then I knew how to make money for what I love to do. It’s crazy because I create a lot of passion projects (free work) of my own and I always enjoy those more than the paid projects. Learning how to turn down jobs was also a struggle because when you’re provided for a family any time there’s an opportunity to make money, I’d jump on it.
Confidence used to be an issue, but my focus now is more so on how to create an experience for my clients. I love planning shoots, having creative conversations, and telling stories, so I bring my clients on the journey with me.
As I mentioned before, the lack of camera gear really frustrated me at one point. My confidence level before taking any job would disappear because of the gear I used. I shot with a Canon Rebel Sl2 for about 4 years. I felt like I wasn’t able to charge more for my work because of the gear I used, but I learned my camera front and back. I would even change settings to manipulate my images. All of my best work was done with that camera. After a conversation with some of my friends and colleagues, it was definitely time to upgrade.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I would like to consider myself a visionary photographer/filmmaker. I love creating and bringing out the true story of an individual or place. I understand that perfection is great and that’s something that I believe I strive for on a day-to-day basis, but there’s something about imperfections that intrigues me. There’s something about struggles that allow me to connect with whoever I’m taking photos of or filming. One thing that is super awesome about God, he finds beauty in people who are trying but don’t yet have it all together, people who may not be the prettiest or best dressed, people who may have a past that doesn’t match the future they want. God loves unconditionally and finds beauty in those people and I believe that’s how I view photography and telling stories. Everybody can’t relate to a model or an actor, but a story that can reach people on an emotional level to let them know that they’re not the only one facing certain things in life, I believe that’s the true meaning of photography and that’s what I love to capture. I believe that’s what set me apart.
I am proud of finding who I am in this industry. I no longer focus on thoughts like “I really pray these photos to come out good” and “I pray they like my work”. My prayers are now “God how can I impact this person, build a relationship, and show love” or “God how can people relate or be impacted by this film”. It takes the pressure off me as a creator and allows me to be who I truly am.
So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
My relationship with God and family matters the most to me. God blessed me with my family and this gift to create art, so I believe it’s only right for me to put Him first in my life.
I really love my family. My wife Jayln and my son, Aspen Saint Lawrence, are the reason why I do what I do. They are the driving force behind my creativity and art. When my son was born earlier this year, it changed the way I look at life. It showed me that a lot of thoughts and things I was putting my energy into were irrelevant. As long as I have God and my family, I believe I’m going to have a long career.
Contact Info:
- Email: godseyestudios20@gmail.com
- Website: www.godseyestudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingdeige_2/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmVbyKu5vDFwCTEnmHkCCcg/videos
Image Credits
Godseye Studios LLC
