the story behind the lens

I've been a photographer since the 9th grade.  My freshman year of high school in Milwaukee, WI I took "Photo 101" and used my dad's handed down Canon AE-1 that he bought as a soldier in the Vietnam War to learn the basics.  I learned on film.  I was in the darkroom constantly.  I fell in love the second I saw my first image come up in the developer. It was the perfect blend of art and science...and magic.

I had another love at the time - I started acting professionally in the 4th grade - and I was torn between the two.  So - I decided to do both!  I earned my BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in 2001, graduating with a major in acting and a minor in film and photography.

I spent 1 year in New York City after school, I spent 8 years in Chicago after that and I've been based in Los Angeles since 2010. The pursuit of a life in the theatre took up a tremendous amount of time and focus. I kept very busy and had some great success.  As an actor, I've worked with some of the country's best theatres including Writers', Court, Goodman, Remy Bumppo, Chicago Shakespeare (including HENRY IV Pts. 1 & 2 which traveled to the Royal Shakespeare Company!), Milwaukee Rep, Madison Rep, City Theatre, Next Act, Renaissance Theatreworks, American Players, Door Shakespeare, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and greasy joan & co.  I've also done work in film and television as well as on-camera and voiceover commercials.  But - the monetary rewards of theatre work in this country just aren't reflective of the tremendous amount of time and effort put in. So - I found I was shooting less and less - because...man, film was expensive!

And then - I finally caved and bought my first digital camera before a three month gig in Montana.  And I shot EVERYDAY on that trip.  I realized it was money that kept me from shooting...and now that I could avoid the cost of film and processing and dark room time - I was diving head first back into it.

And - next thing you know one passion over took another - and here I am - BRADEN MORAN PHOTOGRAPHY!   

I switched my focus from acting to photography and haven't looked back.  I couldn't think of a more complementary blend of my various talents and experiences than photography.  I love people.  I'm curious about what makes them tick, what makes them unique AND how to access and share that uniqueness.  I know what it's like to be in front of the lens and that informs how I work behind it.  And - ultimately - its all storytelling.

I love what I do - and I work everyday to get better at it.  I have been mentored by some of the best photographers in the business.  From working as an assistant with such masters as Kwaku Alston, Robert Ascroft, Pari Dukovic, Lauren Greenfield, Mark Seliger, Matthew Rolston, Peggy Sirota, Chris Buck, Cliff Lipson, Justin Coit, James Dimmock, James White, Txema Yeste, JuCo, Jeff Lipsky, Kristin Lee Moolmond, Ryan McGinley and Jason Bell - my understanding of the craft of photography and the artistry of light has grown exponentially.

After a decade working at the highest levels of production in Hollywood - I’ve had the honor and the pleasure to help craft light for some of the best networks, studios, magazines, and brands on the planet:

From all those years of experience - I bring immense creative problem solving skills, countless lighting techniques, a passion for communication and collaboration, and a tremendous breadth of local and international resources.

And - on top of all that - I recently earned my FAA Unmanned Aircraft license which allows me to work commercially with my drone as a remote-pilot-in-command!

I love being able to take my experience and use it to capture the unique spirit of every individual moment that crosses my lens using all the different tools I’ve learned along the way.

That's some of my story.

I'm interested to hear yours...and I'm excited to work with you to capture and share that unique story with the world.