Meet DeJai Moore | Professional Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with DeJai Moore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DeJai, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own business was basically finding out I actually have an eye for photography, usually I’d pick something up as most people do and get bored with it after a week or so then just leave it alone. Also not having to answer to anyone above me played a huge factor as well, I am my own boss. I love being able to make my own schedule and being able to do whatever I want whenever I want. I kind of feel like if you want something done you have to do it yourself. Sure you can learn things by working for other people but no one wants someone else doing better than them so you’ll always be one step behind. Two of my favorite quotes to live by are, “Failure to plan is a plan to fail” by Benjamin Franklin and “Where we started to where we at is a much further distance than where we at and where we trying to get.” By Nipsey Hussle.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I feel like what sets me apart from most photographers is the genuine relationship I build with my customers, tell me how your day was, what type of music do you like, how if your family, or things like how are you mentally and spiritually. I actually care about my customers because without them there’s no me. I’m most proud of how far I’ve come as a creative the first pictures I ever took compared to what my pictures look like now really show my growth and how far I’ve come since the first time I picked up a camera and I’m really excited to see what the future holds for me. Hard work is what got me to where I am today. I’m self taught, I have no formal training or education in photography just straight trial and error. The journey defines hasn’t been easy we look at other people’s successes and sometimes compare where we are to theirs but we have to remember everybody’s journey isn’t the same and those people worked hard to get where they are. I feel like owning a business will never be easy no matter how much money or help you have because trials are going to test you that’s just like in everyday life you’re going to have bad days and good days. In order to over come the not so easy days is usually when I fall back and lean on my support system I.e. the people I shouted out previously they usually help me overcome whenever the doubt starts to creep in. A great lesson I learned and still working on is my patience I like things to happen instantly but life definitely doesn’t work that way. One of my favorite rappers is J. Cole and he has a song with k e of the coldest Female rappers named Rapsody called “Sojourner” and in the hook he says, “I swam for miles, only to realize the current Is fightin’ against me and I’m so tired, floatin’ now, Oh, from here on out, I’ve got to realize the power Of learnin’ to let go, and just let God”. Sometimes the things we want to happen aren’t always for us so us fighting the wave essentially is pointless because that water is way more powerful than you’ll ever be you just gotta trust that God and his process is working for something much bigger. I just want the world to know that anything you put your mind to is possible never once when I was younger did I ever think about being a photographer but now it’s what I need to do on a daily not only to eat but to show the world dreams really come true. When my time comes I will show why I’m supposed to be here. The sky is not the limit it’s merely the view.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Dallas, Texas so there are a plethora of palaces and I love to eat and hang out. Eating wise I’m a burger guy so the staple in Texas is Whataburger obviously but you also have places like Wingfields, In-N-Out, Five Guys, and even Red Robin. As far as hanging out I’m kind of a home body unless I’m taking pics and/or out with my best friends but some places I frequent are The Free Man Cajun Cafe & Lounge, Chocolate Secrets, and The Balcony Club. Now places where I love taking pictures have to be any where downtown, around bodies of water, or at an arboretum of some sort. I also happen to love the African American Museum of Dallas.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I first want to say none of what I’m doing is possible without God. I have to have that base foundation in my life because 1. I was just raised that way and 2. I feel like I would never be able to weather the storms that come with the process of running a business without his grace. Next I have to throw my family in there, I’m pretty sure they weren’t thrilled when I put in my 2 weeks notice at my full time job to pursue my dream but as my mother explains it, “My plan for your life ain’t your plan so do what you do to the best of your ability” (I LOVE YOU MOMMY).

Finally I gotta give a shout out to 2 of the most important friends but really family as well in my life my best friend/brother Saige who is an upcoming music artist (Saige Michael) and my other best friend/sister Karrington who is also a music artist (Karri) without those 2 I probably would’ve quit a long time ago but their love and support is endless and just like they want to see me succeed I want to see them make it happen as well.

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