Meet Dylan Rand

We were lucky to catch up with Dylan Rand recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dylan, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

To me, creativity is more about consistency and finding new ways to express an idea because you can lose or run out of ideas, but there’s always another way you can convey it. One idea that might give you another. One idea might spark another, creating a cycle where creativity isn’t just about having something new but about reshaping and refining.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m Dylan “RJ” Rand, a creative based in Memphis, TN, working in photography, videography, and content creation. I focus on sports photography, event coverage, and graphic design. I’ve had the chance to capture high-level sports events like The University of Memphis games and The Dallas Open, along with corporate events and personal branding shoots.

What excites me most about what I do is the storytelling. You can take a single idea and find so many ways to express it, whether through a photo, a video, or a full project. Right now, I’m working on a Last Chance U: Basketball-style documentary for my high school team, following a player named Cortney. It’s a passion project and my first short film that I hope really captures the feelings and the players point of view of their current situation and there future after high school basketball.

I’ve developed my own style of photography, always looking for ways to push my creativity through composition, lighting and dark colors or editing. I also apply that same creativity to videography

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

My journey has involved a lot of working with people, and the three things that have aided me the most are communication, patience, and forming genuine connections. Whether I’m working with a creative team, a business, or an athlete, effective communication makes things go more smoothly by setting clear expectations and preventing issues. Because things don’t always go as planned and not everyone sees the vision immediately, patience is equally crucial.

The best way to get better at these skills is through experience, staying consistent, and being open to learning communicate clearly, be patient when things don’t go as planned, and build real connections by showing up for people.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yes, I’m always looking to collaborate with creatives, athletes, brands, and businesses that want to bring their stories to life through content creation. My goal is to build a space where storytelling, content creation, and marketing come together to create something impactful. I want to work with people who are passionate about their craft whether it’s music, sports, business, or entertainment and are looking for high-quality visuals to bring their ideas to life. This vision is the foundation of Focus Studio Entertainment, which me and my close business partner and trusted friend developed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/shotbydylannn
• Instagram: Shotbydylannn